The European Union is finalizing sanctions on people and entities involved in Turkey’s illegal drilling (see 1911120032) in the Eastern Mediterranean, Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative, said Jan. 20, according to an unofficial translation. Borrell did not give a time frame for imposing the sanctions. Borrell also said “there is no news” on the EU’s efforts to impose sanctions on Venezuela (see 2001100014).

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade amended 14 open general export licenses and one open general transshipment license, and revoked the OGEL for Turkey, according to a Jan. 17 notice. The amendments followed changes to the European Union’s dual-use export control list (see 1910210031)

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Jan. 13 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Dec. 30 - Jan. 3 in case you missed them.

Along with sanctions related to Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline (see 1912190075), the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act includes a prohibition on Venezuela-related procurement actions and additional measures against Turkey, North Korea and Syria, according to a Dec. 27 post from Crowell & Moring.

Turkey has failed to properly apply United Nations sanctions and designations, which are often subject to “long delays” and are not effectively enforced, the Financial Action Task Force said in a December report. The FATF said “no penalties or oversight exist for contravention” of certain UN sanctions in Turkey, and the country has been unable to provide “evidence” that it is making “good use” of tools that allow authorities to seize criminal assets and carry out sanctions enforcement. Turkey also has never imposed a terrorism-related designation, the report said.

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Dec. 11 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

The State Department sanctioned Saudi and Chechen government officials for human rights violations, the agency said Dec. 10. The targets include Mohammed al Otaibi, former consul general of Saudi Arabia in Turkey, and Aslan Iraskhanov, head of the Ministry of Interior Affairs for the city of Grozny in the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.

The Commerce Department denied Paul Stuart Brunt export privileges after he was convicted of violating the Arms Export Control Act, Commerce said in a notice. Brunt illegally exported firearms controlled under the U.S. Munitions List to Turkey and Iraq, the notice said. He was convicted March 1, 2019, and sentenced to three years of probation, required to perform 200 hours of community service and fined $20,000, the agency said. Commerce revoked Brunt’s export privileges for 10 years from his date of conviction.

The Department of Commerce denied Oguzhan Aydin export privileges after he was convicted of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Commerce said in a notice. Aydin illegally exported a “General Electric CF6-50c2” engine with the intent to supply the engine to Iran’s Mahan Airways, which also faces an export denial order (see 1912050032). Aydin shipped the engine through Turkey before it reached Iran, Commerce said. Aydin was convicted Aug. 3, 2016, and sentenced to about nine months in prison, three years of supervised release and a $100 fine. He was also added to the State Department’s Debarred List, the notice said. Commerce revoked Aydin’s export privileges for 10 years from his date of conviction.