The Commerce Department announced new export restrictions April 26 that it says are intended to reduce the risk that firearms end up in the hands of criminals, terrorists or cartels.
U.S. defense companies plan to closely monitor the implementation of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) exemption for Australia and the U.K. to ensure it meets its promise of reducing licensing burdens for defense trade, industry representatives told a congressional panel last week.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is “significantly reducing licensing requirements” for Australia and the U.K. “to foster defense trade and technological innovation” under the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) Enhanced Trilateral Security Partnership, it said in an April 18 news release.
The U.S. announced on April 18 a new package of export controls and sanctions against Iran and its activities that support Russia’s war effort, in retaliation for Iran’s attack five days earlier on Israel.
The U.S. announced new export controls and sanctions against Iran, as well as new export controls against Russia intended to address Iran’s support for Russia’s drone program, in response to Iran’s attack on Israel on April 13.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on April 18 issued an interim final rule that removes some Export Administration Regulations licensing requirements for Australia and the U.K. to facilitate cooperation under the Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) Trilateral Security Partnership, among other things. Under the rule, “Australia and the UK will have nearly the same licensing treatment under the EAR as Canada,” BIS said. The changes take effect April 19. Comments on the interim final rule are due June 3.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added 11 parties to its Entity List this week for procuring items to support Iranian drone programs, China’s military modernization efforts or Russia’s military. The additions, outlined in a final rule released April 10 and effective April 11, include technology companies, logistics firms and one person based in either China, Russia or the United Arab Emirates.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will add 11 parties to the Entity List for trying to ship or procure export-controlled items for Russia, Iran or to support China’s military modernization efforts, the agency said April 10. The additions include technology companies, logistics firms and one person based in either China, Russia or the United Arab Emirates. Effective April 11, the companies are subject to license requirements for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, and licenses will be reviewed either under a presumption of denial or policy of denial, except for certain food or medicine.
Two Russian nationals living in Florida pleaded guilty this week to conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act by illegally shipping aviation technology to Russian end users, DOJ announced April 4.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on April 2 renewed the temporary denial order for Russian air cargo carrier Aviastar for one year after finding it continues to violate U.S. export controls. The agency said the airline has continued to illegally operate aircraft subject to the Export Administration Regulations, including for flights within Russia and between Russia and China.