CBP is proposing to require that exporters submit electronic export manifests (EEM) for cargo leaving the U.S. via vessel, claiming that "requiring advance transmission of EEM data would significantly improve cargo safety and security while minimizing disruption to the flow of commerce for exports in the sea environment," according to a Federal Register notice.

Although companies must typically submit voluntary self-disclosures directly to DOJ in order to receive penalty mitigation credit with the agency for a potential trade or sanctions violation, that doesn’t mean DOJ will never take into account a disclosure to another agency, said Alamdar Hamdani, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week launched a new online voluntary disclosure portal that it said will be a more "streamlined, secure method" for self-reporting possible sanctions violations to OFAC.

“An executive order signed by President Donald Trump Feb. 6 directs U.S. agencies to prioritize arms sales to allies that "contribute" to U.S. economic security; develop clear criteria for which weapons and defense items need enhanced end-use monitoring; create a new task force to promote military sales; report about export licenses; and more.

The Treasury Department last week asked for public feedback about how it should shape its new fast-track process for certain deals filed with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. It also previewed the kinds of business information it may ask participants to provide and national security conditions they must meet once the agency deploys the so-called known investor program, which is still operating as a pilot for a small number of investors.

The Trump administration is waiting to see how the ongoing Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations unfold before deciding whether to sanction vessels that transport sanctioned Russian oil, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Senate Banking Committee Feb. 5.

The U.S. can’t rely only on export controls to stay ahead of China technologically, said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He also said he believes the administration’s willingness to ease export controls on certain advanced chips doesn’t necessarily mean the U.S. is becoming less hawkish against China.

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National security justified the Commerce Department’s decision to withhold much of its final proposal to place importer Yangtze Memory Technologies Company on the Entity List, the U.S. said again in a supplemental briefing filed Feb. 2 (Husch Blackwell v. Department of Commerce, D.D.C. # 1:24-02733).

The Bureau of Industry and Security is officially removing Cambodia from the Export Administration Regulations’ list of countries subject to an arms embargo, about two months after the State Department made a similar change.