On October 7, 2025, the EU Commission proposed new protective measures on steel. Subsequently, on October 9, 2025, China announced new export controls on rare earths. These two measures are among several recently announced by major trading nations, reflecting the current tense geopolitical landscape. They also affect stakeholders in third countries, including Norway.

On 21 August 2025, The United States and the European Union announced that they had reached a Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade. In this update, we provide an overview of the key takeaways from the Framework Agreement and how it may affect entities trading with the US.

Today, the EU adopted its 18th package of sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, targeting primarily Russia's energy sector and banking sector. Additionally, there have been several other notable updates across various jurisdictions, including new measures in relation to Russian hybrid threats and updated sanctions targeting Iran, Syria, Haiti and Moldova.

Ongoing tariff and trade tensions across the globe have led many businesses to adapt, or consider adapting, their operations to avoid or minimise impacts of tariffs and other trade restrictions. In this Tariff and Trade Alert, we discuss the distinction between lawful and reasonable adaptions and illegal circumvention that businesses should be aware of.

The 'Liberation Day' tariffs announced by President Trump in April 2025 have substantially altered the international trade landscape, generating widespread uncertainty among businesses and industries. In particular, potential countermeasures and trade agreements have to a large extent been unresolved issues that many are eagerly awaiting.

On March 25, 2025, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added 80 entities from China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, Iran, Taiwan, and other countries to the Entity List for activities deemed contrary to US national security and foreign policy. This represents another measure in the ongoing trade war between the US and China.

In this update, we provide a key overview of the recent developments within tariffs and trade restrictions, in light of the current geopolitical landscape and discuss implications for businesses, alongside strategies for navigating these challenges moving forward.

ESG, compliance and risk management

Anti-Money Laundering

Responsible business and human rights

Corporate Criminal Liability

Investigation and Crisis Management

Dispute Resolution

Sanctions and Export Controls

Trade Restrictions, Customs and Tariffs

Associate

Amandus works with compliance and crisis management. He has a particular interest in sanctions, export controls, corporate criminal liability and dispute resolution, but also works broadly within other areas of the firm's compliance practice. He advises clients across numerous sectors, including industry, shipping and finance. 

Amandus holds a master's degree in law from the University of Bergen, where he wrote his master's thesis on the impact of economic sanctions on the recognition, enforceability and validity of judgements and arbitral awards. He also spent six months as an exchange student at the University of Hong Kong. During his studies, he was an intern at the Legislation Department at the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Financial Markets Department at the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, as well as a seminar tutor at the University of Bergen. He has also spent six months as an intern at Norway's Permanent Mission to the WTO and EFTA in Geneva.

Oslo

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Amandus works with compliance and crisis management. He has a particular interest in sanctions, export controls, corporate criminal liability and dispute resolution, but also works broadly within other areas of the firm's compliance practice.

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