A set of new rules released last week by the Commerce and State departments will reduce licensing requirements for exports of certain space-related items to a range of U.S. trading partners and propose to transfer export control jurisdiction over other space-related defense items from the State Department to the Commerce Department, lowering trade barriers faced by the commercial space industry for years.
The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a minor correction this week to a September final rule that codified a range of recent updates to its administrative enforcement policies, including how the agency resolves voluntary self-disclosures and how it assesses penalty amounts (see 2409120017). BIS said that rule “contained an error in an amendatory instruction” that incorrectly revised wording in the wrong paragraph. “This document corrects that error,” BIS said. The changes take effect Oct. 17.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is “actively recruiting” members to join its Emerging Technology Technical Advisory Committee, Tara Gonzalez, a BIS senior policy adviser, said on LinkedIn this week. The committee gives feedback and recommendations to BIS as the agency pursues new controls on emerging dual-use technologies. BIS formally solicited new members for its various TACs in April, and those applications were due June 11 (see 2404110005).
The U.S. will soon reduce licensing requirements for exports of certain space-related items to a range of countries and may transfer export control jurisdiction over other space-related defense items from the State Department to the Commerce Department, according to four rules released by the agencies Oct. 17. The rulemakings are designed to “modernize” U.S. export controls on space technologies, a senior Commerce official told reporters, including by easing restrictions on exports of less sensitive space technologies, certain spacecraft-related items and more.
The Bureau of Industry and Security recently updated a table on its website that lists which countries are eligible for License Exception Implemented Export Controls, an exception unveiled Sept. 5 that allows exporters to ship certain quantum computing items, chip machines and other advanced technologies without a license (see 2409050028). In a final rule, BIS said it updated the table on Sept. 17 by adding Denmark, Finland and Japan “to appropriate items in the table.” It also revised the table’s URL to be “shorter and simpler” and made other minor changes. The final rule is effective Oct. 16.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has completed a round of interagency review for a final rule that could remove export licensing requirements for certain spacecraft and related items destined to Australia, Canada and the U.K. BIS sent the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 30 (see 2409030005), and the review was completed Oct. 10.
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The U.S. will probably increase its use of sanctions and export controls no matter who wins the upcoming presidential election, although a Donald Trump-led administration would be more likely to pursue drastic measures that could accelerate U.S.-China decoupling, said Martin Chorzempa, a senior fellow with the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Those measures include expanding the use of the Bureau of Industry and Security’s foreign direct product rule or placing blocking sanctions on major Chinese companies such as Huawei.
The Bureau of Industry and Security appears to be making good on its pledge to step up export control enforcement to protect sensitive American technology from China, two former U.S. government officials said Oct. 15.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week added eight companies to its Unverified List after it was unable to verify the “legitimacy and reliability” of the entities through end-use checks, including their ability to responsibly receive controlled U.S. exports. It also removed two companies from the list after BIS said it was able to successfully conduct end-use checks.