The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a final rule, effective June 1, 2011, which removes from the Code of Federal Regulations the Taliban (Afghanistan) Sanctions Regulations, as a result of the termination of the national emergency and revocation of the Executive Order (EO) on which the regulations were based. Sanctions against the Taliban pursuant to another EO and its corresponding Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations remain in place.
On May 26, 2011, House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Berman (D) introduced legislation (H.R. 2004) to modernize and strengthen U.S. controls on the export of sensitive “dual-use” technology, which has both civilian and military applications.
The following are trade-related highlights of the Executive Communications sent to Congress on May 23-25, 2011:
The FCC asked whether it should extend for a second time a deadline for all radio and TV stations and subscription-video providers to start using a new government standard for emergency warnings. In a long-awaited rulemaking notice released Thursday afternoon, the commission asked dozens of questions on certification of emergency alert systems as complying with the new standards from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, deadlines and what’s technically needed to trigger alerts. The FCC tentatively concluded that existing EAS equipment can be used for the new standards and expects to start an inquiry on broadband alerting later this year.
New members of president’s National Security Telecom Advisory Committee: Matt Desch, Iridium; Joseph Fergus, Communication Technologies Inc.; Larissa Herda, tw telecom … Break Media online video and gaming firm hires Andrew Doyle, ex-Activision-Blizzard, as chief financial officer and David Subar, ex-Oversee.net, as chief technology officer … NBCUniversal integrated strategic marketing names Monica Halpert, ex-Bluefly.com chief marketing officer, as CMO in residence for the summer … Martha Stewart Living names Lisa Gersh, ex-NBC, president and chief operating officer, creates plan to name her CEO within 12-20 months and she likely will join board soon … Doyle Mitchell resigns from board of Radio One; Dennis Miller, Spark Capital, replaces him.
During the recent APEC leaders meeting in Montana, the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations provided an update of its activities. He said that implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint continues to be on track showing good progress in ASEAN’s phased implementation of the measures in realizing the AEC by the year 2015. The economic integration goals include the elimination of tariffs, free movement of professionals, freer movement of capital, and a streamlined customs clearance procedure. ASEAN is also determined to play the central role in the emerging regional architecture using the ASEAN Plus One FTAs as building blocks. Current efforts are therefore geared towards determining how best these FTAs could be consolidated.
NTIA Associate Administrator Karl Nebbia provided a detailed analysis of the many federal operations that use the 1755-1850 MHz band at the first meeting of the reconstituted Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CD May 25 p2). Getting part of that band, 1755-1780 MHz, for wireless broadband is a top wireless industry priority, but won’t be easy, he said.
The European Commission wants an EU-level copyright regime to spur emerging digital business models, it said Tuesday. Its proposed strategy for a single market for intellectual property rights (IPR) could include a European copyright code, a simple permission system for use of third-party works in user-generated content and legislation to deal with orphan works, it said. The EC also wants stronger IPR enforcement, including more cooperation from ISPs. Industry groups welcomed the move, while digital rights activists accused the EC of evidence-free policymaking.
The first priority of the newly reconstituted Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee will be the government’s “search” for 500 MHz of spectrum for wireless broadband, according to the group’s draft work program. The new CSMAC meets for the first time Wednesday at the Department of Commerce.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a final rule, effective May 20, 2011, which revises the Export Administration Regulations to implement the changes made to the Wassenaar Arrangement's1 List of Dual Use Goods and Technologies maintained and agreed to by governments participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement’s December 2010 Plenary Meeting.