On August 9, 2023, the Biden Administration issued the long-awaited Executive Order on Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern (the “EO”) and accompanying Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the “ANPRM”) setting forth the proposed contours of an outbound investment regime targeting China.[1] Under the proposed regime, U.S. persons would be prohibited from making, or required to notify the U.S. government regarding, certain investments in entities engaged in certain activities relating to semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence (“AI”) in “countries of concern” (presently limited to China, Hong Kong, and Macau). The United States currently has the authority to review inbound foreign investment through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”).Continue Reading U.S. Government Unveils Proposal for Outbound Investment Regime Targeting China
CFIUS Releases 2022 Annual Report – Key Takeaways
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) recently published its 2022 Annual Report, which provides information regarding transactions reviewed by CFIUS in 2022.[1] Key takeaways from the 2022 Annual Report are below.Continue Reading CFIUS Releases 2022 Annual Report – Key Takeaways
DOJ, Commerce, and Treasury Issue Advisory on Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policies
On July 26, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control jointly issued a compliance note summarizing voluntary self-disclosure policies applicable to U.S. sanctions, export controls, and other national security laws.
The
Nationalization of Russian Assets of Investors From Unfriendly States Continues
On May 9, 2023, we wrote about Decree of the President of Russia No. 302 that created a framework for nationalization of Russian assets belonging to persons from “unfriendly” states (the “Decree”). At that time the only assets to which nationalization applied were the shares in strategic energy companies Unipro, controlled by the Government of
UK Russian Sanctions Expanded Following G7 Summit
On 19 May 2023, the UK expanded its list of Designated Persons under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 by adding 86 new persons, comprising 42 individuals and 44 Russian legal entities. The newly Designated Persons are primarily involved with, or linked to, the defense, transportation, extraction, metallurgy, financial and agricultural sectors of the Russian economy. This expansion of sanctions appears to follow the G7 Leaders’ Statement on Ukraine, which was also issued on 19 May.Continue Reading UK Russian Sanctions Expanded Following G7 Summit
Tit for Tat Continues, or Further Russian Countersanctions That Allow Nationalization of Assets of Persons From Unfriendly States
On April 25, 2023, the President of Russia signed Decree No. 302 On Temporary Management of certain assets, including movable and immovable assets and equity interests in the capital of Russian legal entities, that appoints the Federal Agency for State Property Management as the temporary manager of such assets and allows the agency to exercise all the rights of the owner of such assets, other than to dispose of the assets.Continue Reading Tit for Tat Continues, or Further Russian Countersanctions That Allow Nationalization of Assets of Persons From Unfriendly States
Outbound Investment Screening Regime—EU May Follow In U.S. Footsteps
Foreign direct investment (“FDI”) control has historically been centred on inbound FDI, meaning investment inflow into a country. The tide is turning, as the United States seems ready to introduce an outbound FDI control mechanism, whereby capital outflow towards certain countries will be subjected to a screening process. Similarly, the European Commission (“Commission”) 2023 Work Programme indicates that the EC will “examine whether additional tools are necessary in respect of outbound strategic investments controls”, and is “prepared to revise the EU’s FDI screening regulation.”Continue Reading Outbound Investment Screening Regime—EU May Follow In U.S. Footsteps
Lexology Getting the Deal Through: Foreign Investment Review 2023
Cleary Gottlieb partner Chase Kaniecki, associates Samuel Chang, Pete Young, William Dawley, and law clerk Stephanie Gullo co-authored the United States chapter in Lexology Getting the Deal Through: Foreign Investment Review 2023.
To read the chapter, click here or visit the Lexology website (subscription may be required.)
Russia and Beyond: Sanctions Developments and Lessons for Boards from 2022
The following post was originally included as part of our recently published memorandum “Selected Issues for Boards of Directors in 2023”.
This past year’s Russia-Ukraine conflict sparked a significant transformation of the global economic sanctions landscape, with developments and lessons extending well beyond Russia.
In 2023, boards of directors should continue to monitor
PAIP Act Authorizes Sanctions for Trade Secret Theft by Chinese Actors
On January 5, 2023, President Biden signed into law the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act of 2022 (the “PAIP Act”),[1] bipartisan legislation that authorizes the imposition of sanctions on foreign persons that have engaged in significant theft of trade secrets of U.S. persons.[2] Continue Reading PAIP Act Authorizes Sanctions for Trade Secret Theft by Chinese Actors