The EU added 11 individuals and four entities to its Iran sanctions regime, the European Council said in an Oct. 17 news release. The newly listed parties include those involved in the death of Mahsa Amini, who was killed after her arrest for violating the country's strict veiling laws, and in the subsequent violent response to the protests in Iran. The council listed Mohammad Rostami and Hajahmad Mirzaei, key figures in Iran's Morality Police, along with Issa Zarepour, the Iranian minister of information and communications technology, for his role in shutting down the internet. They are subject to an asset freeze and travel ban. The EU also designated the Iranian Law Enforcement Forces and a number of its local chiefs for repressing the protests. The totals under the Iran sanctions regime now stand at 97 individuals and eight entities.

Groups of European countries not in the EU aligned themselves with three of the bloc's recent sanctions moves, the European Council announced. On Oct. 6, the council barred individuals and entities from providing technical assistance, brokering services, financing or insurance to any third country ships carrying Russian oil above the price cap. The countries of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway aligned with the decision, the council said Oct. 13.

The EU extended its sanctions regime pertaining to Nicaragua for another year until Oct. 15, 2023, the European Council announced Oct. 13. The current restrictions subject 21 individuals and three entities to an asset freeze and the individuals also to a travel ban. The EU imposed the sanctions in response to the Nicaraguan government's decision to kick the EU delegation head out of the country and cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

Two more weeks of strikes can be expected at Britain's Port of Liverpool, with dockworkers planning the extension after the pay dispute escalated between the union and employer Peel Ports Ltd. over job losses, the Unite union said in a statement Oct. 14. Nearly 600 workers plan to walk out Oct. 24 to Nov. 7 after the ongoing strike that ends Oct. 17 and an original two-week strike that began Sept. 19.

The U.K. and Gulf Cooperation Council recently held the first round of negotiations on a free trade agreement, the U.K.'s Department for International Trade said Oct. 12. The Aug. 22 to Sept. 29 talks were carried out virtually. Both parties discussed their objectives for the FTA and exchanged technical information across 29 policy areas during 33 sessions, the DIT said. The deal is anticipated to boost U.K.-GCC trade by 16% and add nearly $1.8 billion to the British economy. The DIT said it will not compromise on its environmental and labor protections, public health, animal welfare and food standards.

Poland's DCT Gdansk -- the country's only deep-water port -- is getting $840 million to boost its capacity by 50% by 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced Oct. 12. The EBRD joined a group of banks to finance the construction of a third deep-water container terminal and upgrade Terminals 1 and 2 and other facilities. The new terminal will add 717 meters of deep-water quay and more than 36 hectares of yard area, and will be equipped in the first phase with seven energy-efficient ship-to-shore cranes and 20 semi-automated rail-mounted gantry cranes, the bank said.

The EU renewed its sanctions regime against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons for another year, until Oct. 16, 2023, the European Council said Oct. 13. The current restrictions in place cover 15 individuals and two entities, placing them under a travel ban and asset freeze.

The European Commission recently launched a landing page for the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council, with information on each of the working groups and the council’s latest publications. The site also includes information on upcoming TTC events.

The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in an Oct. 10 notice added seven people and one entity to its Iran (Human Rights) sanctions regime. The individuals are: Hossein Ashtari, commander in chief of Iran's police forces; Mohammad Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi, head of the morality police; Hassan Karami, a police commander; Haj Ahmad Mirzaei, head of the Terhan morality police division; Hassan Shahvarpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Khuzestan Province; Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the IRGC Basij Organization; and Leila Vaseghi, former governor of Shahr-e Qods. OFSI also designated the Iran Morality Police, which it says "are or have been involved in the commission of serious human rights violations in Iran." The additions come after Iran's violation of human rights in its response to protests over mandatory dress codes for women and similar sanctions imposed by the U.S. (see 2209220029).

The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on Oct. 10 added three entries to its Mali sanctions regime. The entries were for Mahri Sidi Amar Ben Daha, deputy chief of staff of regional coordination of the "Mecanisme operationnel de coordination" in Gao; Mohamed Ben Ahmed Mahri, businessman; and Mohamed Ould Mataly, former mayor of Bourem. The three will be subject to an asset freeze and travel ban.