In the Dec. 10 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:

The European Union is working on a sanctions regime to target human rights violations, Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said Dec. 9. Borrell said the EU is launching “preparatory work” for the regime at the request of “several” EU member states, adding that the regime will be the “EU equivalent” of U.S. Global Magnitsky Act sanctions. “This will be a tangible step reaffirming the European Union’s global lead on human rights,” he said.

In the Dec. 6-9 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:

Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, traders in the Netherlands will be able to apply for more types of authorizations only available in the Netherlands through the European Union Trader Portal, the Dutch Belastingdienst said in a Dec. 5 release. In addition to applications for single authorizations, which were deployed this year in the portal, traders will beginning Jan. 1 be able to use the portal to apply for inward processing (IPO), outward processing (OPO), end use (EUS) and temporary admission (TEA) authorizations, the release said. “In the coming year, more and more authorisations will become available in the EU Trader Portal,” it said.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade on Dec. 5 issued updated guidance on 19 open general export licenses. The guidance documents cover OGELs for chemicals, software and technology for military goods for individual use, dual-use items for oil and gas exploration, military surplus vehicles, goods for deployed U.K. forces, military goods for demonstration, historic military goods, military goods exported for repair or replacement under warranty, information security items, low value shipments, military goods exported for exhibition, dual-use goods exported for repair or replacement under warranty, category C goods, cryptographic development, dual-use goods exported after repair or replacement under warranty, technology for dual use items, small arms and light weapons, PCBs and components for dual use items, and OGEL X.

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued guidance Dec. 6 on best practices for internal compliance programs involving strategic goods, technologies and sanctions. The 16-page guidance, produced in collaboration with the country’s Central Office for Import and Export, sets out responsibilities for businesses and exporters involved in the strategic technology sector. It contains practices for export screening procedures, verifying end-users and end uses, and performing audits and training. The guidance also contains European Union regulations on exporting controlled technology, including those related to cyber surveillance, human rights abuses, and “torture goods.”

Ukraine will extend tariffs on Russian goods for one year until Dec. 20, 2020, according to a Dec. 5 post from the European Sanctions blog. Ukraine previously expanded sanctions against Russia to ban imports of certain types of cement, plywood and lumber and to increase import tariffs on coal, gas and pharmaceutical products, the blog said.

The United Kingdom's Department for International Trade updated the holiday hours for its imports and exports helpline, the agency said in a Dec. 5 notice. The helpline will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, and closed Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. The helpline provides information about customs declarations and procedures, tariffs, importing and exporting goods, transporting goods to and from the European Union, and product safety regulations.

The United Kingdom's Department for International Trade issued new and amended open general export licenses and open general trade control licenses to stop new registrations for certain licenses to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, according to a Dec. 5 notice. The DIT is also no longer approving export licenses to Turkey for goods that may have military uses in Syria, the notice said. The changes are in effect “until further notice.”

In the Dec. 3-4 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted: