The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a minor correction this week to a September final rule that codified a range of recent updates to its administrative enforcement policies, including how the agency resolves voluntary self-disclosures and how it assesses penalty amounts (see 2409120017). BIS said that rule “contained an error in an amendatory instruction” that incorrectly revised wording in the wrong paragraph. “This document corrects that error,” BIS said. The changes take effect Oct. 17.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is “actively recruiting” members to join its Emerging Technology Technical Advisory Committee, Tara Gonzalez, a BIS senior policy adviser, said on LinkedIn this week. The committee gives feedback and recommendations to BIS as the agency pursues new controls on emerging dual-use technologies. BIS formally solicited new members for its various TACs in April, and those applications were due June 11 (see 2404110005).

The State Department recently approved three possible military sales to Saudi Arabia and one to the United Arab Emirates, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced last week.

A notice published by USDA this week certifies that the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and the Washington State Department of Agriculture are “meeting the criteria” to carry out official grain export inspection services at ports within their states. The certification, made under the U.S. Grain Standards Act, lasts through 2027. USDA also announced the designation or renewal of other official agencies that are authorized to provide “official services at locations other than export port locations.”

TD Bank has agreed to pay about $3.1 billion in penalties to resolve allegations that its lax adherence to anti-money laundering laws allowed perpetrators of drug and human trafficking and terrorist financing to access the U.S. financial system, the bank, along with DOJ and the Treasury Department, announced Oct. 10.

The Federal Maritime Commission urged carriers and terminal operators not to retaliate against shippers for questioning an invoice or filing a complaint with the FMC, warning the cargo shipping industry this week that it will pursue serious penalties against those that violate the anti-retaliation provisions of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act.

The Federal Maritime Commission is bringing on two temporary administrative law judges to help it handle a “significant increase” in complaints and disputes filed before the commission, the FMC said Oct. 8. Most complaints involve COVID-19 pandemic-era supply chain issues. “Adding two additional judges will permit the OALJ to ensure timely adjudication of the record number of pending proceedings,” the commission said.

The State Department approved possible military sales to India, Romania and Italy, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Oct. 7. The sale to India includes $175 million worth of “MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes and related equipment,” and a majority of the torpedo’s hardware will be bought from U.S. Navy stock. The sale to Romania includes $110 million worth of “Sentinel Radar Systems” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be RTX Corp. The sale to Italy includes a $680 million “Electronic Attack Mission System” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be BAE Systems.

The Bureau of Industry and Security this week published the second quarterly update of its new boycott requester list, a list of entities that have asked other companies to boycott goods from certain countries in violation of the Export Administration Regulations.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection involving export licensees transferring an active export license to another party. In those scenarios, BIS said “there must be assurances that the other party, the transferee, will also be accountable for the proper use of the license.” The agency collects information from both parties to make sure shipments exported under the license won’t be diverted or “used for purposes contrary to the authorized use of the approved license.” Comments on the information collection are due Dec. 2.