A dual U.S.-Russian citizen pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act by exporting firearm parts, components, and ammunition to Russia without the required authorization. Dimitry Timashev, 58, coordinated with an associate in Russia to send weapon parts from the United States to Russia. In exchange, the associate paid tuition for Timashev’s daughter and rent for an apartment in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

At the IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum participants "identified $23 billion of priority infrastructure projects for consideration"  at the inaugural meeting in Singapore June 6. Among the major committments announced were cloud computing, data center and submarine cable projects, India's first battery energy storage system, a carbon capture scheme in Singapore, and several hundred million dollars of U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) funding to investment funds in the region.

Congressional Republican China hawks have called for a comprehensive ban on trade and investment dealings with two leading manufacturers of electric vehicle battery systems, Led by the new Chair of the House Select China Committee John Moolenaar (R-MI), the lawmakers wrote letters detailing "shocking new evidence implicating major Chinese battery manufacturers, Gotion and CATL, in Chinese Communist Party state-sponsored slave labor and the ongoing Uyghur genocide." The letters to Mr. Silvers detail supply relationships between the two firms and mineral, metals and labor providers currently under US sanction for their involvement in modern slavery in the Xinjiang Uyghur Region of Western China.

A federal grand jury charged a New York man in a three-count indictment alleging he illegally shipped eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles, both protected wildlife species, from the United States to China for the global pet trade black market.

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is materially amending the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 542. In addition to new prohibitions, OFAC is adding several relevant definitions and interpretations and one new general license.  OFAC is also incorporating, with amendments, one general license; updating six general licenses; and publishing a list of areas in which activities are authorized under General License 22.

The Five Eyes Security Alliance issued a joint bulletin warning about continued efforts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to recruit current and former Western military personnel to train the PRC military. "The most sought-after targets to-date have been military pilots, flight engineers, and air operations center personnel. The PRC has also targeted technical experts with insight into Western military tactics, techniques, and procedures," according to the bulletin.

 This report documents defense articles and defense services licensed for permanent export to each foreign country and international organization during fiscal year 2023.

The Department of Commerce  seeks public comment to inform its work on assessing and analyzing risk in global supply chains. The deadline is June 21. This includes input into a determination of an initial list of “critical sectors” and “key goods” as provided under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Agreement Relating to Supply Chain Resilience.

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) imposed a civil penalty against Airbus DS Government Solutions Inc., a Texas-based satellite communications and networking systems company for shipping trade show materials to Kuwait certifying that the goods were not of Israeli origin and not manufactured by a company on the “Israeli Boycott Blacklist.” In November 2023 BIS announced  a civil penalty of $44,750 against Forta LLC (Forta), a manufacturer of synthetic reinforcement fibers, for similar trade show infractions

Ericsson announced the conclusion of the work and term of the independent compliance Monitor appointed by the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) in June of 2020 in connection with Ericsson’s 2019 Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) to resolve historical violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The March 2023 Plea Agreement with the DOJ that followed non-criminal breaches of the DPA has also expired as of June 2.

A bipartisian gropu of China hawks on Capitol Hill sent  sent a letter to MSCI's President Henry Fernandez outlining "significant concerns" after the firm removed its forced labor red flag for Volkswagen's factory in China. The Volkswagen factory in Xinjiang is known for using Uyghur forced labor, This led MSCI, an American finance company, to grant Volkswagen a “red flag” rating in 2022.  However, MSCI , relying on an audit the lawmakers describe as "flawed," made the decision to lift Volkswagen’s “red flag” rating. 

The US Export-Import Bank has failed to make an impact on trade and investment in sub-Saharan Africa, despite a congressional mandate for expansion and extensive overseas travel by EXIM President and Chair of the Board of Directors, Reta Jo Lewis.

In a statement released May 31,  CBP Acting Commissioner Troy Miller addressed  the Bureau's efforts to "Enhance Enforcement and Prevent Exploitation in the De Minimis Environment."  "While the majority of brokers, carriers, and supply chain businesses that participate in CBP’s Entry Type 86 Test are compliant with applicable laws, we are enhancing our enforcement efforts to ensure that all participants are held accountable when they are not," he said.

In an Opinion piece published in The Financial Times, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adeyemo continued his call for more diligence on the part of allies, industry and the banking community. "It is important to recognise that the success of our sanctions and export controls is only possible because of a partnership with the private sector. Companies have already done a great deal to help us constrain the Kremlin’s access to goods, but we need them to do more." Mr. Adeyemo said he was not faulting U.S. manufacturers and banks as complicit in Russia's efforts to evade sanctions. "Every time I talk to a major CEO, they ask me what more can they do?

Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Ramin Toloui will be leaving the Department and returning to his teaching position at Stanford University.

Many World Trade Organization members called for preserving the two-tier dispute settlement system, including the binding Appellate Body, at the first formal meeting on dispute settlement reform, said people familiar with the discussions. At the Head of Delegations meeting, the new facilitator, Ambassador Usha Dwaraka-Canabady of Mauritius, explained the process she will follow in the coming days and months.

India continues to take the position that the Investment Facilitation Agreement for Development Agreement cannot be part of the World Trade Organization’s rulebook. India reiterated its position at the General Council meeting last week, even as the United States, without joining the IFDA, supported its integration into Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement, said people familiar with the development.

Several countries, including China, Indonesia, and India among others, strongly supported the African Group’s proposal on “policy space for industrial development- advancing WTO Committee work to support structural transformation and industrial development in developing countries” during the WTO’s General Council meeting last week, said people familiar with the discussions.

Former Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) has joined Akin as a senior policy consultant in Washington, D.C. During his tenure in Congress, Chairman Brady served as the author and driving force in the development of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), which is set to expire at the end of 2025, as well as a key leader in the negotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement..

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is renewing the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Export Manifest for Vessel Cargo Test, a National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning ACE export manifest capability. The ACE Export Manifest for Vessel Cargo Test is a voluntary test in which participants agree to submit export manifest data to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) electronically at least twenty-four hours prior to loading of the cargo onto the vessel in preparation for departure from the United States.