The Bureau of Industry and Security completed an interagency review of an interim final rule involving new export control decisions for emerging technologies agreed to at the 2021 Wassenaar Arrangement plenary. The rule, which was first sent for interagency review March 8 (see 2203090009), was completed Aug. 2. It will harmonize the Commerce Control List with a portion of Wassenaar’s 2021 decisions for certain “recently developed or developing technologies,” BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week suspended the export privileges of a Venezuela-based cargo airline for violating U.S. export controls. The agency said Empresa de Transporte Aereocargo del Sur, also known as Aerocargo del Sur Transportation or EMTRASUR, acquired “custody” of a U.S.-origin Boeing aircraft from Mahan Air -- a sanctioned Iranian airline (see 2205160035) -- and illegally flew that plane between Venezuela, Iran and Russia.
The Bureau of Industry and Security entered into a settlement agreement with a Nogales, Arizona, business owner after he tried to illegally export about $4,000 worth of items to Mexico, including ballistic helmets and rifle scopes. Under a settlement agreement, Luis Fernando Gracia must conduct an internal audit of his company’s export compliance procedures and complete compliance training or else face the suspension of his export privileges.
The Census Bureau soon will launch a fatal alert for filers in the Automated Export System if they are exporting a controlled item without a license, the agency said in a July 7 email to industry. Beginning July 13, the new feature won't allow export filings to proceed if they incorrectly list License Requirement NLR (No License Required) for shipments that require a license under the Export Administration Regulations.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is still reviewing export controls on facial recognition software, surveillance-related products and other goods controlled for crime-control reasons, but it may move forward on the rule soon, a Commerce Department official said.
The Commerce Department published its spring 2022 regulatory agenda for the Bureau of Industry and Security, including two new mentions of rules that could result in new emerging technology export controls.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on June 24 suspended the export privileges of three Russian airlines for violating U.S. export controls against Belarus. The agency issued 180-day temporary denial orders for Nordwind Airlines, Pobeda Airlines and Siberian Airlines, BIS said, banning all three airlines from participating in transactions subject to the Export Administration Regulations.
The Bureau of Industry and Security last week charged a Montana resident and his two companies with violating U.S. export controls after BIS said he tried to ship controlled items knowing they would be used in Iran. Kenneth Scott and his companies, Scott Communication and Mission Communications, also made false or misleading statements to agents, failed to file Electronic Export Information and didn’t maintain the required export records, BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security June 8 issued a temporary denial order for three U.S. companies for their involvement in illegally exported technical drawings and blueprints to China. BIS said it suspended the export privileges for Quicksilver Manufacturing, Rapid Cut and U.S. Prototype for 180 days after they illegally exported materials used to 3D print satellite, rocket and defense-related prototypes, which are subject to strict export controls because of their “sensitivity and importance to U.S. national security,” BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security June 6 charged Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich with violating U.S. export controls by exporting U.S.-origin aircraft to Russia without the required licenses (see 2202240069). BIS said Abramovich’s planes flew to and from Russia in March, days after the agency announced new export controls on Russia-related aircraft.