The U.S. Department of Treasury released amendments to Cuban Asset Control Regulations on September 24, 2020.  The amendments pertain to 31 CFR Part 515 and have been released as a final ruling to further implement President Donald Trump’s foreign policy towards Cuba.  The ruling is effective immediately. Specific Prohibitions of the Regulations The Office of

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has implemented Wassenaar Arrangement changes to the Commerce Control List (CCL).  These changes were agreed upon in the Wassenaar 2018 Plenary meeting.  The changes to the CCL will place additional controls on the export of certain emerging technologies.  It is therefore important that exporters make themselves aware of

The Arab League Boycott was dealt a severe blow when the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a decree ending its involvement in it.  This announcement now allows trade between the UAE and Israel.  It follows the normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE created by the recent peace accord.  What is the Arab Boycott

The Bureau of Industry and Security added 24 companies added to list entity list for their involvement in constructing artificial military islands for the Chinese military.  China has been building these islands since 2013.  This announcement was made by the U.S Department of Commerce on August 26, 2020.  The islands have been condemned by the

Training Requirements for ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) are often overlooked by companies working with defense articles and defense services.  In truth, the day to day challenges of developing product, conducting testing, advancing sales opportunities, and meeting deadlines consume most of our time.  The reality however, is that well designed and intentioned export compliance

The U.S. Department of Justice announced arrests for export dual use violations of Chong Sik Yu, and Yunseo Lee.  These two individuals are executives of America Tecma Inc..  The charges involve exporting electronic components with military applications to Hong Kong and China.  They are also charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and

Export Control Training Export control training is an essential part of an effective export compliance program.  Both the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the Directorate of  Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) recommend regular training for all employees involved in exports.  For businesses that are involved with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) this includes

Commerce Department regulations that gave Hong Kong Special Status have been suspended.  U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross made this announcement on June 29, 2020.  This change will effect the export of sensitive U.S. technologies to Hong Kong.  It will also effect the availability for export license exceptions. Mr. Ross also mentioned that further actions

The U S Restricts Huawei’s Semiconductor Manufacturing Capabilities The U S will Restrict Huawei semiconductor manufacturing by limiting the use of technologies for design and manufacture.  This planned action was announced by the Bureau of Industry and Science (BIS) on May 15, 2020.  The BIS is implementing this action to protect national interests by preventing

FEMA Temporary Ruling on Allocation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) A Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA ruling on medical resources will be effective until August 10, 2020. This action has been taken in response to the immediate need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) caused by the COVID-19 epidemic.  Recent studies have shown that COVID-19 is

Huawei’s Legal Problems in the United States Huawei’s Legal Problems in the United States continue on multiple fronts.  The Chinese tech giant has been the target of the U.S. Senate, The Department of Justice, and has had a case against U.S. Government contracts ban dismissed before going to court. Department of Justice Actions In an

Airbus ITAR and Bribery a Massive Multi-year Scheme The Department of Justice recently announced that Airbus ITAR and Bribery Penalties would amount to more than $3.9 Billion in fines to the United States and United Kingdom.  Airbus, based in France, is a leading global manufacturer of commercial and military aircraft.  This case, which involved the

New EAR Export Restrictions of Geospatial Software The Bureau of Industry and Science placed restriction on the export of geospatial software on January 6, 2020.  This ruling classifies software specially designed to automate the analysis of geospatial imagery, as specified, under the Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 0Y521 series, specifically under ECCN 0D521.  This ruling

Changes in ITAR Definitions The U.S. State Department has made changes in important definitions of what constitutes an export under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).  These changes are due to take effect on March 25, 2020 and will effect the manner in which companies with ITAR classification must conduct business.  These definitions concern

US Space Industry ‘Deep Dive’ Final Dataset Findings prepared by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and its Industrial Base Surveys and Assessments. In June 2012, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Technology Evaluation, in coordination with the U.S. Air Force, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration