In a recent ruling, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) decided that shippers must employ costly U.S.-flag vessels when shipping processed condensate to and from a foreign country to be blended as a diluent with heavy crude. The ruling comes as a surprise to many because it assumes processed condensate and heavy crude oil are … Continue Reading
The European Union has made further additions to the list of sanctioned parties under the regime put in place in response to the Russian Federation’s actions in the Crimea (Regulation 269/2014 and subsequent amendments). On 12 May 2014, the Council of the European Union published Regulation 477/2014, which added an additional 13 individuals to the … Continue Reading
The Russian Federation and the United States continue to clash over the proposed annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, with the United States adding 20 Russian officials and related persons to its list of sanctioned persons. Some of the persons recently added to the United States’ SDN List were recently sanctioned by the EU, as we … Continue Reading
Tensions continue to mount between the Russian and Ukrainian governments in the wake of a controversial referendum that threatens to expand the borders of the Russian Federation. The results of that Crimean plebiscite show that an estimated 97 percent of voters favor the Russian annexation of Crimea, but the peninsula’s ethnic Tartars boycotted the referendum. … Continue Reading
A little clarity on CBP Regulations. For those of you not paying attention, the UK would really like bribery payments to stop. Here is my post, about a post, about a post. Follow the rabbit hole, for a discussion about small businesses being impacted by premium payments to government contractors. What’s going on with satellites? … Continue Reading