The Department of Commerce revoked export privileges for Rasheed Al Jijakli, who was convicted in 2018 of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after trying to illegally export tactical gear to the U.S. from Syria, Commerce said in a Sept. 30 notice. The gear included U.S. “laser boresighters and day- and night-vision rifle scopes,” Commerce said. Jijakli was sentenced to 46 months in prison, two years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine, the notice said. Commerce revoked Jijakli’s export privileges for 10 years dating from his Dec. 20, 2018, conviction.

The Department of Commerce revoked export privileges for Benjamin James Cance, who was convicted in 2016 of violating the Arms Export Control Act, Commerce said in a Sept. 30 notice. Cance illegally exported gun components listed on the U.S. Munitions List, Commerce said, and was sentenced to four years in prison, two years of supervised release and a $3,000 fine. Cance was also placed on the State Department’s Debarred List, the notice said. Commerce revoked Cance’s export privileges for 10 years from his Jan. 15, 2016, conviction.

The Department of Commerce revoked export privileges for Barbara Jo Luque, who was convicted of violating the Arms Export Control Act in 2018 after illegally attempting to export items controlled on the U.S. Munitions List to Mexico, Commerce said in a Sept. 30 notice. The items included 5,000 rounds of “FMJ Russian 7.62x39 mm ammunition” and 125 Ak-47 KCI 30-round magazines, the notice said. Luque was sentenced to six months in prison, two years of supervised release and a $100 fine, the notice said. Commerce revoked Luque’s export privileges for seven years dating from her April 25, 2018, conviction.

The Department of Commerce denied a man export privileges after he was convicted of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Commerce said in a Sept. 30 notice. Kenneth S. Chait illegally exported “ceramic metal triggered spark gaps, also known as nuclear triggered spark gaps,” listed on the Commerce Control List. Chait was convicted November 13, 2018, and sentenced to one year and one day in prison, two years of supervised release and a $100 fine, the notice said. Commerce revoked Chait’s export privileges for five years from his date of conviction.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a $2.7 million settlement with Boston-based General Electric for 289 violations of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations by three of GE’s current or former subsidiaries, OFAC said in an Oct. 1 notice. The subsidiaries -- Getsco Technical Services Inc., Bentley Nevada, and GE Betz -- accepted payments from The Cobalt Refinery Company, a U.S.-sanctioned company, “for goods and services provided to a Canadian customer” between 2010 and 2014, OFAC said.

Even as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce gives a nudge to House members by advertising for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 12 districts, a top official is expressing confidence that the negotiations are on track. Neil Bradley, the chief policy officer, told reporters Oct. 1, "Our conversations with Democrats and Republicans lead us to believe we are close." He added, "We’ve kind of set a deadline we believe that USMCA should be passed before Thanksgiving. We picked that based off where we thought the progress was in the negotiations."

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Sept. 23-27 in case they were missed.

Japan has not issued a “single export approval” for hydrogen fluoride to South Korea in three months, South Korea said, saying Japan’s export restrictions are increasing supply chain uncertainties and damaging companies. “Japan’s export restrictions are an unfair and discriminatory export-restrictive measure that is directed only and unilaterally against Korea,” South Korea said in an Oct. 1 statement.

The Japan-South Korea dispute is unlikely to be resolved soon, and some blame should be placed on the U.S., trade experts said during a Center for Strategic and International Studies event on Sept. 30. While former U.S. ambassador to South Korea Kathleen Stephens said the Trump administration's use of export controls to address trade issues might have encouraged Japan and South Korea to take similar steps, former National Security Council staff member Michael Green said U.S. inaction is partly responsible for the escalating tensions.

The World Customs Organization issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:​​