BIS Working to 'Resolve' Export Licensing Holds, Official Says
The Bureau of Industry and Security hasn't yet lifted all the licensing holds that began for export applications in early February, a Commerce Department official said this week, although the agency is hoping to make progress on the holds soon.
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"I would just emphasize that this is a very active issue for us," said the official, speaking on background March 18 under a policy for certain career personnel at the BIS annual conference. "We completely appreciate how much pressure people feel given the license review pause, and it's something that we're working very, very diligently to unlock and resolve."
BIS is working to "provide as much guidance and clarity as soon as we can," the official said, adding that industry should continue checking for updates.
BIS began holding applications in February as part of an export control policy review overseen by a Trump-appointed official, which led to a backlog, Export Compliance Daily reported (see 2502280006, 2502130068 and 2502190018). The agency has since resumed processing certain applications, including licenses involving NATO countries and nations in Country Group A:5 of the Export Administration Regulations (see 2503060013).