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EU Prepares Blocking Statute to Counter U.S. Sanctions on International Criminal Court

Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission
The proposed EU action would shield European banks, technology companies and other service providers from U.S. sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court, potentially creating conflicting legal obligations for firms operating in both jurisdictions. Brussels is preparing to extend its blocking statute as Washington presses the court to amend the Rome Statute to protect President Trump and other U.S. officials from prosecution.
Presidents Trump and Putin meeting in Helsinki, July 2018
President Trump issued an executive order on October 16 implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 while waiving its tariff provisions and numerous sanctions and restrictions.

Russian diesel deal challenges congressional sanctions policy and divides allies

The diesel agreement puts the administration’s drive to lower fuel prices before the midterms at odds with Congress’s effort to deny Moscow revenue for its war against Ukraine and Britain’s commitment to maintaining sanctions pressure.

US Sanctions ICC, exempts certain services and technology

The licenses avert an immediate operational shutdown but leave the ICC under sustained U.S. leverage. Routine subscriptions, telecommunications and enterprise software may continue—some indefinitely, others only through April 7, 2027—but vendors must still screen separately sanctioned officials and may withdraw services voluntarily.

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Welcome to Your WTTL

The Washington Tariff and Trade Letter introduces a web-based format for easier review, research and sharing.  Clicking on a story in the newsletter will now bring you to the full text on our new web site. A .pdf version of the newsletter is available below.   For any questions about website access and your subscription, please contact us at Info@TradeRegs.com – Or call the Editor, Frank Ruffing, at +1.703.283.5220

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Vol 46 No. 42, October 19, 2026

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Western studios have employed DPRK animators for children's entertainment and religious programming.

OFAC Removes Chinese Cartoon Firm and another Belarusian from SDN List

The removals unwind sanctions imposed in 2021 on Chinese animation businesses and an intermediary accused of supporting North Korea’s SEK Studio, and on a Belarusian executive designated for acting on behalf of state oil and chemical concern Belneftekhim.

U.S.-Mexico Trade Talks Stall Over Metals Tariffs

U.S. and Mexican trade negotiations have stalled over steel and aluminum tariffs, threatening to delay progress on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement review until after the November 3 midterm …
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LNG tanker anchored in islet of Revithoussa equipped with tanks for storage, Salamina, Greece.

Treasury Targets Law Firm and Maritime Network Supporting Iranian Trade

The U.S. Treasury Department on October 21 sanctioned law firm Karnakis and Karnakis , five associated individuals, a cargo fleet operator, and two shipping agents. OFAC also identified nine vessels as blocked property and issued two limited Iran-related general licenses.

Secretary Rubio walks with Quad Foreign Ministers in New Delhi, May 2026

Trump to Join Quad Summit as Four-Nation Group Seeks New Momentum

President Trump’s expected participation in a November leaders’ summit could revive a grouping whose momentum has faltered amid diplomatic tensions and competing U.S. priorities.

DHS DeepSeek Removal Order Extends to Third-Party AI Products, Raising Supplier Due Diligence Questions

The Department of Homeland Security has published an order excluding DeepSeek products from federal civilian procurements and requiring their removal from agency information systems. Its reach extends beyond the Chinese developer’s own offerings to “third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek implementations,” raising questions about how federal suppliers identify and document the models underlying their products. 
57 percent of researchers in its 2025 elite AI cohort had received undergraduate degrees in China, compared with 13 percent in the United States.

Pentagon Reports Research Security Audits at 30 Universities as MI5 Warns of Chinese Funding Links

The Pentagon’s university audits and MI5’s warning expose a common research security problem: a collaborator’s institutional affiliation may not reveal who ultimately funds or benefits from the work.
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The sanctions bring trade-secret risk directly into investment compliance, requiring banks, fund managers, and technology companies to assess their exposure to the designated MiraclePlus entities.
Spain has defended its policies as necessary to comply with domestic and international legal obligations concerning arms transfers and the conflict in Gaza.
The Federal Maritime Commission has proposed a $200,000 fee on Spanish-flagged vessels entering U.S. ports and restrictions on selected Spanish exports, escalating a dispute over Spain’s denial of port access to vessels carrying cargo bound for or coming from Israel. The proposal would extend the dispute to U.S. importers of Spanish olive oil, cosmetics, ceramics, and other goods.
COSCO vessel in Port of Rotterdam
The dispute puts COSCO’s access to reduced U.S. port inspections under scrutiny as lawmakers press the Coast Guard to account for national security risks alongside vessel safety. COSCO has denied the espionage allegations, saying its onboard equipment serves legitimate commercial purposes.
U.S. private equity firm Carlyle Group has abandoned its active pursuit of Lukoil's international assets after its acquisition agreement expired without Treasury Department approval, leaving a consortium led by investor Todd Boehly among the remaining contenders for the Russian oil company's overseas business.
Destroyed homes on the streets of Kharkiv, Ukraine.  
The European Union added 1,646 persons and entities to its Russia sanctions list on October 12, increasing the number of designations under its Ukraine territorial-integrity regime by about 35%, to nearly 4,600.
Timber Harvesting

Commerce Sets 24.75 Percent Combined Rate in Canadian Lumber Review

The result lowers the combined duty rate for many Canadian lumber suppliers but leaves importers with company-specific obligations and a separate tariff burden.

WTO Building, Geneva

WTO Reform Divisions Persist as Committee Work Records Results

Members remained at odds over non-discrimination, development treatment, and institutional authority, while new reporting documented progress in resolving market access concerns and expanding supply chain finance.

Tariff Relief Bill Would Tie Business Assistance to Domestic Operations

Michigan Republican Rep. John James has proposed using a portion of revenue from tariffs on Canada to assist U.S. businesses that demonstrate tariff-related economic injury.
Ottawa Parliament Hill

Canada’s Deemed Ownership Guidance

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has published guidance on Canada’s sanctions deemed ownership provisions, addressing when a listed person’s control of an unlisted entity can bring that entity’s property within sanctions restrictions. The guidance warrants attention from financial institutions, businesses and counsel assessing counterparties with complex ownership or governance arrangements.

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