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.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had “extended discussions” about economics and national security, including technology export controls, in talks with senior leaders in China this week (see 2408280042), he said during an Aug. 29 press conference in Beijing.
The State Department issued a minor correction to the interim final rule it published earlier this month that finalized an exemption for defense trade between the U.S., Australia and the U.K. as part of the AUKUS arrangement (see 2408160019). The correction fixes a reference to a specific paragraph mentioned in the rule. The change takes effect Sept. 1, the same day the rest of the interim final rule takes effect.
China’s recently announced export restrictions on antimony (see 2408150022) are expected to cause supplies of the critical mineral to tighten and prices to rise sharply, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said Aug. 20.
Data recently published by S&P Global shows which countries are supplying Russia with computer numerically controlled machine tools and components, which the U.S. and its allies have identified as a “common high priority” good that Russia is seeking to buy to support its military in violation of Western export controls and sanctions.
A new general license that was published last week by the U.K. authorizes certain exports of dual-use or military items for use in the Global Combat Air Program, a project among the U.K., Japan and Italy to develop an advanced stealth aircraft. The license can be used by exporters who are contracted to work on GCAP and “permits certain exports and transfers from the United Kingdom only.” It also allows Italian and Japanese GCAP authorized contractors operating in the U.K. -- but “ordinarily domiciled outside” of the U.K. -- to use the license for intangible technology transfers only. The license took effect Aug. 14.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on Aug. 13 completed an interagency review for an interim final rule that could place new export controls on emerging and advanced technologies in coordination with “international partners.”
The U.S. is on track to inform Congress later this month that Australia has a comparable export control system to that in the U.S., clearing the way for the country to benefit from eased defense trade restrictions, the two nations said in a joint statement after Aug. 6 meetings in Maryland.
The State Department has completed an interagency review for a rule that could finalize an expansion to its definition of activities that don’t count as exports, reexports, retransfers or temporary imports. The agency in 2022 proposed the changes (see 2212150028), which would allow companies to avoid submitting license applications for when a foreign government’s armed forces or U.N. personnel takes a defense article out of a previously approved country, or under certain scenarios for when a foreign defense item enters the U.S. but is subsequently exported (see 2212150028 and 2302270026). The State Department sent the final rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs June 6 and completed the review Aug. 2.
The U.S. and Canada concluded talks on a Technology Safeguards Agreement that will allow commercial companies in Canada to use American space launch technology, expertise and data “while ensuring the proper handling of sensitive U.S. technology,” Global Affairs Canada announced Aug. 2. The two countries are planning a “final review of the negotiated text” and still need “domestic authorizations” before the deal can take effect.