Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
Proposed changes to the State Department’s defense export regulations, including a provision that would clarify definitions for “export” and “reexport,” received strong support from U.S. universities this month. The Association of University Export Control Officers said the proposed changes to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations will “make it simpler and more efficient for universities to remain compliant with” U.S. export regulations.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls this week released supporting materials and guidance for its recently announced restructuring of purposes and definitions in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (see 2203220013). The agency issued a summary of the changes and a table outlining the moves, edits, removals and additions.
The State Department announced penalties on two people and four foreign entities and their subsidiaries for illegal transfers under the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act, according to a notice. The agency said the parties transferred items subject to multilateral control lists that contribute to weapons proliferation or missile production. The State Department barred them from making certain purchases of items controlled on the U.S. Munitions List and by the Arms Export Control Act and will suspend any current export licenses used by the entities. The agency also will bar them from receiving new export licenses for any goods subject to the Export Administration Regulations. The restrictions will remain in place for two years from the March 14 effective date.
The State Department this week released its long-awaited rule to reorganize and consolidate definitions, guidance and authorities in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the first in a series of planned rules to restructure the ITAR. The interim final rule, released March 22 and effective Sept. 6, creates three new subparts outlining ITAR general information, general policies and processes, and definitions, a new structure that officials have said will improve the organization of the regulations. The agency is accepting public comments on the changes through May 9.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is beginning a “comprehensive update” to its website to improve its readability, structure and align it with “best practices of modern website design,” the agency said this week. DDTC will roll out the update in a phased approach over the “coming months,” starting with the highest-traffic pages first. Feedback or concerns can be sent to PM_DDTCProjectTeam@state.gov.
Michelle Schulz, a former member of the President's Export Council Subcommittee on Export Administration, rejoined the Braumiller Law Group as of counsel, the firm announced in an email. Schulz was one of the founders of the Braumiller Law Group, helping start the firm in 2003 when it was known as Braumiller Schulz. Schulz also served for a decade as a senior adviser to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Aerospace. Her practice deals with export controls, including matters under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Export Administration Regulations, along with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases and Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. regulations, the firm said.
The State Department is seeking public comments on an information collection related to Part 130 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which deals with political contributions, fees and commissions relating to sales of defense articles and defense services, the agency said in a March 10 notice. Under the ITAR, defense exporters shipping certain goods worth more than $500,000 to a foreign armed service must notify the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls about certain political contributions or fees associated with the sale, the agency said. Comments are due May 9. The State Department last year saw an uptick in Part 130 violations (see 2109290056).
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
Joe Sery, former owner and CEO of San Diego-based Tungsten Heavy Powder & Parts, and his brother, Dror Sery, were arrested and charged with violating federal export laws by shipping defense products listed on the U.S. Munitions List without obtaining a proper export license, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California said March 4. The Sery brothers' alleged actions violated export laws under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The brothers are charged with conspiracy to commit offenses against the U.S., exportation of defense articles without a license and criminal forfeiture. The latter charge has a maximum 20-year prison sentence and $1 million fine.