Commerce, State Issue Proposals to Harmonize Regulatory Definitions

The Commerce Department (here) and State Department (here) published concurrent proposals to harmonize a number of terms and phrases in the Export Administration Regulations and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The revised definitions are part of the Obama administration’s Export Control Reform, the initiative that aims to transfer export controls from State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. Following the completion of many ECR transfers, many U.S. exporters now ship products on both the EAR and ITAR. The harmonized terms would further ECR by strengthening compliance and reducing "regulatory burdens,” said Commerce in its proposal. That changes in definitions also bring the administration closer to the goal of a “common export control list and common set of export control regulations,” Commerce said. Both agencies are accepting comments until Aug. 3. Stakeholders should submit comments via www.regulations.gov, docket numbers BIS-2015-0019 and RIN 1400-AD70.