The Bureau of Industry and Security extended by 30 days the comment period for an information collection related to statements by the ultimate consignee and purchaser of U.S. exports (see 2103220006), it said in a notice. The collection involves Form BIS-711, which provides information on the foreign importer receiving the U.S. technology, describes how the technology will be used and “provides assurances” that the technology will not be used in violation of the Export Administration Regulations. Comments are now due by Aug. 20.
The Commerce and Treasury departments fined a Dubai energy equipment supplier and its U.S. affiliate more than $430,000 for illegally exporting goods to Iran, the agencies said July 19. The U.S. fined Dubai-based Alfa Laval Middle East (AL Middle East) $415,695 for exporting Gamajet brand storage tank cleaning units from the U.S. to Iran and fined Virginia-based Alfa Laval (AL U.S.) $16,875 because its subsidiary referred an Iranian “business opportunity” to AL Middle East, according to enforcement orders issued this week.
The U.S. released an advisory to highlight the sanctions and export controls risks for companies doing business in Hong Kong and announced a new set of Hong Kong designations July 16. The advisory, issued by the State, Treasury, Commerce and Homeland Security departments, describes “considerations” for businesses operating in “this new legal landscape,” which includes several sanctions regimes targeting Beijing and Hong Kong.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added six Russian entities to the Entity List for activities that threaten U.S. national security and foreign policy, the agency said in notice. The entities operate in Russia’s technology sector and support the country’s intelligence services, BIS said. The Treasury Department sanctioned all six companies in February under President Joe Biden’s executive order that targeted Russia’s defense and technology sectors and its attempts to influence foreign elections (see 2104150019). BIS also corrected one existing Russian entry on the Entity List. The rule is effective July 19.
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a final rule for interagency review concerning firearms and other related articles that no longer warrant control on the U.S. Munitions List. The rule, received by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs July 13, would also issue corrections to those controls.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is again considering a rule that would make changes to its Strategic Trade Authorization license exception. The proposed rule, which was sent for interagency review June 13, would clarify the availability and expand restrictions on the availability of license exception STA under the Export Administration Regulations. BIS sent the rule for review last year but eventually withdrew it to conduct “further informal interagency consultation” (see 2011130008). STA authorizes certain exports, reexports and transfers of software source code and technology to foreign nationals in lieu of a license that would normally be required.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will add six Russian entities to the Entity List for activities that threaten U.S. security and foreign policy, it said in a notice released July 16. The entities, previously sanctioned by the Treasury Department under President Joe Biden’s February executive order, operate in Russia’s technology sector and support the country’s intelligence services, the agency said in the notice, which is scheduled to take effect upon publication of the notice July 19. BIS will impose a license requirement for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations and a license review policy of presumption of denial. No license exceptions will be available. BIS also corrected one existing Russian entry on the Entity List.
President Joe Biden nominated Alan Estevez, a former Obama administration Pentagon official, to lead the Bureau of Industry and Security, the White House announced July 13. Estevez is currently a defense and security consultant with Deloitte Consulting after serving as the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics and representing the Defense Department on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. Estevez didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The House Appropriations Committee released its draft proposals for funding the Commerce Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. It wants to spend $577.4 million on the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration, $36.4 million more than the current fiscal year's spending, a 6.7% increase. It wants to spend $143.4 million on the Bureau of Industry and Security, up $10.4 million from the current year, a 7.8% increase.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added 34 entities under 43 entries to Entity List, BIS said in a final rule. Fourteen of those entities are based in China and “have enabled Beijing’s campaign of repression, mass detention, and high-technology surveillance against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and members of other Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regions of China (XUAR), where the PRC continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity,” the Commerce Department said in a news release. Another five of the entities were “directly supporting PRC’s military modernization programs related to lasers and C4ISR programs, Commerce said.