Jan 26 Information Systems TAC Meeting Discuss CCL Cats 3 and 5
The Bureau of Industry and Security's Information Systems Technical Advisory Committee held a partially open meeting on January 26, 2011. The agenda for the session included reports from Working Groups on CCL Category 3, global microprocessor technology, and proposals to turn CCL Category 5 into a positive list.
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Highlights from the TAC meeting include:
Industry Encouraged to Help Govt Determine CCL Output Power Control Thresholds
The working group for the Commerce Control List (CCL) Category 3(A) (Systems, Equipment, and Components), stated that they have not received a lot of feedback yet on their proposals regarding output power control thresholds for certain controlled electronics technology, but are optimistic that some of the proposals are hitting the mark. The working groups stated that there was a fairly wide spectrum of opinion on where the thresholds should be. They encouraged each of the companies involved to give the Commerce Department a closed briefing on their future roadmap to help the government determine the thresholds for CCL Category 3 A.
Global Technology and China’s Design Capabilities Catching up to U.S.
TAC discussed the global technology outlook and stated that while the U.S. has been a strong leader of computer technology for several decades, most companies that develop microprocessors are global in nature. Advanced computing technology will be available worldwide and other countries and companies are now able to do what the U.S. doing in a shorter time period. It was also noted that domestic design capability in China is catching up to that of the U.S.
TAC discussed the next set of goals for 2011 including the accelerated processing unit strategy and how that may affect the way TAC considers certain threshold numbers going forward.
CCL Category 5 Part 2 Proposed to be Made into Positive List
The TAC discussed two proposals under consideration, one involving the amendment of note 3 in Category 5 part 2 (a cryptography note) of the CCL and the proposal to turn Category 5 Part 2 (Information Security) into a positive list.
It was stated that the proposal starts from those items controlled under 15 CFR 744.17(b)(2) and (b)(3) but does not entirely decontrol all items. They state the proposal is a modest one, but that it is a step in the right direction for the Information Systems TAC, which has urged for several years that Category 5 part 2 ultimately become a positive list.
These two proposals are both still in consideration and will be a topic of discussion at the January 27, 2011 closed TAC meeting, along with two proposals regarding Category 5 part 1 and a separate Department of Defense proposal.