Trade & Sanctions

February 2026 Sanctions Developments

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP published an update on February 2026 sanctions developments, highlighting the largest individual civil monetary penalty, a penalty against an academic institution, and designations signaling pressure on Nicaragua. The update provides insights into recent enforcement actions and potential future sanctions targets.

SEC Adopts New Insider Reporting Rules for Foreign Private Issuers

The SEC has adopted new rules requiring directors and officers of foreign private issuers (FPIs) to report their beneficial ownership and trades in the issuer's equity securities. These changes, effective March 18, 2026, align FPI reporting with that of domestic issuers and aim to increase market transparency.

Venezuela Sanctions Eased, Legal Risk Persists

The US Department of the Treasury's OFAC has eased certain sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector through new general licenses. These licenses authorize specific transactions related to oil, investments, and port operations but come with strict conditions and reporting requirements.

Patent Application Drafting for US and Europe

This guidance article provides tips for companies on drafting patent applications intended for filing in both the United States and Europe. It highlights key differences in European patent practice, such as stricter requirements for specification support and inventive step, and offers strategies to ensure applications are robust for international examination.

AI Patent Eligibility: UK, EPO, and U.S. Divergence

A UK Supreme Court decision has altered the standard for patent eligibility of AI inventions, bringing it closer to EPO practice but maintaining a divergence from U.S. standards. This change impacts how AI-related inventions are assessed for patentability across these jurisdictions.

Supreme Court Annuls Trump Tariffs, Aiding Art Markets

The Supreme Court of the United States has invalidated Trump Administration tariffs enacted under IEEPA in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump. The ruling restores traditional tariff exemptions for art and cultural property and may allow businesses to seek refunds for previously paid tariffs.

USITC Affirms Wind Tower Trade Cases from Four Countries

The USITC has affirmed existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on utility scale wind towers from Canada, Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam. This decision means the current trade remedy orders will remain in place, continuing to affect imports of these products into the United States.

USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Laptops, Routers, Gateways

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has instituted a Section 337 investigation into alleged patent infringement by certain laptops, routers, gateways, and components imported into the U.S. The investigation names ASUSTeK Computer Inc., ASUS Computer International, Inc., TP-Link Systems Inc., D-Link Corporation, D-Link Systems, Inc., and Ubiquiti Inc. as respondents.

USTR Releases 2025 Review of Notorious Markets

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released its 2025 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy. The report identifies 37 online and 32 physical markets that engage in trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy, highlighting trends and challenges in intellectual property theft.

Commerce: L-lysine from China Antidumping Duty Investigation Preliminary Determination

The U.S. Department of Commerce has made a preliminary affirmative determination in the antidumping duty investigation of L-lysine from China. The investigation found weighted-average dumping margins ranging from 41.22% to 72.18% for various Chinese producers and exporters.