The State Department concluded an interagency review for a final rule that would amend certain export restrictions involving Cyprus within the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The agency sent the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 17, and the review was completed Aug. 30. The agency earlier this month said it plans to again renew a measure that temporarily suspends restrictions on certain defense exports to Cyprus (see 2308210013).
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a final rule for interagency review that would align its export controls with changes recently made by the multilateral Missile Technology Control Regime. The final rule, sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 25, would revise the Export Administration Regulations with MTCR decisions from 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. The rule also would make revisions to the eligibility of one or more license exceptions.
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a final rule for interagency review that could align its export controls with certain changes made by the Australia Group, a multilateral export control forum that focuses on chemical and biological weapons. The rule was sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 25.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week released a second correction to its final rule earlier this month that expanded the scope of its nuclear-related export controls on China and Macau (see 2308110019). The correction fixes the Commerce Country Chart that was included in the original final rule. BIS also made a fix to the rule Aug. 17, correcting an "inadvertent error” in the rule’s “regulatory instructions” (see 2308170064).
The State Department sent a final rule for interagency review that could loosen export restrictions on certain controlled defense shipments and services for Ethiopia. The rule, sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 17, would remove Ethiopia from the International Traffic in Arms Regulations’ list of proscribed countries. Those countries are generally subject to a license review policy of denial.
The State Department will again extend a September 2020 rule that temporarily suspended restrictions on certain defense exports to Cyprus, the agency said last week. The 2020 rule (see 2009020045) amended the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to relax restrictions surrounding exports of nonlethal defense goods and services to Cyprus, and also eased restrictions on reexports, retransfers and temporary imports. The agency has extended the rule each year since (see 2209190009 and 2211210028). The State Department plans to soon publish a Federal Register notice to reflect the renewal, which will apply for FY 2024, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on Aug. 17 released a correction to its final rule last week that expanded the scope of its nuclear-related export controls on China and Macau (see 2308110019). BIS said there was an "inadvertent error in one of the regulatory instructions for that rule," and the notice issued by BIS this week "corrects that inadvertent error."
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a proposed rule for interagency review that could lead to new export restrictions related to illegal cyber-related activity. The rule, sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 16, is titled: “Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities.”
President Joe Biden this week extended a national emergency that authorizes certain export control regulations, the White House said. Biden renewed the emergency for one year beyond Aug. 17.
The Bureau of Industry and Security concluded a round of interagency review for a final rule that could expand nuclear nonproliferation export controls on China and Macau. BIS sent the rule for review July 24 (see 2307260008), and the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs said it was sent back Aug. 7 with some changes.