The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to revise eight Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) related missile technology. The amendment will also add one new ECCN. The amendment reflects changes to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex that were agreed to by MTCR member countries at the October 2013 Plenary in Rome, Italy, and at the 2013 Technical Experts Meeting in Bonn, Germany. This final rule amends the Commerce Control List to reflect the changes made at the MTCR Annex. The final rule also revises the definitions for “payload” and “repeatability.” The rule is effective on May 27.
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board approved a request from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Board. to expand the service area of FTZ 39 to include Hunt County, Texas. The FTZ previously included Dallas, Tarrant, Kaufman, Collin, Grayson and Denton Counties within its service area
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board approved a request from the Port of Houston Authority to expand FTZ 84 to include two more sites in Harris County, Texas. The FTZ applied for the expansion in July 2013.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for May 22:
The Capital Region Airport Commission submitted an application to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board to reorganize FTZ 207 under the Alternative Site Framework, and expand the zone to cover 30 counties and 5 independent cities in central Virginia, according to an FTZ Board Federal Register notice. Under the reorganization, the zone's service area would cover Amelia, Appomattox, Brunswick, Buckingham, Caroline, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Essex, Greensville, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Richmond and Westmoreland Counties, as well as the Cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg and Richmond. The proposed reorganization under the Alternative Site Framework would streamline processes for the designation of new FTZ subzones and usage driven sites within that service area by allowing companies to request zone status through the relatively simple "minor boundary modification" process. Comments on the application are due by July 21.
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board approved the expansion and reorganization under the Alternative Site Framework of FTZ 235 in Lakewood, New Jersey. The zone will now cover Ocean, Middlesex, Monmouth, Union and Burlington Counties. The reorganization will allow companies throughout the service area to request subzone status through the relatively simple "minor boundary modification" process.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for May 21:
The U.S. Census Bureau on April 22 released trouble-shooting techniques to resolve frequent Fatal Error notification issues in the Automated Export System (AES). Fatal Errors occur when a shipment is rejected.
The Foreign Trade Zones Board issued the following notices for May 19:
The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) denied export privileges for Juan Victorian Gimenez for a 10-year period that concludes on March 21, 2022. The U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida found Gimenez guilty in 2012 of knowingly and willfully attempting to export AR-15/M-16 firearm barrels, receivers, components, parts and accessories, from the United States to Honduras, without having first obtained a license or written approval from the U.S. Department of State. Gimenez violated the Arms Export Control Act and Export Administration Regulations, according to the decision. Gimenez is currently serving a 63-month prison term. The BIS order also restricts Gimenez's representatives from acting on his behalf in exporting goods.