More than 50 technology and auto companies urged congressional leaders to fund the CHIPS for America Act and pass a “strengthened version” of the Facilitating American Built Semiconductors Act, saying they would provide a much-needed boost to the U.S. semiconductor industry amid the global chip shortage. The companies -- including Apple, Microsoft, Ford, IBM and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) -- said chip demand has “outstripped supply, creating a global chip shortage and resulting in lost growth and jobs in the economy.” It has also “exposed vulnerabilities in the semiconductor supply chain,” they said, which has highlighted the need for a more robust chip manufacturing base in the U.S.

The U.S. and the European Union should pursue multilateral export controls, reexamine restrictions on certain munitions-related items and work together to better harmonize decisions on license denials, industry and academia said. The U.S. and EU released a joint summary Dec. 1 of those recommendations, which were made during an Oct. 27 virtual meeting on dual-use export controls (see 2110190020) to discuss areas of priority for the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council.

Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young, who co-led the Endless Frontier bill with Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, said he hopes to learn more soon about when conferees might be named to negotiate a compromise between the House and the Senate approaches to a China package. "I'm supposed to huddle up with Sen. Schumer today. I need to approach him. I have not had an opportunity to personally chat with him about the state of things," Young said in a brief hallway interview Nov. 30.

The House Science Committee has been ready to go to conference on science and tech legislation since passing its bills in June, but members are waiting for Democratic leadership to take action on the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260), the committee ranking member Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said in a recent interview.

Samsung this week announced plans to build a new $17 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor, Texas, which is expected to produce chips for 5G, high-performance computing and artificial intelligence uses. The company said it expects the facility to be operational by the second half of 2024. The announcement comes as the U.S. seeks to boost incentives for the semiconductor sector, both to improve research and innovation and to encourage more plants to be built in America amid the global chip shortage (see 2110200030). “With greater manufacturing capacity, we will be able to better serve the needs of our customers and contribute to the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain,” senior Samsung official Kinam Kim said Nov. 24.

The Bureau of Industry and Security added 27 entities to the Entity List for illegally selling technology to China, North Korea and other sanctioned countries, for supporting China’s military modernization efforts or for contributing to Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programs, the agency said Nov. 24. The Entity List additions include a range of laboratories and companies operating in the semiconductor, microelectronics and machinery sectors in China, Japan, Pakistan and Singapore, including several major Chinese chip companies.

Exports from South Korea are set to continue a trend of double-digit growth in November, with early data showing 27.6% year-over-year export growth during the first 20 days of the month, data from Korea's Customs Service showed, according to an unofficial translation. The growth numbers were led by expansion of semiconductor chip and marine goods exports, which grew at 32.5% and 252.2%, respectively. Imports also surged year over year to 41.9%, led by a hike in the costs of crude oil, gas and related goods. The same period for October saw 36.4% year-over-year export growth, indicating a continued high-growth trend for November. Exports to China were up 24.2% and to the U.S., 8.9%.

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Nov. 15-19 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

The Bureau of Industry and Security will add 27 entities to the Entity List for illegally selling technology to sanctioned countries, for supporting China’s military modernization efforts or for contributing to Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programs. The Entity List additions include laboratories and companies operating in the semiconductor, microelectronics and machinery sectors located in China, Japan, Pakistan and Singapore, and are partly aimed at preventing U.S. emerging technologies from being used for China's quantum computing efforts, the Commerce Department said. The agency will also add one entity to its military end-user list under Russia.

Japan's export growth in October hit its lowest mark in eight months, notching only a 9.4% year-over-year expansion, according to Ministry of Finance data. Economists had expected a 10.3% gain, Bloomberg reported Nov. 16. The lowered gains come as car shipments continue to slump and global supply constraints still weigh on the nation's economy. Steel and semiconductor manufacturing equipment saw healthy gains, but car exports dipped by more than a third. The data was released just a few days before Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to release a package of measures to boost Japan's economy, including shoring up Japan's chip supply, Bloomberg said.