The European Union recently postponed certain regulations on medical devices for one year to prevent certification delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May 7 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The regulations, which were scheduled to take effect May 26, are aimed at increasing the quality of medical devices distributed throughout the EU and would emphasize “better traceability of devices throughout the supply chain,” the report said. The measures will now take effect May 26, 2021.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade will host webinars for small to medium-sized business impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May 4 notice. The webinars will offer “practical advice” and “focus on issues businesses trading internationally are facing.” The webinars will cover “managing distribution of supply chains,” “movement of goods” and “support for selling online overseas.”

The European Commission on May 4 released a report on European Union trade remedies, highlighting recent antidumping and anti-subsidy safeguard measures, statistics surrounding unfair imports and details of EU defenses of exporters targeted in foreign trade defense investigations. Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan said the EU needs to continue to ensure imports “come to Europe on fair terms, not dumped or subsidized, and that they do not make us overdependent.” He also said “making sure our companies operate in fair market conditions will be even more crucial in the times of post-corona[virus COVID-19] crisis recovery.”

The European Commission adopted a series of measures to support the European Union agricultural sector during the COVID-19 pandemic and released a question-and-answer guidance for industry May 4. The measures include funding for “agri-food businesses” and private storage aid for dairy and meat sectors, which will allow those producers to temporarily withdraw their products from the market “for a minimum of 2 to 3 months, and a maximum period of 5 to 6 months,” the commission said. The private storage, which will apply to skimmed milk powder, butter, cheese, beef and sheep and goat meat, aims to “rebalance markets by reducing available supply.” Industry can apply for the scheme beginning May 7.

The European Union Council urged the United Nations to renew its arms embargo against South Sudan, saying in an April 30 press release the country is still marred by “widespread violations of human rights.” The EU also said it is prepared to impose more sanctions against South Sudan “if such violations continue or the peace process is undermined.”

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade corrected several errors in its guidance for trading with developing nations under the U.K.’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences, according to a May 1 notice. The corrections add Samoa and Tonga to the standard GSP listing and remove Jordan, Nicaragua and “Occupied Palestinian Territories.”

Claire Bassett, the United Kingdom’s director of the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate, resigned, according to an April 28 notice from the U.K. Department for International Trade. Bassett also served as the chief executive designate of the Trade Remedies Authority, the U.K. body that will be responsible for investigating unfair trading practices after Brexit. The authority will be led by Simon Walker, the chair designate of the TRA, while it searches for a new chief executive. Bassett will be the new deputy director general of operations at the Independent Office for Police Conduct, according to an April 22 notice.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade updated its import controls guidance with a new open general license and an explanatory note on its use and a notice to importers, according to an April 28 notice. The license “permits the importation of all goods into the United Kingdom, subject to the various exceptions it sets out,” the U.K. said, including restrictions on imports of certain toxic chemicals, nuclear materials, “prohibited munitions” and more.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade issued an April 24 privacy notice describing how it collects and uses information of traders. The notice includes information on the data the DIT collects from users, why it collects that data, how it shares that data, data retention periods and more.

The European Commission approved a French aid package that will provide €150 million for small and medium-sized exporters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an April 24 notice. The aid will help those exporters “continue their activity” during and after the coronavirus outbreak by providing guarantees on loans, the notice said.