The U.S. is trying to convince more of its allies to increase export controls on advanced semiconductors and chip making equipment destined to China, but some haven’t committed, in part because they’re worried about possible trade retaliation from Beijing, said Alan Estevez, undersecretary of the Bureau of Industry and Security.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is revising its regulations so that export controls don’t “impede or jeopardize” U.S. participation in international standards-setting bodies and other standards-related activities (see 2406180014), the agency said in an interim final rule released July 17.

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The Census Bureau plans to soon issue a rule that could clarify regulations governing in-transit shipments that travel through the U.S. from foreign countries before being exported to another foreign destination.

The State Department’s recently published spring 2024 regulatory agenda mentions several rules that could update defense export controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, including one that would update ITAR language surrounding defense services and another to revise controls for certain circuit boards and semiconductors.

The Commerce Department’s spring 2024 regulatory agenda for the Bureau of Industry and Security features a range of upcoming rules that could update and expand U.S. export control regulations, including new controls on the activities of U.S. persons in support of foreign military and intelligence agencies, revised regulatory language to address “diversion concerns,” new multilateral restrictions on emerging technologies and broader license requirements for Pakistan.

The EU last week called on traders to bolster their export compliance programs, warning that it plans to continue expanding its restrictions on Russia and will target more third-country customers illegally transshipping controlled items to Russia’s military.

The House Appropriations Committee has included several export control provisions in a new report accompanying its version of the FY 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill.

The Biden administration is having “a lot” of conversations with China to try to convince the country to stop shipping certain dual-use goods to Russia, and some of those conversations appear to be working, said Jay Shambaugh, the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for international affairs. But Shambaugh also said the U.S. wants Beijing to do more, and the administration is analyzing whether its current trade and financial restrictions are strong enough.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is recommending exporters, reexporters and other businesses add a new customer screening tool to their due diligence steps before trading in goods that could later be diverted to Russia’s military, especially for microelectronics and other sensitive goods Russia is looking to import. In new guidance published this week, BIS also clarified the specific compliance steps companies and universities should take if they receive a red-flag letter, an is-informed letter or other written warnings from the agency about certain risky customers or transactions.