The State Department is working to improve its new online licensing system and wants to establish an industry working group to help the system run smoothly, said Karen Wrege, chief information officer at the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Wrege said she was surprised at how quickly industry acclimated to the Defense Export Control and Compliance System (see 2002040060 and 1905070055), which she said has made export licensing processes easier for those working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bureau of Industry and Security released a final rule Oct. 5 to prevent its publicly disclosing classified national security information during a court battle. The rule said BIS can submit classified information in private -- or “ex parte and in camera” -- to courts reviewing an agency action under Export Administration Regulations. “By providing such information ex parte and in camera to a reviewing court,” the rule said, “BIS can limit access to the information and prevent public disclosure of the information during the course of litigation.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration is placing the newly approved drug remimazolam in Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in an interim final rule. Effective Oct. 6, remimazolam, which was granted approval by the Food and Drug Administration in June, is subject to new registration, labeling, record-keeping, and import and export requirements. DEA is accepting comments on the rule until Nov. 5.
The European Union announced sanctions against 40 people involved in the repression of peaceful protesters and election interference in Belarus, the European Council said in an Oct. 2 news release. The designations target senior Belarusian government officials, military leaders, and police and election officials. The U.S., the United Kingdom and Canada also announced Belarus sanctions last week (see 2010020041 and 2009300011).
Australia officially launched its new sanctions portal (see 2009230004), the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Oct. 1. The portal, Pax, will “improve the process for making enquiries” about Australian sanctions and applying for sanctions permits, the agency said. Australia also issued guidance for users transitioning to Pax and information on sanctions permits.
A Brazilian government official said that a U.S.-Brazil agreement that covers trade facilitation, best regulatory practices and anti-corruption chapters is in legal scrub, and that should be done by mid-October. “We hope to have them signed this month,” said Yana Dumaresq, assistant deputy minister for foreign trade and international affairs. Joseph Semsar, the lead negotiator from the Commerce Department on this agreement, said that the two administrations are aligned, and “this is a unique opportunity to get things done that seemed unattainable.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security imposed a license requirement on certain exports of water cannon systems and revised its licensing policy for crime control (CC) items. The moves will place more oversight on exports that have potential to be used for human rights violations, BIS said in final rules released Oct. 5. Both rules take effect Oct. 6.
Two Massachusetts residents and their semiconductor company were charged with stealing proprietary information from another U.S. semiconductor company, the Justice Department said Oct. 1. Husband and wife Haoyang Yu and Yanzhi Chen and their company, Tricon MMIC LLC, allegedly stole hundreds of files belonging to Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). Yu and Chen face potential prison sentences and fines for their charges, which include smuggling, transporting stolen goods and possession of a trade secret.
A group of human rights lawyers and law professors sued the Trump administration over its sanctions against the International Criminal Court, saying the measures violate freedom of speech laws and the U.S. Constitution. The group said the sanctions (see 2009300003) -- which the administration said are designed to target ICC officials for “harassment” and “abuse” of U.S. government officials (see 2006110028) -- will affect worldwide support for international justice.
The United Kingdom added six entries to its Ukraine-related sanctions and revised 330 entries under its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said in Oct. 2 notices.