The U.S. is on track to inform Congress later this month that Australia has a comparable export control system to that in the U.S., clearing the way for the country to benefit from eased defense trade restrictions, the two nations said in a joint statement after Aug. 6 meetings in Maryland.
The State Department has completed an interagency review for a rule that could finalize an expansion to its definition of activities that don’t count as exports, reexports, retransfers or temporary imports. The agency in 2022 proposed the changes (see 2212150028), which would allow companies to avoid submitting license applications for when a foreign government’s armed forces or U.N. personnel takes a defense article out of a previously approved country, or under certain scenarios for when a foreign defense item enters the U.S. but is subsequently exported (see 2212150028 and 2302270026). The State Department sent the final rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs June 6 and completed the review Aug. 2.
The U.S. and Canada concluded talks on a Technology Safeguards Agreement that will allow commercial companies in Canada to use American space launch technology, expertise and data “while ensuring the proper handling of sensitive U.S. technology,” Global Affairs Canada announced Aug. 2. The two countries are planning a “final review of the negotiated text” and still need “domestic authorizations” before the deal can take effect.
The State Department completed an interagency review of a rule that would finalize its April proposal to exempt Australia and the U.K. from certain International Traffic in Arms Regulations licensing requirements as part of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. partnership (see 2404300050). The interim final rule was sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs July 19 (see 2407220007), and the review was completed July 31.
A new U.S. rule expected this month could expand restrictions on foreign exports of certain chip equipment to China but exclude chipmakers in the Netherlands, Japan and South Korea, Reuters reported July 31.
China will increase and revise export controls on certain drones, drone parts, infrared imaging equipment and other dual-use items and technology, the country’s Commerce Ministry announced July 31. The new controls, which take effect Sept. 1, name certain drone engines, radar, lasers, “inertial measurement devices,” radio communication equipment, anti-jamming equipment and more, according to an unofficial translation. Exporters will have to apply for and receive licenses for certain shipments, and violators could face both administrative and criminal penalties.
Proposed U.S. export controls issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security last week are meant to “prevent hack-for-hire business models from circumventing our human rights-based export controls,” including U.S. restrictions on “cyber-intrusion tools,” said Thea Kendler, the agency’s assistant secretary for export administrations. In a news release announcing the proposed rules, Kendler said the restrictions could improve “controls on activities supporting foreign police and security services, including those known to violate human rights.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., questioned a senior Bureau of Industry and Security official this week about whether the agency would consider using its foreign direct product rule to impose more license restrictions on foreign exports of advanced chipmaking equipment to China.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week issued a correction to a recent interim final rule designed to remove export control barriers for standards-setting activities (see 2407170025). BIS said the rule “inadvertently revised language related to recent changes to the Entity List,” and the agency is correcting those “inadvertent revisions.” The correction takes effect July 25.
Stopping U.S. firms from participating in RISC-V, an open-source semiconductor architecture that policymakers fear China will use to evade export controls, would only hurt American innovation and competitiveness, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said this month.