The Bureau of Industry and Security is easing its license review policy for exports of Nvidia H200 chips and their equivalents that are destined to China and Macau, BIS said in a final rule released Jan. 13 and effective Jan. 15. License applications for those chips will be reviewed under a case-by-case policy instead of a presumption of denial as long as the semiconductors set to be exported are commercially available in the U.S. and the exporter can attest to several certifications, including that there is “sufficient supply” in the U.S.; the chip has “sufficient security procedures”; that production of the chip won’t “divert global foundry capacity for similar or more advanced products for end users in the United States”; the chip had undergone third-party testing; and more.
Reps. Jefferson Shreve, R-Ind., and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., introduced a bill Jan. 9 aimed at bolstering the technical staffing of the Bureau of Industry and Security.
Exyte has improved its compliance program after a breach of U.S. export controls led to a $1.5 million settlement with the Bureau of Industry and Security last week (see 2601080059), a company spokesperson said Jan. 9 in an email. "Following an internal review, Exyte voluntarily disclosed the matter to BIS, cooperated fully with the authorities, and has strengthened its export control compliance program and controls," the spokesperson said. "The matter is resolved."
The House voted 397-28 on Jan. 8 to approve a compromise three-bill FY 2026 appropriations package that would provide $235 million for the Bureau of Industry and Security, up $44 million (23%) from the enacted FY 2025 level.
The Bureau of Industry and Security reached a $1.5 million settlement this week with an international procurement company after its Shanghai affiliate admitted to illegally transferring low-level semiconductor equipment to a Chinese company on the Entity List.
The Federal Maritime Commission ordered MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company to pay about $22.7 million in civil penalties for violating U.S. shipping laws, up from the $16 million amount that an administrative law judge called for last year (see 2502260072).
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a final rule for interagency review that would make export control changes related to Cambodia. The rule, titled Conforming Change to the Export Administration Regulations for Cambodia, was sent for review Jan. 6.
The U.S.-China trade relationship will experience a relatively stable year in 2026 as both sides determine their next steps amid an export control stalemate, Eurasia Group analysts predicted this week.
Charles Wall, who most recently held senior roles at the Bureau of Industry and Security in Washington, announced that he's beginning a new role as a BIS export control officer in Beijing. Wall will carry out end-use checks in China and work within the U.S. embassy "to provide information and support on all export control issues that arise in the embassy community, as well as with local industry, the host government, and other governments working in Beijing," according to his LinkedIn profile. Wall was most recently the acting director of the BIS Office of Nonproliferation and Foreign Policy Controls and a senior policy adviser, and he also worked as a regional export control officer from the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong and Macau, 2011-16.
The Census Bureau alerted exporters this week about changes to Automated Export System codes that were previously used for certain validated end users, noting that the updates reflect an August rule from the Bureau of Industry and Security that removed China-based facilities as VEUs.