The State Department approved a potential military sale worth $4 billion to Poland, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Sept. 11. The sale includes “Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS)” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Northrop Grumman.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is soliciting comments on significant foreign barriers to U.S. exports of goods and services to help write the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers. Comments are due by the end of the day Oct. 23, and should be submitted at regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2023-0010.
PACCAR, along with Accelera by Cummins, Daimler Trucks & Buses US Holding, and EVE Energy agreed on Sept. 6 to form a joint venture company to establish and operate a battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S., and plan to submit a voluntary notice to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., according to law firm Squire Patton. The total investment in the facility is expected to be between $2 billion and $3 billion, PACCAR said in a Sept. 7 news release.
A Torres Trade Law guide to maintaining registrations with the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is available on legal intelligence site JD Supra. It outlines how companies involved with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations should be updating their DDTC registrations when certain changes occur within the registered company, such as a change of control, a merger or a change in leadership. Even if no changes have occurred within the company, the law firm noted, ITAR registrations must be renewed annually.
The State Department approved a $1.5 billion potential military sale to Bulgaria of "Stryker Vehicles" and related equipment, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Sept. 1. The principal contractor will be General Dynamics Land Systems.
The Export-Import Bank didn’t approve a new transaction involving dual-use goods in FY 2022, the Government Accountability Office reported Aug. 31. The bank continued to monitor the end-use of one transaction for the Mexican government, which included a fixed service satellite and a mobile service satellite (see 2008280033). Ex-Im received all required documents from the Mexican government and determined that Mexico was in compliance with the bank’s dual-use policy.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union on Aug. 31 officially voted to ratify the tentative labor agreement they reached with the Pacific Maritime Administration in June (see 2306150038), the ILWU said. The union said it voted 75% in favor of the new deal, which expires July 1, 2028, adding that it "protects good-paying jobs in 29 West Coast port communities, maintains health benefits, and improves wages, pensions and safety protections."
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking comments on the potential market impact of the proposed FY 2025 National Defense Stockpile Annual Materials Plan, the agency said in a Sept. 1 notice. Comments will help inform the government of the “projected domestic and foreign economic effects of all acquisitions, conversions, and disposals involving the National Defense Stockpile,” BIS said. Comments are due Oct. 5.
CBP officers, along with the FBI and other agencies, last week intercepted an outbound shipment of stolen vehicles worth about $428,306, the agency said in a news release. The government seized 12 vehicles and one John Deere combine. The vehicles were destined to West Africa, and the John Deere combine was destined to South America after being reported stolen in Michigan.
A recently issued paper from the International Chamber of Commerce highlights the “great challenge” facing financial institutions in providing trade finance to businesses, especially those involved in dual-use goods, Stephenson Harwood said in an Aug. 29 client alert.