The Bureau of Industry and Security this week updated its guidance on applying for deemed export licenses, which people or companies must obtain before sharing a controlled item, software or technology with a foreign person on U.S. soil if a license would normally be required for that person's most recent country of citizenship or permanent residence. The guidance outlines the type of information applicants must submit, the information BIS takes into account when reviewing those licenses, and the set of conditions that the agency said are “standard” for approved licenses. A list of license condition best practices includes a reminder that approved applicants must annually verify to BIS that the foreign person has a “required work authorization” or that the foreign person has left the country.
The Netherlands last week said it expanded its export controls on advanced semiconductor manufacturing tools, imposing new license requirements on certain deep ultraviolet lithography equipment that can be used to make high-end chips. The new control, effective Sept. 7, is meant to restrict equipment that can be used to make chips with “advanced military applications,” the Dutch government said, which “has implications for the Netherlands’ security interests.”
Russia has “secretly” been using India as an alternative market to acquire export-controlled dual-use technologies and has explored building facilities in the country to obtain components for its war against Ukraine, the Financial Times reported Sept. 4. Plans drawn up by the Russian government show the country aimed to use “significant reserves” of rupees collected by Russian banks from oil sales to India to help with the effort, and considered “pumping investment into Russo-Indian electronics development and production facilities,” the report said.
The State Department completed a round of interagency review for a final rule that would amend restrictions against Cyprus under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The rule, sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 29 (see 2409030006) and completed Sept. 5, could build on past measures to relax export restrictions for certain defense goods and services involving the country (see 2309130028).
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls this week updated its guidance and frequently asked questions for U.S. persons providing defense services abroad.
The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a correction to a June final rule that introduced new export controls and expanded existing restrictions against Russia and Belarus (see 2406120036). The correction fixes a typo.
The State Department is working on a final rule that would amend restrictions against Cyprus under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The rule, sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 29, could build on steps the State Department has taken to relax export restrictions for certain defense goods and services involving the country (see 2309130028).
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a final rule for interagency review that could remove export licensing requirements for certain spacecraft and related items destined to Australia, Canada and the U.K. BIS sent the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 30.
The Netherlands won’t renew licenses that had allowed leading Dutch chip equipment maker ASML to repair and maintain certain semiconductor equipment in China, Bloomberg reported last week. Those licenses are expected to expire later this year, the report said, and had covered ASML’s advanced deep ultraviolet lithography machines. The Bureau of Industry and Security had been pushing certain allies, including the Netherlands, to stop their semiconductor companies from servicing certain advanced chip tools under pre-existing contracts with Chinese customers (see 2403270038).
The Export-Import Bank didn’t approve a new transaction involving dual-use goods in FY 2023, the Government Accountability Office reported Aug. 30. The bank continued to monitor the end-use of one transaction for the Mexican government, which involved a fixed service satellite and a mobile service satellite that became operational in 2013 and 2015, respectively. Ex-Im received all required documents from the Mexican government and determined that Mexico was in compliance with the bank’s dual-use policy.