Background

In our publication of 9 April 2026, we analysed the key implications of the proposed EU steel tariff-rate quota (TRQ) regime at a time when interinstitutional (trilogue) negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission were still ongoing.

On 24 June 2026, Regulation (EU) 2026/1384 of the European Parliament and of

On 19 May 2026, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) issued General Trade Licence GBSAN0004 (the Licence), authorising the import into the United Kingdom of certain processed oil products derived from Russian crude oil. The Licence, which comes into force on 20 May 2026, marks a notable relaxation of the UK’s otherwise comprehensive sanctions

On 4 May 2026, the European Commission published what is expected to be the final simplification package for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), before it starts to apply on 30 December 2026 for most companies. The EUDR requires that seven key commodities (cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, and rubber) and their derived products

On 23 April 2026, the EU adopted its 20th package of sanctions against Russia. These measures are contained in (i) Council Regulation (EU) 2026/506 (see here), (ii) Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/509 (see here), and (iii) Council Regulation (EU) 2026/511 (see here), as published in the Official Journal of the EU.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued Russia-related General License 134 (“GL 134”) yesterday, which temporarily authorizes the delivery and sale of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products that are already on the water as of March 12, 2026.  It is understood the policy intent

The European Commission has granted six countries – Algeria, Nigeria, Norway, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United States – an exemption from prior authorisation requirements for natural gas imports under the RePowerEU Regulation.

What does this mean?

Gas sourced from these six countries will no longer require prior authorisation under Article 5(3) or evidence

In a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape marked by rising tensions and global economic challenges, the European Union is accelerating efforts to diversify its trade partnerships. One of the most significant recent developments is the signing of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA, or the Agreement) and the Interim Trade Agreement (iTA) on 17 January 2026

As a follow-up to our previous client alerts on the EU’s Russian gas phase-out (available here), we have prepared an infographic summarising how the EU sanctions framework (Regulation 833/2014) interacts with the RePowerEU phase-out Regulation (Regulation 2026/261), including the key contract cut-off and phase-out dates for both LNG and pipeline

The European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional political agreement to permanently end all imports of Russian natural gas into the EU on an accelerated timetable. The deal brings forward key deadlines for LNG and pipeline gas, tightens limits on contract amendments, enhances anti-circumvention and origin-tracking rules, and strengthens enforcement with significant penalties. Member

Following the EU’s existing embargo on Russian crude oil and petroleum products, the European Commission has proposed, and the Council has now agreed in principle, a complementary Regulation designed to end the remaining inflows of Russian natural gas into the Union. The measure gives legal effect to the Commission’s May 2025 Roadmap towards ending Russian