The U.S. needs a “technology-specific” trade policy as it pursues export controls over emerging technologies to limit impacts on industry, the Strategic Trade Research Institute and the University of Maryland Center for International and Security Studies said in a report released Oct. 13. The report analyzes three categories of items that it calls “chokepoint technologies” -- position, navigation and timing (PNT), quantum computing, and computer vision -- and examines the feasibility of trade controls on each category. The report stresses that while some items, including PNT technologies, can be controlled, others, such as computer vision technologies, are widely commercially available and should not be restricted.

The Treasury Department issued updated guidance on Hong Kong-related sanctions and the State Department issued a report to Congress under the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, the agencies said Oct. 14.

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Oct. 5-9 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

The World Trade Organization announced that the European Union is entitled to hike tariffs on nearly $4 billion in U.S. goods due to the trade distorting effects of tax breaks for Boeing. The tariffs -- the levels of which have not been announced -- are not to go into effect immediately, but could affect civil aircraft, helicopters, tractors, chemicals, hazelnuts, wines, liquor, cotton and other products, according to a preliminary list of targets released last year.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee is reviewing new export controls on items related to semiconductors, potentially including design elements and software, said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas. McCaul said some U.S. export restrictions may need to be strengthened to address continuing Chinese attempts to steal U.S. technologies.

The Bureau of Industry and Security should be careful not to place overly broad, unilateral export restrictions on items for crowd control reasons if the controls disproportionately hurt U.S. competitiveness, industry told BIS in comments released this month. But some commenters, including a human rights advocacy group and a Congress member, called for new export restrictions and suggested existing controls -- especially on technologies that contribute to Chinese human rights abuses -- should be tightened.

There is a desire for more “uniformity” for country of origin and marking under USMCA, similar to the rules in Part 102 of NAFTA, said Heidi Bray, manager-U.S. and global customs compliance for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Bray and other Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee members mentioned a variety of USMCA “challenges” during the Oct. 7 COAC meeting. She said she thinks it would be a good idea to bring back a USMCA working group to discuss those issues.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control announced a range of sanctions targeting 17 major Iranian banks for operating in the country’s financial sector and one Iranian bank for being affiliated with the Iranian military. The agency also issued a general license authorizing certain transactions with the banks and announced a 45-day wind-down period for activities involving non U.S. people and companies.

The Bureau of Industry and Security removed 40 entries and added 26 others to its Unverified List, the agency said in a final rule released Oct. 8. BIS removed the 40 entries -- located in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates -- after verifying their “legitimacy and reliability” relating to the end use of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations or because their companies are no longer “involved in U.S. exports.” BIS added the 26 others -- located in Armenia, Finland, Hong Kong, Germany, Pakistan, Turkey, the UAE, Mexico and China -- because it was unable to verify their “bona fides” through an end-use check. The changes take effect Oct. 9.

The U.S. should find ways to increase trade with Taiwan but should be careful not to worsen tensions with China, which views Taiwan as its territory, Chinese trade experts and researchers said. A better trading relationship with Taiwan would help the U.S. technology sector, specifically semiconductor makers, many of which rely on Taiwanese suppliers to compete with China, the experts said.