The Commerce Department published its fall 2020 regulatory agenda for the Bureau of Industry and Security, including new mentions of rules to amend Hong Kong under the Export Administration Regulations, releases of controlled technologies to standards setting bodies and a range of new technology controls.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began reviewing a final Bureau of Industry and Security rule concerning Sudan. The rule, received by OIRA Dec. 3, would revise the Export Administration Regulations to reflect the U.S. rescission of Sudan’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism (see 2011020012).

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Nov. 30-Dec. 4 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

The Commerce Department will not publish its long-awaited proposed regulations on routed export transactions (see 2007150044) this year and is experiencing delays on other rules, including another set of export controls from the 2019 Wassenaar Arrangement, a Commerce official said. Hillary Hess, the Bureau of Industry and Security’s regulatory policy director, cited a combination of internal BIS delays and a backlog at the Federal Register for the slowdown.

The Bureau of Industry and Security corrected its September revision of the Export Administration Regulations, which implemented export control changes made by the 2018 Wassenaar Arrangement plenary (see 2009100027). The corrections, issued in a notice released Dec. 3, address errors that were “unintentionally introduced” in Export Control Classification Numbers 3A001, 3A002, 3A991, 5A002, 7A005 and 9E003, BIS said. It said the corrections do not change BIS policy or affect licensing requirements.

The Commerce Department again renewed a temporary export denial order for Mahan Airways because the airline continues to violate the order and the Export Administration Regulations, according to a Nov. 24 notice. The Iranian airline has been on the banned list since 2008, with the last denial renewed May 29. The latest renewal is for 180 days beyond Nov. 24, Commerce said.

The State Department announced penalties on foreign entities for illegal transfers under the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act. The entities transferred items subject to multilateral control lists that contribute to weapons proliferation or missile production, the agency said in a notice released Nov. 24. The entities are: China-based Chengdu Best New Materials Co. Ltd. and Zibo Elim Trade Co.; and Russia-based Aviazapchast, Joint Stock Company Elecon and the Nilco Group. The companies and their subsidiaries are barred from purchasing items controlled on the U.S. Munitions List and by the Arms Export Control Act. The State Department will also suspend any current export licenses used by the companies and bar them from receiving new export licenses for any goods subject to the Export Administration Regulations. Government agencies are barred from entering into procurement contracts with them. The measures took effect Nov. 6.

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Nov. 16-20 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on Nov. 20 completed a review for a final Bureau of Industry and Security rule that will revise country groups for Ukraine, Mexico and Cyprus under the Export Administration Regulations. OIRA received the rule June 25.

The Bureau of Industry and Security amended and clarified provisions in the Export Administration Regulations to promote compliance and better enforce the Export Control Reform Act. BIS also amended other EAR provisions related to licenses, denial orders and civil penalty payments. The changes, outlined in a final rule issued Nov. 17, take effect Nov. 18.