A group of European countries not in the EU aligned with a recent EU sanctions move under its restrictions regime to combat human rights abuses. Earlier this month, the Council of the EU introduced a humanitarian exemption to its sanctions regime. The countries of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway also imposed the decision, the council announced.

The EU on April 16 requested consultations with the U.K. under the EU-U.K. Trade and Cooperation Agreement's dispute settlement system pertaining to the U.K.'s ban on the fishing of sandeel, the European Commission announced.

The Cyprus Bar Association (CBA) last week raided a lawyer's lobbying firm offices as part of an investigation into "suspected fictitious transactions," Cyprus newspaper Phileleftheros reported. The investigation centered on Finsol, a firm that provides services to Santinomo, which reportedly holds shares in Intellexa AE -- an entity that's part of U.S.-sanctioned spyware firm Intellexa. The suspicious transactions began "shortly after US sanctions were imposed on entities of the Intellexa group," the newspaper's report said. A Greek lawyer registered with CBA owns Finsol. The CBA's compliance and oversight department is conducting the investigation and, upon its conclusion, will send a report to the association's administrative council. The council will decide whether "disciplinary measures will be taken or, more importantly, whether the case will be referred to the police for criminal investigation," Phileleftheros reported.

The U.K. on April 16 amended the sanctions listing for one entity on its North Korea sanctions list, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The entry for the National Aerospace Development Administration was updated to accurately reflect the entity's name, "National Aerospace Technology Administration."

The Ukraine High Anti-Corruption Court on April 10 upheld the Ministry of Justice's bid to impose sanctions and confiscate the assets of former Minister of Education and Science Dmytro Tabachnyk, according to an unofficial translation. The court noted that Tabachnyk is in the "temporarily occupied territories" and helps support the creation and functioning of the occupying administrations. The Ukrainian government sought to confiscate five land plots, a residential building, half a share of an apartment and monetary assets from the former minister. Ukraine's enforcement of its sanctions regime takes the form of asset freezes, the seizure of property and criminal sanctions, according to a blog post from global law firm Baker McKenzie. Ukraine passed legislation last year allowing for the "expropriation of property of" sanctioned parties.

The U.K. added three entities to its Sudan sanctions list on April 15, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The entities are gold exporter Al-Fakher Advanced Works Co., Alkhaleej Bank Co. and Red Rock Mining Co., all of which are accused of funding the Rapid Support Forces, one of the main parties in the Sudan conflict.

The Council of the EU on April 12 passed a law establishing minimum rules for the prosecution of "violation or circumvention of EU sanctions in member states," the council announced. Various actions, including working to skirt a travel ban and trading in sanctioned goods, will be considered criminal offenses in all member states.

The U.K. last week published new guidance on how companies can identify and report "harmful" trade practices affecting U.K. industries. The document covers issues involving foreign subsidies, forced technology transfers, unfair benefits received by state-owned firms, dumped foreign imports and more.

The U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on April 10 amended its general sanctions license allowing for the winding down of interactions with Turkish shipping companies Active Denizcilik and Beks Ships. OFSI removed the language barring funds or economic resources from being made available "for the benefit of any designated person."

The European Commission conducted its 13th negotiation session with five eastern and southern African nations to expand the existing economic partnership agreement, the Directorate-General for Trade announced. The nations are Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe. The commission released a report detailing the negotiations, which took place in Comoros March 18-22 and "included discussions at technical level on all open thematic parts covered by these negotiations." The chapters on fisheries and technical barriers to trade were provisionally concluded, while three more chapters -- customs and trade facilitation, competition, and transparency in public procurement -- were quasi-concluded as "compromise proposals were exchanged," the commission said.