The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will launch the registration and licensing applications for its Defense Export Control and Compliance System on Feb. 18, the DDTC said Feb. 3. Until then, DDTC said users should “continue to process requests as normal.” Users can enroll on the DDTC website. DDTC recently released a recording of its Jan. 14 DECCS webinar (see 2001230011).
The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking comments on a proposal for an information collection that BIS will submit to the Office of Management and Budget, BIS said in a notice. The information collection involves 10 “miscellaneous” activities described in the Export Administration Regulations relating to the exchange of documents among parties in Commerce Department-controlled export transactions. Comments are due Feb. 28.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking applicants for its trade mission to the Philippines, part of an effort to expand market access for U.S. agricultural exports, the USDA said Jan. 23. The mission to Manila, which will take place April 20-23, will include meetings with local importers and “in-depth briefings and site visits” to provide “additional on-the-ground insights” about exporting to the Philippines. Applicants should apply to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service by Feb. 6. The trade mission is one of seven planned for 2020 (see 1912060027).
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls released a recording of its Jan. 14 webinar about its Defense Export Control and Compliance System (see 2001210025 and 2001090014), DDTC said in a Jan. 23 notice. The webinar covers the “major features of the DECCS release,” including enrollment steps. DDTC plans to release the registration and licensing applications to the DECCS platform in February.
The State Department approved a potential $1.5 billion military sale to Australia, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a Jan. 15 press release. The sale will include “long lead items, engineering development activities, and other defense services,” including the modernization of Hobart Class Destroyers and various weapons systems. The DSCA said there are a “significant number of companies under contract with the U.S. Navy” that will provide components, systems and services to complete the sale, but “a significant portion of the effort” will be completed by Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems.
The Department of Homeland Security plans to “expand its capacity to assess civil penalties and pursue criminal prosecutions against U.S. importers for violations of forced labor authorities,” it said in a recently released strategy document aiming at fighting forced labor imports and human trafficking. “DHS will consider streamlining regulatory frameworks guiding the process for forced labor enforcement actions,” it said. “DHS will also coordinate, consolidate, and publicize allegation and intake reporting channels and other information to ensure quality, actionable leads, gain information for ongoing cases, and verify forced labor allegations.“
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls released slides from its Jan. 14 webinar (see 2001090014) about its Defense Export Control and Compliance System. The webinar was aimed at helping industry prepare for its launch, and includes information on how companies can enroll, highlights of the new platform and contact information for inquiries. DDTC plans to release the registration and licensing applications to the DECCS platform in February.
Correction: The comment deadline for the interim rule for the definition for principal place of business in the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act regulations is Feb. 18 (see 2001140060).
GunUniversity.com posted a copy of a document that it says is the Commerce Department’s final rule for the transfer of export controls of firearms, ammunition and defense items from the State Department to Commerce. In a Jan. 14 post, the website said the rule will be published this week. The National Shooting Sports Foundation also expected the rule to be published this week (see 2001140043) and has called it the top concern of the gun industry (see 1908130066). Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has said he will block any attempt to transfer the controls from the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List unless the administration abides by certain requests, including informing the Senate of certain licensed exports (see 1912160057). Commerce did not comment on the document’s authenticity.
New rules for the transfer of export controls over firearms and ammunition from the State Department to the Commerce Department are expected this week, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. In a newsletter emailed Jan. 13, the NSSF said the rules, which will transfer controls over firearms, guns, ammunition and other defense items from the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List, will take effect 45 days after they are published this week.