The White House announced a one-year extension of a national emergency that authorizes U.S. export control regulations, according to an Aug. 13 notice. The move renewed the authority authorized in a 2001 executive order on the continuation of U.S. export controls. The emergency declaration was to expire Aug. 17, 2020.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking comments on an information collection related to submitting declarations to the International Atomic Energy Agency for nuclear materials, according to a notice released Aug. 14. The IAEA requires information on “nuclear-related items” that may be used for “peaceful nuclear purposes” but also can be part of a nuclear weapons program, the notice said. The declarations provide the IAEA with information about “additional aspects of the U.S. commercial nuclear fuel cycle,” including nuclear equipment manufacturing and trade in nuclear-related goods. Comments are due Oct. 16.
The U.S. and Slovenia issued a joint statement Aug. 13 on strengthening 5G security and increasing reviews of foreign direct investments involving critical technologies. The countries will “encourage ... reliable and trustworthy” 5G software and hardware suppliers and favor a “rigorous evaluation of suppliers and supply chains.” Both countries also committed to scrutinize foreign direct investments in “critical communication infrastructure … through a dedicated screening mechanism.” The U.S., which recently expanded the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. jurisdiction to review transactions involving critical technologies (see 2005110008), has said it wants to encourage other countries to more heavily scrutinize Chinese investment (see 2002260042).
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs completed review of a Census Bureau rule to remove certain filing requirements for exporters shipping goods to Puerto Rico. The rule, which will be issued first as an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, stemmed from Puerto Rico's requests to remove the requirements, which it said were burdensome (see 2006030043). OIRA received the rule May 22 and completed its review Aug 10.
CBP issued an Aug. 11 guidance on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s renewed and revised list of export restrictions on personal protective equipment (see 2008060061). The guidance highlights the restrictions and exemptions announced by FEMA, and said CBP will continue to help review controlled exports.
CBP removed 22 reference and exemption codes from the Electronic Export Manifest Appendix I, the agency said in an Aug. 10 CSMS message.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls’ Defense Export Control and Compliance System will be unavailable 6-8 a.m. EDT Aug. 10 for maintenance, DDTC said. In addition, DDTC’s advisory opinion, commodity jurisdiction and user management applications will be unavailable 11 p.m. EDT Aug. 7 to 1 a.m. EDT Aug. 8. DDTC is encouraging users to make sure their work in progress is saved before the scheduled maintenance.
The Treasury Department released its annual report to Congress for 2019 last month on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., outlining CFIUS statistics, key judgments and an overview of transactions reviewed by the committee. CFIUS said 231 notices were filed last year, roughly the same number of notices filed in 2017 and 2018, which were 237 and 229, respectively. CFIUS took an average of 45 days to complete a review of covered transactions and 85 days to complete an investigation in 2019, the report said. The report also notes a drop in investigations -- CFIUS conducted 113 investigations in 2019 after conducting 158 in 2018 and 172 in 2017.
The Congressional Research Service issued a report Aug. 4 on emerging military technologies, including supply chain risks faced by the U.S. and considerations for Congress. The CRS suggests the U.S. supply chain for advanced military technologies may be compromised by Chinese industrial espionage or attempts to steal intellectual property relating to hypersonics. The report also cites the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence finding that the U.S. “lacks domestic facilities” to produce components needed to make artificial intelligence technologies, forcing the nation to rely on “foreign fabrication and complex global supply chains for production.” The report cites experts who say technology developments are likely to “outpace” U.S regulation, adding that the U.S. should consider “broad” engagement with allies to “advance collaboration on emerging technologies, norms, and standards setting.”
A State Department spokesperson criticized accusations levied this week by House and Senate Democratic leaders over the administration’s 2019 emergency military sales to Gulf states, saying the agency has been transparent during a congressional probe of the sales. Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bob Menendez, D.-N.J., subpoenaed four State Department officials Aug. 3 over what they say was an improper use of emergency powers to expedite arms sales (see 2008030046), adding that the agency was “stonewalling” their investigation.