The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments by Aug. 8 on an information collection related to its export control seminars. The collection deals with voluntary surveys submitted to BIS for its seminars, which helps give the agency feedback on how it can improve its “course offerings to meet the needs of the exporting community.”
After receiving criticism this week for its lack of progress in a possible investigation of illegal exports to Huawei, a Bureau of Industry and Security spokesperson said the agency is “committed to fully investigating any allegation” of violations of the foreign direct product rule, including illegal shipments to the Chinese technology giant. The agency has come under criticism for not yet penalizing Seagate Technologies for potentially illegally exporting goods to Huawei (see 2206070011).
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.
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The Bureau of Industry and Security by now should have penalized Seagate Technologies for illegally exporting goods to Huawei, James Mulvenon, a China technology and military expert, wrote in a June 6 post for the Lawfare blog. Mulvenon said BIS’s “inaction” has emboldened other companies to export similar shipments and is indicative of a larger enforcement issue at BIS surrounding its foreign direct product rule for Huawei.
The U.S. and Canada this week announced an initiative to strengthen collaboration on Russia-related export controls. In a joint statement, the Bureau of Industry and Security and the Canada Border Services Agency said they will share more trade information to stop Russia from acquiring sensitive technologies, including through coordinated pre- and post-shipment verifications and audits. The two countries will also work more closely on inspections of exports, seizures and export control investigations.
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.
The Bureau of Industry and Security made several changes, corrections and clarifications to its export regulations and added a host of new Russian and Belarusian entities to its Entity List, it said in notices. One change adds a license requirement for certain medicine and food shipments to the two countries, and another change allows BIS to publicize export enforcement charging letters before a case is resolved.
The Bureau of Industry and Security extended the public comment period by an additional 30 days for an information collection related to its export license application process. BIS originally requested comments by May 24 (see 2203240002).
The Bureau of Industry and Security is adding 71 entities to its Entity List for supporting Russia’s military or for trying to illegally acquire U.S.-origin goods. The additions include 70 entities based in Russia and one based in Belarus, BIS said, and 66 of them are now subject to BIS’ Russia/Belarus foreign direct product rule. All the entities will require a license for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations. No license exceptions will be available, and BIS will review applications under a policy of denial. Exports of certain food and medicine will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, the agency said. The additions, which will be published in the Federal Register June 6, take effect June 2.