The Bureau of Industry and Security said the Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC) will hold a partially open meeting Dec. 5 at 9 a.m. ET. The public session will include an export enforcement update, regulations update, working group reports, an Automated Export System (AES) update, and presentations of papers or comments by the public. The open session will be accessible via teleconference to 25 participants on a first come, first served basis. To join via teleconference, submit inquiries by Nov. 28 to Yvette Springer at Yvette.Springer@bis.doc.gov. A limited number of seats will also be available for the public session.
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. authorized two transactions aggregating $461 million to underwrite export of American-made satellites to Hong Kong. Asia Broadcast Satellite will use the satellites to upgrade and expand its fleet. In the first transaction, the bank approved a $171.29 million direct loan to ABS to fund the purchase a geostationary satellite from Space Systems/Loral Inc. and insurance. The bank also authorized a separate $289.71 million direct loan to ABS to allow it to buy two geostationary satellites from Boeing Satellite Systems International, insurance, technical support and the launch of both satellites from Space X Falcon 9. The deal will finance the first two of Boeing's all-electric-propulsion commercial satellites and the first Ex-Im Bank-backed Space X launch.
The Export-Import Bank announces an upcoming meeting on Nov. 29, 2012.
The Office of Management and Budget approved proposed rules related to Export Control Reform on Nov. 16. OMB approved Bureau of Industry and Security and State Department proposed rules to move military electronic equipment in U.S. Munitions List Category XI to the Commerce Control List, as well as the BIS CCL clean-up proposed rule. The proposed rules will be published shortly.
The Bureau of Industry and Security said its weekly conference calls on Export Control Reform proposed rules will resume Dec. 12 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Assistant Secretary for Export Administration Kevin Wolf will answer questions about ECR proposed rules that are open for public comment on the day the call takes place. The calls are intended to foster public understanding of the ECR proposed rules and to assist interested parties in preparing comments. Questions should be submitted in advance to oesdseminar@bis.doc.gov with the subject line teleconference questions. The dial-in number for the conference calls is 1-888-455-8218 and the participant code is 6514196. Callers should dial in 10 minutes early.
The President’s Export Council will meet Dec. 6 at 8 a.m. ET to discuss recommendations related to export expansion through streamlined consideration of trade legislation and through building a competitive workforce. The final agenda will be posted in advance here. The meeting will be open to the public, and will be broadcast via live webcast here.
The Census Bureau sent out AES Broadcast #2012074 as part of a series of monthly educational broadcast messages on the Automated Export System. This month Census is highlighting AES error codes 630 (2nd Unit of Measure Code Missing) and 643 (Quantity 2 Must Be Greater Than Zero). The broadcast covers the reasons for these error messages and how to resolve them, as follows:
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. is seeking public comment on the following export finance projects:
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. is seeking comment on an application for a $135 million direct loan to a foreign buyer to support the export of about $103 million in U.S. aluminum manufacturing equipment and services to a smelter in the United Arab Emirates, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Nov. 16. Comments can be submitted by Dec. 4 to economic.impact@exim.gov, or to 811 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Room 442, Washington, D.C. 20571.
Shipments of southern yellow pine logs to China resumed for the first time since a Chinese government ban was lifted (see ITT's Online Archives 12052423). The first shipment from either South Carolina or Virginia in over a year left the Port of Charleston's Wando Welch Terminal this week, port officials said. The 20 containers containing about 800 logs are part of a pilot program with the Chinese government to restore limited log trade, they said.