The State Department has sent a proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget entitled "Amendment to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Exports Made By or For a United States Government Department or Agency."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a set of 141 Frequently Asked Questions regarding Executive Order 13582 on the Blocking Property of the Government of Syria and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to Syria.
The International Trade Administration states that one year after its launch, the Obama Administration’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Export Initiative (RE4I) has met its target goals of simplifying the process of obtaining export financing, facilitating a significant increase in renewable energy and energy efficiency activities by both the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and improving export promotion services and market access for U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency companies.
On October 4, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added one individual to, and removed 20 from, its "Specially Designated Nationals" List. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.
Census has recently posted to its Global Reach blog information on the time frames for submitting Electronic Export Information (EEI), and notes that specific time frames for filing EEI can vary depending on the items that are being shipped and the mode of transport. See blog entry for time frame chart for USML and non-USML shipments here.
On October 5, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added one individual, Jamil Mukulu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to its "Specially Designated Nationals" List. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.
On October 3, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued two new General Licenses for Syria. General License No. 13 authorizes certain services in connection with the overflight or emergency landing of U.S. owned aircraft in Syria provided no payments are made to certain blocked persons and General License No. 14 authorizes transactions with respect to telecommunications provided that no payment involves certain debits to an account of the Government of Syria or are to certain blocked persons.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has posted the following updated schedule for its export control and compliance training outreach efforts:
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has issued an updated frequently asked questions document on D-Trade. The document provides information on D-Trade basic use; form completion, submission, and follow up; digital certificates; and super users (D-Trade users responsible for managing company users). According to DDTC sources, the last major update to these FAQs occurred in 2008.
The Bureau of Industry and Security announced on October 3, 2011 that Flowserve Corporation and ten of its foreign affiliates have agreed to pay a civil penalty totaling $2.5 million to settle 288 charges for violating the Export Administration Regulations by making unlicensed exports and reexports of pumps, valves and related components to Iran and Syria and other countries.