GTA Monthly Roundup: February 2026

The Global Trade Alert team documented 732 trade and industrial policy developments during February 2026. Four trends emerge:

1. The US intensified its Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) Program. Washington announced three new framework deals and published the texts of three bilateral trade agreements. The framework agreements concerned India, Bangladesh and North Macedonia. The texts related to Indonesia, Argentina, and Taiwan. The agreements disclose specific tariff concessions, quotas and investment commitments. 

2. Financial support for energy infrastructure accelerated. Across jurisdictions, governments are channelling funds directly into energy grids and generation capacity. The US DOE committed USD 26.5 billion in loans to Southern Company for 16 GW of power capacity; Germany’s KfW acquired a 25.1% equity stake in TenneT Germany's transmission network for USD 3.8 billion; the EIB signed a USD 2.2 billion loan for Greek island grid interconnection; and Thailand's Gulf Renewable Energy secured a USD 350 million ADB loan for solar-plus-storage projects. 

3. Sanctions against Russia intensified across multiple jurisdictions. February marked the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Western allies used the occasion to synchronise and deepen sanctions. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, Switzerland, and Ukraine all lowered the Russian oil price cap to USD 44.1 per barrel (down from USD 47.6). They also collectively banned well over 300 shadow fleet vessels from port access. Ukraine separately sanctioned Chinese and Hong Kong entities for supplying missile and drone components.

4. Trade defence against China is spreading. Brazil, India, Mexico and the EU all initiated or continued trade defence investigations targeting Chinese imports in February. These investigations cover product categories including cold-rolled steel, laminated flat glass, prepared sweetcorn, high-pressure steel cylinders, and ceramic tiles. Brazil imposed definitive antidumping duties on Chinese flat-rolled carbon steel of up to USD 670 per tonne. The EU set provisional antidumping duties of up to 113.7% on Chinese 1,4-Butanediol. India launched a countervailing investigation on Chinese PVC suspension resins.

The GTA Monthly Roundup provides a rapid overview of changes in import barriers, export curbs, subsidies, and related industrial policy measures. It is organised by geography, beginning with the United States, China and the European Union. The final section briefly summarises developments in further regions covered by the GTA. Links to official sources are included in the references.

The US overhauled its tariff regime following a Supreme Court ruling, announced new bilateral trade agreements, and expanded sanctions. The GTA team documented 113 developments during the last four weeks.

The US Department of Energy authorised Corpus Christi Liquefaction to export an additional 170 billion cubic feet per year of LNG to non-FTA countries. DOE authorisation is required for the export or import of natural gas, including LNG. This approval covers the Midscale Trains 8 & 9 Project, increasing the terminal's total authorised non-FTA export volume to 1’627.3 billion cubic feet per year.

Following the Supreme Court decision on IEEPA tariffs, Washington terminated additional ad valorem duties and replaced them with a temporary 10% ad valorem import surcharge. The new temporary tariffs apply for 150 days. The surcharge excludes goods eligible for preferential treatment under the USMCA and certain products under CAFTA-DR. Product exemptions are similar to those under IEEPA and cover critical minerals, energy products, and certain agricultural products.

The Administration also modified the treatment of low-value postal shipments valued at or under USD 800. The new order replaces the prior postal duty schedule with a single ad valorem duty tied to the 10% temporary import surcharge, effective 24 February 2026.

The US  unveiled three tariff deal frameworks. In the Indian agreement, Washington announced the reduction of reciprocal tariff rates from 25% to 18%. It also committed to a preferential tariff-rate quota for automotive parts subject to Section 232 tariffs. For Bangladesh,  it agreed on reducing reciprocal tariff rates from 20% to 19% and on duty-free tariff-rate quota arrangements for textile and apparel products. In the Agreement with North Macedonia, it committed to eliminating reciprocal tariffs on certain goods and maintaining the rest at 15%. These commitments remain subject to additional regulatory procedures before entering into force. 

The White House published the texts of three tariff deals announced earlier. In the US-Indonesia deal, the text confirmed a 19% reciprocal tariff on most Indonesian-originating goods, while eliminating tariffs entirely on specific products listed in two annexes (Schedules 2A and 2B). The US also committed a duty-free import quota for certain textile and apparel imports. In the text of the US-Argentina agreement, USTR confirmed the elimination of the additional reciprocal tariff on selected categories of Argentina-originating goods as specified in the agreement's annexes. In the agreement with Chinese Taipei, it set a reciprocal tariff rate on Taiwan-originating goods at the higher of the MFN rate or 15%, with certain products in the annexes qualifying for a 0% rate. 

Washington also announced other liberalising developments. It eliminated the additional 25% duty on imports from India imposed in August 2025. The decision followed commitments from India to stop importing Russian oil and increase purchases of US energy products. India also agreed to a framework for expanded defence cooperation over ten years. Likewise, it temporarily increased the beef tariff-rate quota by 80'000 metric tons for lean beef trimmings from Argentina. The additional in-quota quantity applies for the calendar year 2026 and becomes effective on 13 February 2026.

The Administration issued an Executive Order authorising additional tariffs on imports from countries trading with Iran, which was repealed after the SCOTUS ruling.  The order allowed for tariffs such as 25% on imports from foreign countries that directly or indirectly purchase goods or services from Iran.

The International Trade Administration initiated parallel antidumping and countervailing investigations on imports of citric acid and certain citrate salts from Canada and India. It also launched an antidumping investigation on fresh winter strawberries from Mexico and imposed a provisional antidumping duty of 132.8% on Russian imports of unwrought palladium.

The Export-Import Bank approved a USD 10 billion loan to establish a Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve. The financing supports Project Vault, a public-private partnership involving manufacturers such as Clarios, GE Vernova, Western Digital, and Boeing. The reserve will store critical raw materials in facilities across the country.

The Department of Energy announced USD 26.5 billion in loans to Southern Company subsidiaries in Georgia and Alabama. The loans will support power generations dn grid updates financing over 16 gigawatts of firm power capacity. The Department also launched a USD 171.5 million funding opportunity for next-generation geothermal projects. The funding targets enhanced geothermal systems field tests, exploration drilling activities, and related research and development. Besides, the DoE granted USD 175 million in funding for six projects to modernise coal-fired power plants. The programme supports upgrades to improve electricity generation efficiency, increase capacity, and extend operational life. Selected projects include upgrades to facilities in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Kentucky.

Washington invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure the domestic supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides. The order grants priority for government contracts and allocates materials as necessary for national defence. It highlights that elemental phosphorus is critical for defence applications, including semiconductors and lithium-ion batteries.

The Department of Homeland Security authorised the issuance of up to 64’716 additional H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026. The measure targets employers in manufacturing, seafood, hospitality, tourism, forestry, and transportation sectors experiencing labour shortages.

The Treasury Department adopted multiple sanctions related to Iran. It designated numerous entities and vessels linked to Iran's oil trade, shadow fleet, weapons programmes, and Hizballah's financial networks. It sanctioned entities in Türkiye, Liberia, and the UAE for supporting Iranian petroleum exports through trading and logistics, along with shipping management companies in Hong Kong, India, China, Seychelles, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and the Marshall Islands. It also designated a Panama-based shipping company, a Lebanon-based wholesale trader, and two Türkiye-based shipping and wholesale entities for generating revenue for Hizballah’s financial networks. Further designations targeted entities in Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates connected to Iran’s ballistic missile and weapons programmes, as well as entities involved in Iran’s shadow fleet based in Iran, the Marshall Islands, Panama, Liberia, and the British Virgin Islands. In addition, Washington sanctioned two Hizballah-linked vessels, barring them from port access, cargo handling, and maritime services. Finally, last week, 12 vessels transporting Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals were also targeted. 

Treasury also sanctioned entities in the UAE and Russia for their alleged involvement in the theft and sale of US Government cyber tools. Moreover, 18 Mexican entities and a US-based entity, Hotel Management International LLC, were added to OFAC’s SDN List for connections to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación's timeshare fraud network.

During February 2026, China escalated export controls targeting Japan whilst continuing domestic economic support measures. The GTA team documented 48 policy actions.

On 24 February 2026, the Ministry of Commerce added 20 Japanese entities to China's Dual-Use Export Control List. The targeted entities include subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, IHI Corporation, and NEC. The list also covers the National Defence Academy of Japan and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Exports of dual-use items to these entities are now prohibited unless special permission is granted.

On the same day, the Ministry placed 20 additional Japanese entities on its Concern List. The listed entities include Subaru Corporation, ENEOS Corporation, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, TDK Corporation, and Hino Motors. Exporters of dual-use items to these entities must now apply for individual export licences with stricter reviews.

The Chinese government adopted measures affecting the offshore oil and gas sector. It granted temporary import tariff exemptions on equipment used in offshore oil and natural gas exploration, including instruments, spare parts, and specialised tools. Additionally, the government reduced import VAT rebates for natural gas for specified pipeline and LNG storage projects.  Both measures entered into force retrospectively from 1 January 2026 and will remain in effect until 31 December 2030. 

The government also restructured import tax exemptions for scientific and technological innovation. It introduced import tariff exemptions for experimental teaching equipment, plant seeds, and musical instruments, as well as import VAT and consumption tax exemptions for these goods. However, the government withdrew import tariff exemptions and VAT exemptions for analytical measuring instruments. These measures apply to scientific research institutions and technology development centres.

Beijing announced several liberalising measures. The 2026 Encouraged Import Services Catalogue expands the list of service imports eligible for incentives. The new catalogue includes integrated circuit R&D services, low-carbon design services, and climate change consulting services. Besides, it reduced provisional import tariffs for whiskies from 10% to 5%, effective from 2 February 2026.

China suspended additional tariffs on certain Canadian products from 1 March to 31 December 2026. The suspension covers 100% tariffs on peas and rapeseed oil cake, and 25% tariffs on lobster and crab products. The measure follows recent bilateral arrangements and Canada’s partial tariff adjustments.

In terms of trade defence, Beijing imposed a definitive antidumping duty of 5.9% on rapeseed imports from Canada and a definitive countervailing duty on dairy products from the EU. These last duty rates range from 7.4% to 11.7%, depending on the company.

Several Ministries adopted an action plan for the traditional Chinese medicine industry (2026-2030). The plan calls for increased support through funds and loans to develop the entire industrial chain. It also supports cross-border e-commerce firms to build overseas warehouses and improve international market competitiveness. By 2030, it aims to build 20 intelligent factories and cultivate 10 green factories in this sector.

The central government allocated USD 181 million to support winter wheat production in 11 major grain-producing provinces. The state aid aims to strengthen weak seedlings and support disaster prevention measures.

The measures affecting the offshore oil and gas sector also included some tax relief actions. The government introduced a tax relief for offshore oil and gas exploration equipment, exempting both import tariffs and import VAT. The measure applies to items that cannot be produced domestically or do not meet performance requirements. On top of that, Beijing reduced the VAT rebate ratio from 100% to 80% applicable to cross-border natural gas pipeline projects. These projects need approval from the National Development and Reform Commission. 

Beijing also amended tax concessions for scientific and technological innovation. It exempted import VAT and consumption tax for various goods, but also withdrew previous concessions. The measure applies to technology innovation centres, clinical medicine research centres, and technology service SMEs.

Furthermore, the government modified the 2026 Encouraged Import Services Catalogue. As a consequence, companies importing services included in this document are now eligible for government support.

At the subnational level, Liaoning Province adopted a package of measures to promote economic development. The province will provide interest payment subsidies and loan guarantees of up to USD 1.4 million to support equipment renewal and green transformation in the chemical industry. The province also introduced interest subsidies for the low-altitude economy sector, providing up to USD 694’000 to enterprises involved in low-altitude aircraft manufacturing. Moreover, Liaoning announced interest subsidies for foreign trade enterprises, capped at 50% of the Loan Prime Rate.

Fujian Province adopted measures to support the cultivation of innovative digital economy enterprises. The province will provide up to USD 700’000 for national-level trusted data space innovation pilots. It also offers up to USD 700’000 as rewards for national-level digital transformation demonstration projects. An extra of up to USD 1.4 million is available for innovation platforms, and subsidies covering up to 30% of technology transfer costs.

The Beijing municipality also announced state aid for the creation of international consumption scenarios. The measure provides up to USD 2.9 million per project to support enterprises developing internationalised consumption spaces in key areas. The support covers spatial renovation, decoration, and equipment purchase costs.

Similarly, Beijing's E-Town district adopted comprehensive state aid measures for the brain-computer interface industry. The measures provide up to USD 1.4 million per project to support application research in healthcare, industrial safety, education, and sports. The government will also provide up to USD 4.3 million per enterprise annually for the industrial transformation of medical and consumer-grade products. Additionally, up to USD 7.2 million per project is available for constructing innovation platforms and carriers.

The EU focused on industrial policy supporting clean technology manufacturing and energy infrastructure. Member states received significant state aid approvals under the Clean Industrial Deal framework. The GTA team documented 74 interventions by the EU and its member states.

The EU suspended its export ban on steel and aluminium waste scraps to the US until 6 August 2026. The measure formed part of the consolidated countermeasures regime in response to US tariffs, adopted in July 2025. Its suspension follows the ongoing political agreement with the US.

The Commission formalised the imposition of a temporary USD 3.5 customs duty on parcels valued below EUR 150. The measure, effective between 1 July 2026 and 1 July 2028, eliminates the previous de-minimis exemption that allowed small e-commerce parcels to enter duty-free. Once the EU Customs Data Hub becomes operational in 2028, normal tariffs will apply to all goods regardless of value.

Regarding the US tariff policy, the EU also suspended the consolidated countermeasures regime. These measures included tariffs up to 25% of thousands of US products. 

The EU imposed antidumping duties targeting imports from China and other countries. These include definitive antidumping duties of up to 90.3% on high-pressure seamless steel cylinders and up to 54.3% on prepared sweetcorn from China. It also set provisional antidumping duties on 1,4-Butanediol imports from China (up to 113.7%), Saudi Arabia (52.4%), and the United States (up to 142.5%).

The Commission published the Strong Regions for a Safe Europe Plan to support EU countries bordering Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The plan envisions "EastInvest" support delivering EUR 28 billion for investment needs in Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. It aims to address hybrid warfare, economic disruption, and demographic decline in these regions.

The Commission also published an Action Plan on Drone and Counter-Drone Security for developing homegrown technologies. The plan emphasises accelerating the expansion of EU-based drone and counter-drone companies. Funding will come from existing programmes such as the European Defence Fund and the European Innovation Council.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) concluded several financing agreements. It signed a USD 2.2 billion loan with Independent Power Transmission Operator SA to finance the interconnection of the Dodecanese islands with the Greek mainland electricity grid. In France, the bank signed a USD 1.1 billion intermediated lending facility with BPCE SA for small to mid-sized renewable energy projects. The facility will finance onshore wind, photovoltaic, geothermal, biomass, and biogas developments. In Spain, the multilateral lender signed a USD 452 million guarantee facility with BBVA to support lending for green projects. The guarantee will cover approximately 50% of the credit risk of BBVA's green loan portfolio. Additionally, the EIB concluded a USD 236 million loan with Hemsö Fastigheter for the construction and renovation of energy-efficient social infrastructure in Sweden, Finland, and Germany.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) invested USD 355 million in the Seaya Growth Tech Fund under the European Tech Champions Initiative. The fund will provide capital to European technology scale-ups in applied artificial intelligence, deep-tech, fintech, and climate solutions.

Germany unveiled a USD 3.5 billion scheme for investments in net-zero technology manufacturing capacity. The aid will take the form of direct grants, interest subsidies for loans, guarantees, and tax advantages. Eligible products include batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, heat pumps, and electrolysers. The development bank KfW acquired a 25.1% stake in TenneT Germany for approximately USD 3.8 billion. The bank signed the contract on behalf of the federal government. The transaction will secure governmental influence over the company, which operates more than 14’000 kilometres of electricity transmission lines.

France launched a USD 1.2 billion tax relief scheme for the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies and the production and recycling of related critical raw materials. The scheme will be valid until December 2028.

Italy granted a USD 464 million rescue loan to Acciaierie d'Italia. The integrated steel producer will use the funding to meet liquidity needs during an ongoing insolvency process. The loan will bridge the financial gap until the business is transferred to a new operator.

Similarly, Greece announced a USD 471 million scheme for cleantech manufacturing capacity. The measure will support strategic investments in the net-zero technology sector through direct grants and tax advantages. Eligible investments include net-zero technologies and critical raw materials production.

In the agricultural sector, Denmark launched a USD 1.23 billion scheme to support the extensification of farming activities. The measure will provide in-kind grants and financial grants to landowners who voluntarily remove land from production. This process assists in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen deposits.

At the supranational level, the Commission committed USD 265 million for the development of next-generation influenza vaccines under the EU4Health programme. The contracts were agreed with ten companies through a pre-commercial procurement mechanism. The scheme spans three sequential stages, financing activities from early research through clinical trial phases.

The GTA documented 497 developments announced by jurisdictions outside the US, China, and the European Union in the last four weeks. Significant developments include:

Australia expanded its sanctions regime against Russia, lowering the price cap on Russian crude oil from USD 47.6 to USD 44.1 per barrel. Canberra also imposed sanctions on 113 entities from Russia and Kyrgyzstan, including cryptocurrency companies enabling sanctions circumvention. In addition, the government prohibited port access for 61 vessels from Russia’s shadow fleet.

Bangladesh signed a deal with the US and launched new support funds for MSMEs. Under the US–Bangladesh Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, Dhaka committed to removing or reducing import tariffs on 4’500 US goods. It also pledged to facilitate US direct investment in critical minerals, energy, and telecommunications. Furthermore, the government committed to purchasing US energy, agricultural products, and military equipment and to removing import licensing requirements on US remanufactured goods. In terms of subsidies, Bangladesh Bank announced a USD 245 million refinancing fund for cluster-based MSMEs and established a USD 122 million fund for MSMEs.

Brazil expanded industrial financing, modified import duties, and stepped up trade defence measures against Chinese imports. The national development bank BNDES allocated an additional USD 13.6 billion to its "New Industry Brazil" budget. BNDES also provided USD 818 million in financing to Aena Brasil for the expansion and modernisation of 11 airports and USD 137 million to Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio for modernising aluminium production. The Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP in Portuguese) launched a USD 95 million grant scheme for energy transition research. Brasilia increased import duties to 25% on nine steel and industrial products, including flat-rolled steel products, steel wire, stainless steel products, alloy steel bars and stranded steel cables. Conversely, it reduced the import tariff on lithium-ion battery packs to 0%. In terms of trade defence, the government initiated an antidumping investigation on laminated flat glass from China. It also imposed definitive antidumping duties on Chinese imports of flat-rolled carbon steel (duties up to USD 670 per tonne) and coated flat-rolled (duties up to USD 709.6 per metric tonne). 

Canada replaced its surtax on Chinese EVs with a quota regime, announced new trade defence actions, expanded defence and automotive subsidies, and tightened Russia sanctions.  Ottawa announced the termination of the 100% surtax on Chinese-made electric vehicles. From March 2026, the surtax will be replaced by a permit-based tariff-rate quota of 49’000 vehicles at the 6.1% MFN rate, with out-of-quota imports prohibited without permits. The change follows a bilateral deal between Canada and China. In trade defence, the government initiated an antidumping investigation on oil and gas well casing from Austria. Moreover, it launched its first Defence Industrial Strategy, establishing a mandatory “Build–Partner–Buy” procurement framework for all defence acquisitions. Furthermore, the government announced it would allocate USD 2.2 billion from the Strategic Response Fund for the automotive sector and launch a USD 1.7  billion Electric Vehicle Affordability Programme offering purchase incentives with preferential treatment for Canadian-made vehicles. In trade defence, the government initiated an antidumping investigation on oil and gas well casing from Austria. Regarding sanctions against Russia, Canada lowered the price cap on Russian crude oil to USD 44.1, sanctioned 100 shadow fleet vessels, and froze assets of 52 entities from Russia, Lithuania, Türkiye, Libya, and China. 

Chinese Taipei signed and published the full text of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States, formalising commitments initially announced in January 2026. The published deal confirmed that Chinese Taipei would eliminate or reduce import tariffs on over 1’800 US industrial and agricultural products. In addition, it would remove existing quantitative restriction capping imports of US motor vehicles and facilitate purchases of US LNG and crude oil, power and industrial equipment, civil aircraft and engines. Concerning investments, it committed to allowing and facilitating US investment in critical minerals and energy and to fostering investments by Taiwanese enterprises in US strategic high-tech manufacturing sectors. The ART remains pending review and approval by Taiwan's Legislative Yuan.

Egypt introduced an export clearance requirement for selected industrial products, including fertilisers, cement, aluminium, and rebar. Exporters must now submit carbon emissions reports to the General Organisation for Export and Import Control.

India agreed on a framework for an interim trade deal with the US, expanded industrial subsidies and export-support schemes, set export quotas on wheat and sugar, and launched a new countervailing investigation. Under the framework for an interim trade agreement with the US, New Delhi committed to reducing import tariffs on US industrial and agricultural goods and eliminating import licensing barriers on US information and communication technology goods. It also committed to purchasing USD 500 billion worth of US goods over five years. The 2026–27 budget proposed a USD 1.1 billion scheme for container manufacturing, a 1.1. billion Biopharma SHAKTI programme for biologics and biosimilars, and an increase in the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme budget to USD 4.4 billion. As part of the Export Promotion Mission of November 2025, the government launched four new MSME support schemes: the interest subvention scheme for export factoring, the TRACE compliance reimbursement scheme, the FLOW overseas warehousing programme, and the LIFT freight cost reimbursement scheme. Moreover, the Cabinet approved the USD 1.1 billion Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 for fostering the venture capital ecosystem.  Additionally, the government set export quotas for wheat, wheat products, and sugar, partially lifting earlier export prohibitions. Indian authorities initiated a countervailing investigation on Chinese imports of PVC suspension resins. 

Indonesia published the text of their Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the US, advancing the framework announced in July 2025. Under the deal text, Indonesia committed to eliminating import duties on 9’992 eight-digit tariff subheadings of US goods and introducing import tariff-rate quotas for US pork, wine, and distilled spirits. Moreover, it pledged to facilitate commercial purchases of US energy products, commercial aircraft, and agricultural commodities. It also confirmed it would allow US investors to invest without ownership restrictions in the mining, fish processing, energy, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors. All measures are pending further implementation procedures.

Iraq introduced new subsidies, cut port charges, and set new import restrictions on paper cups and green onions. The government introduced fuel oil price subsidies for cement plants and bunker fuelling operators, both set below international benchmark prices. Baghdad approved a 75% reduction in port storage and maritime transport charges until April 2026. It also imposed a 20% customs duty on imported paper cups for four years and banned the import of green onions to support local farmers. 

Japan’s Bank for International Cooperation provided a USD 104 million guarantee to Japan Airlines for the purchase of an Airbus aircraft from France. According to JBIC, the guarantee aims to maintain the international competitiveness of the Japanese aviation industry.

Mexico announced new financial support and trade defence investigations. Bancomext and NAFIN unveiled a USD 93.3 million innovation initiative for technological innovation and AI projects. The scheme will provide loans and guarantees. In terms of trade defence, the government initiated an antidumping investigation on cold-rolled steel imports from China, Malaysia, and the United States. It also launched a parallel countervailing investigation on cold-rolled steel from the US. Both investigations follow the application lodged by Ternium México. 

New Zealand expanded its sanctions against Russia. Wellington prohibited port access for 100 vessels and lowered the Russian oil price cap to USD 44.1 per barrel. The government froze the assets of nine Russian entities, one Belarusian military manufacturer, one Iranian drone manufacturer, and two North Korean trading firms.

North Macedonia signed a Framework Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the US. Under the deal, the country committed to eliminating customs duties on all US industrial and agricultural goods. It also pledged to commence purchases of US liquefied natural gas upon completion of a new gas interconnector with Greece.

The Philippines initiated a safeguard investigation on imports of ceramic tiles. The investigation follows the application lodged by the Ceramic Manufacturers’ Association Inc on behalf of the Philippine industry. Conversely, Manila terminated its safeguard investigation on corrugating medium imports without duties, finding no serious injury or threat to the domestic industry.

Qatar’s Investment Authority expanded its Fund of Funds programme by USD 2 billion, raising the total budget to USD 3 billion. The initiative supports the startup ecosystem by anchoring venture capital funds in Doha. The government also launched two new residency visa categories for executives and entrepreneurs to attract global talent.

Saudi Arabia’s Local Content and Government Procurement Authority announced phased increases to minimum local content requirements for eligibility under the Mandatory List of National Products in government procurement. From 1 August 2026, suppliers must obtain a Local Content Certificate and meet thresholds starting at 23% and reaching up to 53% by 1 August 2031.

The Southern African Customs Union increased the customs duty on sugar imports from ZAR 4.36/kg to ZAR 4.83/kg. The amendment is based on the variable tariff formula for sugar import duties.

Switzerland adopted further elements of the EU’s 19th sanctions package against Russia and Belarus. It banned the import of Russian LNG under HS code 2711.11 and of saturated acyclic hydrocarbons under HS code 2901.10 from Russia and Belarus. In addition, SECO expanded export bans to Russia and Belarus by adding chemicals, metals, optical devices, raw materials and other industrial goods.

Thailand’s Gulf Renewable Energy Company Limited signed a USD 350 million loan with the Asian Development Bank. The financing will support the construction of two solar-plus-battery energy storage systems and one solar power plant, with a total contracted capacity of 194 MW.

Türkiye suspended poultry meat exports to stabilise domestic prices. The Ministry of Trade cited rising demand, seasonal consumption patterns, and accelerated price movements as contributing factors.

Ukraine deployed several sanctions against Russia. Among these are financial sanctions on 44 Russian military-related entities for servicing Russia’s military-industrial complex and five entities in China and Hong Kong for their role in supplying components for Russian missiles and drones. Separately, Kyiv sanctioned 90 maritime transport entities and banned 91 shadow fleet vessels allegedly involved in transporting Russian oil to third countries.

The United Kingdom joined other countries in sanctioning Russia for its continued invasion of Ukraine. London froze the assets of multiple Russian companies in the financial, energy, nuclear, and defence sectors. It also sanctioned entities based in China, India, Thailand, the UAE, Georgia, Singapore, Brazil, and Poland for supporting Russian energy trade and defence procurement. The government further prohibited 50 Russian-linked vessels from entering UK ports.

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