A group of European countries not in the EU aligned with a series of EU sanctions decisions, under the regimes for the situation in Haiti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon and Russia.

The U.K.’s Revenue and Customs agency this week updated its guidance for certain commercial exports carried in “baggage,” saying those exports now need to be declared using the country’s Customs Declaration Service. Exporters have until March 20 to “move all full customs declarations across to the Customs Declaration Service,” the agency said, adding that shippers will need “specialist software to make a full export declaration electronically” within the service.

The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions on Aug. 23 updated two general licenses related to insolvency payments and activities for GTLK companies and the continuation of business and basic needs for telecommunications services and news media services. OFSI clarified that the GTLK license covers STLC Europe Nine Leasing Limited. Under the telecommunications license, OFSI clarified that PJSC MegaFon is a civilian telecommunication and news media services designated party.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the French government will strengthen controls on foreign investment to include companies involved in the extraction and processing of critical raw materials. Le Maire pointed to export controls imposed on gallium and germanium by China as evidence of the measures' and minerals' importance (see 2308150028).

The U.K.'s Revenue & Customs fined a British company more than $1.26 million related to the "unlicensed trade of goods" in violation of sanctions on Russia, the customs agency announced. "Non-compliance with sanctions is a serious offence and punishable through large financial penalties or criminal prosecution," the agency said. The news release did not provide the name of the firm or the goods being sold but touted the U.K.'s new Economic Deterrence Initiative that addresses sanctions evasion "across the UK's trade, transport and financial sanctions."

The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated information on upcoming webinars and events covering topics including how sanctions can affect business, how to apply for licenses, how licenses are assessed and how to access sanctions guidance. The next event, in October, is an introductory webinar to OFSI.

The European Commission this month released its annual report on political and economic developments in Hong Kong, saying the region continues to see a decline in “fundamental freedoms,” partly caused by its National Security Law. The bloc reminded industry that several EU trade restrictions in response to the law remain in force, including “scrutiny and limitation of exports of sensitive equipment.” The EU also said Hong Kong’s trade and logistics sector “contracted” over the past year. Hong Kong's GDP from its import and export industry fell by 6.9% in the first half of 2022 compared with the same time period in 2021, and “external trade in goods” dropped 4% year over year in the first 10 months of 2022, the report said.

The German Foreign Office tweeted last week that it would support EU sanctions against the leaders of the July coup in Niger. The country said it recently held talks in Nigeria on how to support the Economic Community of West African States, which suspended Niger as a member following the coup. Germany said "we are in favour of EU sanctions against the leaders of the coup as a next step."

The EU this month launched a public consultation period for a set of new proposed requirements for physical and digital labeling of textiles. The bloc is accepting public comments through Sept. 30 on the changes, which are aimed at addressing “shortcomings in the current rules as well as diverging labelling requirements between Member States.” The rules could ensure textile imports into the EU have “comparable information” for consumers, “notably on environmentally relevant aspects.” The EU also said it wants to “reduce compliance costs” and “ensure regulatory clarity and consistency.”

The Swiss government will create a separate department for export controls and sanctions under the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the Swiss Federal Council announced, according to an unofficial translation. Starting Sept. 1, the previous departments of sanctions, arms control and arms control policy, export controls on industrial products and export control policy dual-use will be moved out of the ​​bilateral economic relations area and combined in the Export Controls and Sanctions service area, it said.