The European Union amended the criteria under its Mali sanctions regime, adding the ability to autonomously impose restrictive measures on individuals and entities culpable for "threatening the peace, security or stability of Mali, or for obstructing the implementation of its political transition," the European Council said. The move allows the EU to impose sanctions, whereas until now it could only put into legislation any sanctions decisions made by the United Nations. The change also follows up on a Foreign Affairs Council agreement that intended to establish a framework for sanctions on Mali in support of the Economic Community of West African States' restrictive measures on Malian transition authorities.

The European Commission removed Jean-Claude Kazembe Musonda from its Democratic Republic of the Congo sanctions regime, per a Dec. 10 implementing regulation replacing the list of sanctioned individuals. Failing to appear on the updated list, Musonda -- the former governor of Haut-Katanga province and a leader of the CONAKAT party -- was removed due to his death in July.

The European Union initiated an antidumping investigation on ceramic tiles from India and Turkey, the European Commission said in a Dec. 13 notice. Specifically, the commission will look into "ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles; ceramic mosaic cubes and the like, whether or not on a backing; finishing ceramic," following an allegation from the European Ceramic Tile Manufacturers' Association that imports of the subject goods are harming the European industry. The investigation will cover exports from the two countries into the EU for the period July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

The European Union imposed sanctions against the Wagner Group, a "Russia-based unincorporated private military entity," the European Council said in a Dec. 13 press release. Including an asset freeze and travel ban, the restrictive measures apply to the Wagner group itself along with eight individuals and three entities related to the group. The EC declared that the Wagner Group has trained and sent private military operatives to hot spots around the world to "fuel violence, loot natural resources and intimidate civilians in violation of international law." Areas where the Wagner Group have operated include Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic and the Sahel region. The sanctions were arranged under four different sanctions regimes: the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime; the sanctions regimes for Libya and Syria; and the regime for undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, the EC said.

The United Kingdom amended three entries on its Yemen sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions said in a Dec. 9 notice. The three are Muhammad Abd Al-Karim Al-Ghamari, Houthi chief of general staff; Yusuf Al-Madani, Houthi's Fifth Military Region commander; and Saleh Mesfer Saleh Al Shaer, judicial custodian of properties and funds owned by Houthi opponents. The three were added in November (see 2111120027).

The European Commission on Dec. 10 posted the recording of its annual export control forum, along with presentation materials from speakers. The forum, held Dec. 8, included updates on the European Union’s cyber-surveillance export guidelines and its e-licensing regime for dual-use exports, along with presentations from industry and academics about export control compliance concerns (see 2112080031, 2112090010, 2112090043 and 2112090049).

The European Union wrapped up its sixth round of negotiations with the five Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) countries on their interim Economic Partnership Agreement, the European Commission said Dec. 6. The parties discussed the following eight issues: technical barriers to trade, rules of origin, sanito-phytosanitary standards (SPSs), agriculture, intellectual property rights, public procurement, trade and sustainable development, and means of implementation. On SPSs, the parties have two outstanding issues, namely "capacity building and technical assistance" and an article titled "the Committee." The ESA and the EU agreed on provisions relating to equal import conditions, harmonization, animal welfare and emergency measures, the commission said. The ESA countries are Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe.

The European Council appointed three new directors general, whose tenure will start in January and February, the council said Dec. 9. The new appointees are Isabel Riano of Spain, director-general for Competitiveness and Trade (COMPET); Cesare Onestini of Italy, director-general for Agriculture, Fisheries, Social Affairs and Health; and Thomas Westphal of Germany, director-general for Economic and Financial Affairs. COMPET is a new directorate-general charged with developing the EU's competitiveness and international trade policy, the council said.

The European Union hasn’t yet finished rolling out its electronic licensing regime for dual-use exports but hopes to finish the project next year, said Marcello Irlando, an export control official with the European Commission. “Obviously, we are working on it,” Irlando said during the EU's annual export control forum this week. The effort is aimed at simplifying dual-use license applications through a website portal, and has so far been tested in Latvia and Romania, Irlando said. Officials had hoped to add other countries and finalize the effort this year (see 1912240008), but Irlando said countries are still being added. Several EU member states have asked about joining, he said, adding that the commission hopes to deploy the system in Italy, Belgium, Slovenia and potentially others next year.

The European Commission this week proposed a new tool to respond to unfair economic and trade practices, including discriminatory import duties, boycotts and other “coercive practices.” The European Union has increasingly become a “target of deliberate economic pressure in recent years,” the commission said Dec. 8, and the tool could allow it to “better defend itself.”