The United Kingdom will begin processing export license applications for military exports to Saudi Arabia about one year after halting those licenses (see 1907180047), a July 7 notice said. The U.K., which had restricted licenses for exports of defense or military goods to Saudi Arabia that could be used for the conflict in Yemen, will now begin clearing that backlog of license applications and issuing decisions. The country’s Export Control Joint Unit said each application will be “carefully assessed” and could “take some months to clear this backlog.” It also said industry would expect delays in processing new applications until the backlog is cleared.
Rich Ashooh, the Commerce Department’s assistant secretary for export administration, submitted his resignation and will officially leave the agency July 16, a Commerce spokesperson said. The spokesperson declined to comment on the reasons for Ashooh’s departure. Ashooh’s resignation was first reported by Reuters.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began an interagency review for a final Bureau of Industry and Security rule that will revise country groups for Ukraine under the Export Administration Regulations. OIRA received the rule June 25.
Clete Willems, former White House deputy assistant to the president for international economics, believes the U.S. must convince allies to present a unified front to China on industrial subsidies, censorship and cybersecurity issues. Willems, who is now a lobbyist with Akin Gump, was speaking during a June 12 online program of the Asia Society. When it's just the U.S. arguing for reforms, he said, China can portray it as the U.S. trying to keep China down. But, he said, it might be possible to get China to change, “if we are able to portray them as an international outlier, which I think they are.”
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began an interagency review for a final Commerce Department rule that will implement certain export control decisions from the 2019 Wassenaar Arrangement plenary. OIRA received the rule June 9. Commerce officials said in May the agency was preparing to issue several emerging technology controls (see 2005190052), including six controls agreed to at Wassenaar. OIRA is still reviewing a rule to implement export control decisions from the 2018 Wassenaar Arrangement plenary (see 2005210046).
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began an interagency review for a final rule from the Commerce Department that will implement certain export control decisions from the 2018 Wassenaar Arrangement plenary. The rule, received by OIRA May 20, will also make “other revisions related to national security controls.” During a May 19 Emerging Technology Technical Advisory Committee meeting, Commerce officials said the agency is preparing to issue several emerging technology controls within weeks (see 2005190052).
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company declined to say whether it has stopped processing new orders for Huawei and said it is still reviewing new U.S. export restrictions issued last week (see 2005150058). In a statement, a TSMC spokesperson said the company does not comment on details relating to customer orders but said it has “always complied with the law. The company said it has hired outside counsel to “conduct legal analysis and ensure a comprehensive examination and interpretation” of the new restrictions. “The semiconductor industry supply chain is extremely complex,” the spokesperson said. “TSMC is following the U.S. export rule change closely.”
G-20 trade ministers said export restrictions imposed due to the pandemic should “not create unnecessary barriers” and urged countries to refrain from restricting exports of food, according to a May 14 joint statement. In the statement, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to mitigate pandemic impacts on trade and investment and called for more actions to help with the global recovery, including proposed measures to support trade regulations, facilitation, transparency, logistics and more. Minimal export restrictions will help “build resilience in global supply chains,” the ministers said, adding that the G-20 should support World Trade Organization reform, share best practices for border restrictions and create a “non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade” environment.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began an interagency review for a final rule from the Commerce Department that will implement certain export control decisions from the 2020 Australia Group meeting. The rule, received by OIRA May 5, will add certain “rigid-walled, single-use cultivation chambers and precursor chemicals” to the Commerce Control List. The rule would also amend the Export Administration Regulations by revising biological and chemical controls on the CCL.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security is allowing more time for comments on an information collection relating to technology letters of explanation, according to a notice. The letters provide assurance to BIS and requires the “consignee” to certify that an export involving controlled technical data will not be released to blocked countries. BIS first requested comments for the collection in February (see 2002050019).