The U.S., the EU and the other G-7 members on May 9 announced a series of new sanctions and restrictions on Russia, including a ban on providing certain business management services to the country and a commitment to phase out imports of Russian oil. New U.S. restrictions include broader export controls and sanctions targeting Russian banking executives, a weapons manufacturer and state-owned media.
Ian Cohen
Ian Cohen, Deputy Managing Editor, is a reporter with Export Compliance Daily and its sister publications International Trade Today and Trade Law Daily, where he covers export controls, sanctions and international trade issues. He previously worked as a local government reporter in South Florida. Ian graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2017 and lives in Washington, D.C. He joined the staff of Warren Communications News in 2019.
CBP will soon launch a pilot program to electronically process export documents for used vehicles, the agency said in a notice released May 9. The voluntary pilot, open to exports of any “used self propelled vehicles” (USPVs) that can be driven on land but not rail, is aimed at expediting and modernizing the agency's document submission and review process, CBP said.
The Federal Maritime Commission is seeking comments on potential changes to its rules for Carrier Automated Tariffs, including whether carrier tariffs should be available “free of charge” and if the definition of co-loading should be revised to apply only to “less than container loads.” Other proposed changes described in the rule, released May 9, would allow non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) to “cross reference certain aspects of other carriers’ terms in their tariffs,” clarify NVOCCs’ ability to “reflect increases in certain charges passed-through by other entities without notice,” require that documentation must be annotated with the names of all NVOCCs involved in a shipping transaction, and “make other miscellaneous updates and clarifications.”
CBP is almost ready to mandate electronic export manifest for ocean, air and rail, and plans to issue an EEM pilot for trucks within the next year, said Jim Swanson, director of the cargo and security controls division, for cargo and conveyance security in the CBP Office of Field Operations. CBP has been under pressure to move faster on the project after delays in 2021 pushed back its full release to at least this year (see 2110180038).
The Census Bureau is still receiving questions about the role of auction houses in export transactions and that “is probably one of the biggest challenges that we're facing right now,” said Omari Wooden, assistant division chief for trade outreach and regulations. Some exporters have struggled to determine whether the houses should be listed as the U.S Principal Party in Interest and have asked Census for more guidance, but the agency has said each case may be different (see 2107010043).
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed by a week a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced May 6. The ports had planned to begin imposing the fee in November 2021 but have postponed it each week since. The latest extension delays the effective date until May 13.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Bureau of Industry and Security may look to increase collaboration with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, to help them better investigate export control violations, said Thea Kendler, BIS’ assistant secretary for export administration. Although BIS helps train agents from other departments at the Export Enforcement Coordination Center, it could look into bolstering that work, Kendler said May 4 at the annual University Export Control Conference at the University of Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Bureau of Industry and Security hasn’t received many questions on its new cybersecurity export control rule since it took effect in March (see 2110200036 and 2201110025) but is planning more guidance to help industry and academia comply with the restrictions, a government official said. The official, who requested anonymity to speak candidly at the May 4 University Export Control Conference at the University of Pennsylvania, said the rule may not be getting much attention because its implementation coincided with a string of Russia-related export controls.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Bureau of Industry and Security is leaning toward new export controls on brain computer interface technologies despite urging from industry to avoid the restrictions altogether. Thea Kendler, BIS assistant secretary for export administration, said BCI technology has too many potential “nefarious” uses to not be subject to at least some restrictions.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Bureau of Industry and Security has no immediate plans to remove the virus that caused the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, SARS-CoV-2, from its export control classification of EAR99 (see 2002250069), a government official said. Removing the virus from EAR99 -- a classification for products that generally don't require export licenses under the Export Administration Regulations -- could subject exports of the virus to restrictions that may hinder vital information sharing or vaccine delivery, the official said.