The Office of Foreign Assets Control has published a group of previously issued general licenses under its Venezuela sanctions. One notice covers general licenses 6, 10 and 11; another notice covers general license 5F; and a third covers general licenses 14 and 15. The full text of each license appears in the respective notice.
Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., is working on a bill to revise certain aspects of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, he said in a brief interview at the Capitol last week. There are a “lot of opportunities” under the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership that “we haven’t realized right now,” Gallagher said, adding that the ITAR “remains a barrier to cooperation with the Aussies and the Brits.” It “makes no sense to me,” he said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has drafted new guidance for its October rule that expanded certain China-related chip controls (see 2210070049) and hopes to release it soon, said Thea Kendler, the agency’s assistant secretary for export administration. Kendler, speaking during a virtual conference hosted by the Massachusetts Export Center last week, also touched on the rule’s expiring temporary general license and urged industry to submit feedback on the new restrictions before the deadline this week.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara and Hugo Adalberto Velazquez Moreno, the former president and current vice president of Paraguay, respectively, for significant corruption. The agency also sanctioned Tabacos USA Inc., Bebidas USA Inc., Dominicana Acquisition S.A. and Frigorifico Chajha S.A.E. for being owned by Cartes.
The State Department last year limited its new open general license pilot program to defense reexports and retransfers because of a database issue with CBP, and may eventually look to expand the authorization to include regular exports, said Dilan Wickrema, an official with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. “Frankly, the reason why we haven't been able to include exports into an OGL yet is because we would have to amend CBPs database to allow and accept some kind of code indicating that an OGL was used,” Wickrema said.
Although the State Department is working to better streamline its export licensing process, the agency is facing increasingly complicated licensing decisions and a large volume of applications, said Sarah Heidema, policy director for the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. She said DDTC has “thousands of licenses pending adjudication” at “any given time,” and some require extensive analysis.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control Jan. 17 again extended a general license that continues to delay an exemption that would authorize certain transactions related to Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. General License 5J, which replaced GL 5I, now authorizes certain transactions with PdVSA involving an 8.5% bond on or after April 20. The agency also updated a frequently asked question to reflect the change. The previous license was set to allow those transactions to occur on or after Jan. 20.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week updated three Russia-related general licenses and four frequently asked questions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week renewed a general license that authorizes certain transactions related to safety and environmental measures for certain sanctioned vessels. General License 21B, which replaces GL 21A, is valid through 12:01 a.m. April 13. The license was scheduled to expire Jan. 14 (see 2212140028)). OFAC also updated Frequently Asked Question 1097 to reflect the update.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control published guidance this week on a September general license that expanded the types of internet and communications services and exports that can be provided to Iran (see 2209230037). General License D2 made several “key changes” to GL D1, OFAC said in a new frequently asked question, including language to “expand and clarify the range” of U.S. software and services that can be provided to Iranians.