The U.K. and India wrapped up their fourth round of negotiations on a free trade agreement, the U.K.'s Department for International Trade announced June 27. The talks advanced draft treaty text "across the majority of chapters," and included 71 separate sessions over 20 policy areas. The next negotiation session will be in July in New Delhi.

Kazakhstan recently extended its wheat flour export restrictions until Sept. 30, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report last week. Kazakhstan also added 550,000 metric tons of wheat to the original 1 million metric ton quota, and 370,000 metric tons of wheat flour to the original 300,000 metric tons quota. The country first imposed the restrictions, which were set to expire June 15 (see 2204290010), to​​ ensure domestic “food security” amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The European Commission has undertaken a study of the economic impact of EU sanctions, which the commission said is "insufficiently understood." The study, which seeks feedback by July 1, will "provide a review and critical evaluation of the existing research related to the topic of the study," create a detailed methodology for looking at the economic impact of the EU sanctions and test this methodology on various selected case studies to show its usefulness. The commission will look at the consequences of the sanctions for listed individuals and entities, third country economies under which listed individuals and entities are linked, EU economic operators' business choices, and trade and investments between the EU and third countries.

The U.K. suspended the collection of antidumping duties on electric bicycles from China made by certain companies, the Department for International Trade announced June 23. Duties will no longer be collected for Jinhua Otmar Technology and Jinhua Seno Technology, the DIT said. The suspension applies to goods imported under commodity codes 87 11 60 10 00 and 87 11 60 90 10.

The U.K. appointed a new trade commissioner to Africa, the Department for International Trade announced June 23. John Humphrey joins a team of nine trade commissioners who boost Britain's trade and investment relationships. Humphrey previously served as group chief executive at Kent HoldCo and as chief executive and accounting officer of the U.K. Hydrographic Office.

The EU General Court in a June 22 judgment rejected the application from businessman George Haswani to annul the European Council's decision maintaining his listing on the Syria sanctions regime, according to an unofficial translation. The court ruled the council gave sufficient precise and consistent evidence to show Haswani is an influential businessman in Syria given his interests in HESCO Engineering and Construction. This allowed the court to rule his listing should be maintained because Haswani failed to rebut the presumption that he is tied to the Syrian regime.

The U.K. and Thailand held the first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting June 21, the U.K. Department for International Trade announced June 21. U.K. Trade Policy Minister Penny Mordaunt and Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit held talks on how to boost bilateral trade, agreeing to a work program that includes government-to-government and government-to-business activity over the next 12-18 months, the DIT said. The ministers also agreed to build an "Enhanced Trade Partnership" that could pave the way for a future free trade agreement. Areas covered by the JETCO include private sector outcomes, digital, agriculture, food and drink, healthcare, financial services, trade promotion and the bilateral economic relationship.

The U.K. announced the start of free trade agreement negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council. Trade with the six GCC countries -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- totals over $40.7 billion. The Gulf nations' oil and gas reserves won't be part of any trade deal, though manufacturing and the supply chain for that key sector will be an element of the talks, Reuters reported June 22.

Belgium recently announced a new foreign direct investment screening regime, which is expected to have a “significant impact on deal certainty” for investors outside the EU, Crowell & Moring said in a June 22 alert. The alert outlines transactions that may be captured by the regime, the screening procedures, how reviews will be conducted and more.

Lithuania barred transport of EU-sanctioned goods via rail lines through its land to the Russian region of Kaliningrad, The Washington Post reported. The Russian government said June 21 that Lithuania would face "serious" consequences for the move. The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said June 20 that the transit of passengers and goods not covered by EU sanctions will continue uninterrupted. The Foreign Ministry pointed to the fourth package of EU sanctions to discuss the trade that had been halted between Lithuania and Kaliningrad -- a Russian area that houses Moscow's Baltic Sea Fleet but has no land connection to the rest of the country -- and that includes steel and other ferrous metal products.