Exyte has improved its compliance program after a breach of U.S. export controls led to a $1.5 million settlement with the Bureau of Industry and Security last week (see 2601080059), a company spokesperson said Jan. 9 in an email. "Following an internal review, Exyte voluntarily disclosed the matter to BIS, cooperated fully with the authorities, and has strengthened its export control compliance program and controls," the spokesperson said. "The matter is resolved."
China is tightening export controls over dual-use items destined for Japan, the country's Ministry of Commerce said this week, according to an unofficial translation. The measures, which China said are aimed at protecting national security and improving nonproliferation, prohibit exports of "all dual-use items to Japanese military users, for military purposes, and for any other end-user purposes that could enhance Japan’s military capabilities," the ministry said. Any person or any company "from any country or region" that violates the new controls, which took effect Jan. 6, "will be held legally liable."
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a final rule for interagency review that would make export control changes related to Cambodia. The rule, titled Conforming Change to the Export Administration Regulations for Cambodia, was sent for review Jan. 6.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls on Jan. 2 sent a proposed rule for interagency review that could lead to U.S. Munitions List updates. The rule, titled "International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Proposed Omnibus USML Changes," would remove items from the USML that no longer warrant inclusion, add items that do, and clarify certain items described on the USML, the agency said.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls on Dec. 30 released a fact sheet for its recently issued rule that finalized an exemption for defense trade among the AUKUS partners -- the U.S., Australia and the U.K. -- within the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (see 2512290017). The fact sheet covers the "key elements" of the exemption, including who can be authorized users, the items on the Excluded Technology List that can't be used with the exemption, and more. DDTC also noted that its rule codified the requirement for the agency to adjudicate licenses for Australia, the U.K., and Canada within 30-45 days "when the transfer or activity cannot be undertaken under an ITAR exemption," and it authorizes "the reexport and retransfer of classified defense articles to certain dual nationals under certain circumstances."
The Bureau of Industry and Security has withdrawn a final rule from interagency review that was set to make "revisions" to the Export Administration Regulations for "certain rare earth minerals and strategic metals." The agency sent the rule for interagency review July 10 and it was withdrawn Dec. 22.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has completed a round of interagency review for an interim final rule that it said would streamline its export restrictions for drone exports. The agency sent the rule for interagency review on Aug. 21 (see 2509020010) and completed the review Dec. 22.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has completed a round of interagency reviews to finalize a set of regulations that in January placed new export controls on certain lab equipment that can be misused by "countries of concern" for military purposes (see 2501150020). The rulemaking, sent for interagency review Sept. 23 and completed Dec. 11, will finalize those revisions to "address the accelerating development and deployment of advanced biotechnology tools contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests," BIS said.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has sent a new final rule for interagency review that involves the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and U.S. Munitions List. The rule, sent for review Dec. 9, is titled "International Traffic in Arms Regulations: USML 2025 Supplemental Rule 2." The agency didn't release more information.
The U.S. Export Enforcement Coordination Center, an organization designed to coordinate export enforcement efforts among government agencies, hosted a workshop this week with industry officials, said Director Ivan Arvelo, who's also director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. They had "thoughtful, candid, and solutions-focused" conversations about "exactly what is needed as we navigate an increasingly complex global trade and technology environment," Arvelo said on LinkedIn.