The State Department approved four potential military sales, to the Netherlands, North Macedonia and Norway, worth about $561 million combined, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said March 16. The agency approved two sales to the Netherlands. One is for a “AH-64 Pilot Training and Logistics Support” and related equipment for about $190 million. The other sale includes $125 million worth of “CH-47 Pilot Training and Logistics Support” and related equipment. Neither sale contains a principal contractor.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls “refreshed” information on its website related to Canada, including country policies and exemptions, DDTC said in a March 12 notice. The agency said it updated information surrounding the details of the Canadian exemption, “key Canadian partners,” Canada’s Controlled Goods Program, a Canadian exemption user guide and frequently asked questions.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking comments on an information collection related to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s bidding process, a notice said. The information collection pertains to the process BIS must undergo to determine whether U.S. firms are eligible to participate in NATO’s bidding process and supply certain goods. BIS previously requested comments in January but said it is extending the comment period by 30 days. Comments are due by April 19.
The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a correction for its January rule that expanded export restrictions on foreign military-intelligence agencies and certain weapons-related activities (see 2101140035), it said in a notice. BIS said it revised “an incorrect instruction that would have resulted in the inadvertent deletion of two subparagraphs” of the Export Administration Regulations. The rule would have deleted language that described licensing requirements for exports of certain rocket systems and unmanned aerial vehicles. “This was a technical error and BIS did not intend to remove the existing restrictions,” the agency said.
The State Department approved a potential military sale to Germany worth about $1.77 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said March 12. The sale includes “P-8A Aircraft” and related support and equipment. The prime contractor will be Boeing.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis is conducting its annual mandatory survey on foreign direct investment in the U.S., a March 10 notice said. BEA said it will contact all entities “required to respond to this mandatory survey,” including U.S. businesses that have a “foreign person” with a direct or indirect ownership stake at a certain level. Completed FDI reports covering the previous fiscal year are due by May 31, BEA said, or by June 30 for companies that use the agency’s electronic reporting system.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will hold a webinar March 18 on using the Defense Export Control Compliance System licensing application, DDTC said in a March 11 notice, which includes login information. The webinar will cover “key issues brought forward” by DECCS users over the past year, including uploading documents and tracking applications. The webinar will also give a “sneak preview” of upcoming DECCS features.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking comments on ways the agency can help boost the competitiveness and capacity of the U.S. semiconductor industry, according to a notice issued March 11. The comments, due April 5, will help inform the Commerce Department’s policy recommendations to the White House as part of a February executive order to address supply chain shortages of semiconductor chips (see 2102240068).
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will use his upcoming meeting with Chinese officials to outline U.S. concerns over Chinese human rights abuses and illegal trade practices, Blinken told lawmakers March 10. The March 18 meeting in Alaska, which was announced March 10, will include National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese foreign affairs officials Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi. “This is an important opportunity for us to lay out in very frank terms the many concerns that we have with Beijing's actions and behavior that are challenging the security, prosperity and the values of the United States and our partners and allies,” Blinken told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The aerospace and satellite industry urged the Commerce Department to maintain staffing levels at the Office of Space Commerce until a new director is named, citing the office’s key role in aiding the U.S. aerospace industry. The office creates a “‘one-stop’ Commerce entry point” for connecting industry to other agency activities that directly affect aerospace companies, including export controls, the Aerospace Industry Association, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and the Satellite Industry Association said in a March 9 letter. The groups specifically highlighted the importance of the office’s work to connect industry to Commerce efforts to place controls on “imagery analysis software” and promote trade. “[T]he space industry requires a strong U.S. Office of Space Commerce to drive continued growth here and abroad for U.S. space industry,” the groups said. Commerce didn’t comment.