Alan Estevez started this week as undersecretary of the Bureau of Industry and Security (see 2204010006), the agency said in an April 19 emailed news release. Estevez “brings an exceptional record of federal leadership and experience navigating some of the most complex national security challenges of the past three decades,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement. She said Estevez will bring “invaluable assets” as the agency continues to penalize Russia and focuses on “winning the long-term strategic competition with China” and “ensuring the advancement of U.S. technological leadership.”
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls was able to close significantly more end-use checks in 2021 compared with 2020 despite some continued travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In its annual Blue Lantern report released this month -- which details the agency’s end-use monitoring efforts on controlled defense articles and services -- DDTC said it closed checks on 256 export licenses or applications during fiscal year 2021, an increase of more than 38% from FY 2020.
The Bureau of Industry and Security needs to “answer to Congress immediately” if U.S. software company Synopsys was able to illegally export semiconductor design software to blacklisted Chinese companies, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said. McCaul -- referencing a report this week that said BIS is investigating Synopsys for potentially transferring technology to China’s HiSilicon and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (see 2204140057) -- said the agency needs to do a better job of preventing illegal exports on the front end.
The Commerce Department is investigating U.S. software company Synopsys for possibly violating U.S. export controls against China, Bloomberg reported April 13. Commerce is looking into whether Synopsys, the world’s leading supplier of semiconductor design software, worked with Chinese affiliates to provide chip designs and software to Huawei Technologies’ HiSilicon unit for manufacture at Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, the report said. Both companies are subject to Entity List licensing restrictions.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added 10 more planes to its list of restricted aircraft, including seven planes owned by Belavia, the first Belarusian airline added to the list, the agency said April 14. The agency also added two additional planes owned by Utair and one aircraft owned by Aeroflot. BIS said it will impose penalties and/or jail time or revoke export privileges for any company or person who violates the Export Administration Regulations by providing “any form of service” to the listed aircraft without a required BIS license.
Russia’s war on Ukraine has greatly accelerated U.S. and EU collaboration on export controls, officials said, even surpassing some of the short-term goals of the Trade and Technology Council formed last year. Because of the highly coordinated controls, officials from both sides speak frequently and are able to discuss a range of shared export control issues, the officials said, including enforcement, licensing and the future of multilateral regimes.
The Bureau of Industry and Security last week expanded its export license requirements for Russia and Belarus to cover all items on the Commerce Control List, further widening restrictions that previously only applied to categories 3-9 of the CCL (see 2202240069). The revised requirements, which took effect April 8, will now apply to all items in CCL categories 0-2, including nuclear materials, facilities and equipment (Category 0); materials, chemicals, microorganisms and toxins (Category 1); and materials processing equipment (Category 2).
Amid rising pressure from Congress, a Bureau of Industry and Security official said the agency is struggling to identify specific emerging technologies for potential export controls and urged industry and academia for more help. Senior BIS official Thea Kendler said the suggestions she has received since her December confirmation (see 2201050023) are too broad as BIS looks to introduce new controls under the Export Control Reform Act.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on April 7 suspended the export privileges of three Russian airlines for violating U.S. export controls against Russia. The agency issued 180-day temporary denial orders for Aeroflot, Azur Air and UTair, barring the airlines from participating in transactions with items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security expanded its export license requirements for Russia and Belarus to cover all items on the Commerce Control List, the agency said in an April 8 notice, further widening restrictions that previously only applied to categories 3-9 of the CCL. The agency correspondingly revised its recently created Russia/Belarus foreign direct product rule, which will now apply to all items on the CCL, BIS said. The agency also revised its License Exception Aircraft, vessels and spacecraft (AVS) to limit its availability for certain Belarus-related aircraft. The changes are effective April 8.