Serbia recently announced an export ban on a range of “essential commodities” to prevent a “critical shortage” caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, according to an unofficial translation of a March 14 government notice. The measure restricts exports of agricultural products and medical equipment, including sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, sugar, certain yeast products, certain soaps, gloves, “wipes,” certain masks, goggles and certain disinfectants. The export ban applies for 30 days. The notice is updated through March 27.

Russia is considering restricting exports of “relevant groups of foods” and medicine due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, according to an unofficial translation of a March 23 government notice. The government will conduct weekly reviews of the country’s supplies before proposing export restrictions, the notice said. Russia had placed temporary export restrictions on processed grains last week -- including buckwheat, rice and oat flakes -- but recently withdrew that measure, according to a March 24 report from Reuters.

Switzerland is requiring a prior license for exports of medical protective equipment to countries outside the European Union and European Free Trade Association, according to a March 26 post from Baker McKenzie. The announcement stemmed from an increased need for the equipment in Switzerland, the law firm said, including masks, gloves, glasses and overcoats. The measures are aimed at aligning Switzerland’s export control regime with the EU, which announced similar measures (see 2003200029).

Exports to the European Union rose by 5.9% in 2019, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in its annual report on the business ties between Western Europe and the U.S. Exports to Belgium, Spain, Austria, Bulgaria and Denmark were all up by double digits, with the most growth in Austria, where exports were 60% above 2018 levels. However, the growth was about half the pace of 2018, when exports to the EU grew by 11%.

A European Union-wide procurement program to increase supply of personal protective equipment “has proven successful” after producers have made offers “exceeding the quantities requested” by member states, according to a March 24 press release from the European Commission. The procurement covers gloves, goggles, face shields, surgical masks, overalls and more. The announcement comes about a week after the EU announced restrictions on exports of certain medical equipment (see 2003160047).

All European Union member states should immediately designate “green lane border crossings” to allow all freight vehicles to pass within 15 minutes, the European Commission said March 23. The announcement, which said the lanes should be open to “all freight vehicles, whatever goods they are carrying,” comes as part of a guidance issued by the commission to keep freight moving across the EU during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance includes links to a communication from the commission to member states about green lanes, guidelines for health-related border measures and an overview of national measures by country.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade updated its coronavirus COVID-19 guidance for businesses trading internationally, according to a March 24 notice. The notice now includes a business support helpline for companies facing “disruption” due to the measures in place to contain the spread of the virus.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade updated its import controls guidance March 23, according to a notice. The update removed six tariff codes and added 12 others relating to imports of aluminum extrusions from China, the notice said.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade updated its guidance for U.K. businesses trading internationally, according to a March 21 notice. The guidance includes updated information after an announcement from Rishi Sunak, the country’s treasury chancellor, detailing the country’s support package for businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, including relaxed measures for value-added taxes. All VAT bills through the end of June will be deferred until the end of the tax year, the guidance said.

There will be “minimum disruption” to the export licensing process for exporters in the United Kingdom, which expects to continue processing license applications amid the coronavirus pandemic response, according to a March 20 notice from the U.K.’s Export Control Joint Unit. Processing “strategic” export license applications has been “identified as a business-critical operation” by the Department for International Trade, the ECJU said, adding that it recognizes authorizations for dual-use and military exports are “essential.” In addition, as more of the industry works from home, the ECJU clarified that there are “no export license compliance issues” with industry accessing U.K. “export control regulated data” from home using a company computer. Users will continue to receive communications and license decisions from SPIRE, the U.K.’s online export licensing system, in the “normal way,” the notice said.