The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending the public comment deadlines for two information collections involving export activities. One involves the government’s Competitive Enhancement Needs Assessment Survey Program, under which the BIS Office of Technology Evaluation surveys businesses to determine which “government competitive enhancement, procurement opportunity and business diversification programs would benefit their competitive position in the marketplace.” The other involves Form BIS-4023P, which companies must submit to participate in the NATO International Competitive Bidding process under the NATO Security Investment Program. Comments were previously requested in March, but the agency is allowing for another 30 days.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending the public comment period for an information collection relating to offset agreements worth more than $5 million for sales of weapons systems or defense articles to foreign countries or companies (see 2402150023). BIS said it defines offsets as “compensation practices required as a condition of purchase in either government-to-government or commercial sales of defense articles.” The agency is allowing for another 30 days of comments.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending the public comment period for an information collection relating to statements required under certain exports by the ultimate consignee and purchaser (see 2403220011). The collection involves Form BIS-711, which provides information on the foreign importer receiving U.S. technology, describes how the technology will be used and “provides assurances” that the technology will not be used in violation of the Export Administration Regulations. BIS is allowing for an additional 30 days of comments.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has completed hiring leaders as part of a restructuring of its export administration offices, the agency announced July 30. The latest hire, Julia Khersonsky, a former State Department foreign affairs officer, joined the Bureau of Industry and Security this month as the agency’s first deputy assistant secretary for strategic trade, where she will oversee the offices of National Security and Technology Transfer Controls, Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance, and Exporter Services. BIS earlier this year appointed longtime BIS officials Matt Borman to be the agency’s new principal deputy assistant secretary and Eric Longnecker to be its new deputy assistant secretary for technology security (see 2405070005). BIS announced its internal restructuring plans at its annual conference in March.
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The U.S. should start designating Chinese banks under a December executive order that authorizes secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions that help facilitate Russia-related transactions, a group advocating for democracy in Hong Kong said in a new report this month.
A new report accompanying the Senate Appropriations Committee’s FY 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill calls for the Bureau of Industry and Security to conduct several export control reviews, including one that identifies regulatory “gaps” that have allowed controlled U.S. technology, especially semiconductor technology, to flow to China without a license (see 2407260054).
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said last week he remains concerned by recent news reports showing China has found ways around U.S. export controls on advanced computing chips.
Proposed U.S. export controls issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security last week are meant to “prevent hack-for-hire business models from circumventing our human rights-based export controls,” including U.S. restrictions on “cyber-intrusion tools,” said Thea Kendler, the agency’s assistant secretary for export administrations. In a news release announcing the proposed rules, Kendler said the restrictions could improve “controls on activities supporting foreign police and security services, including those known to violate human rights.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee unveiled and approved an FY 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill July 25 that would provide $206 million for the Bureau of Industry and Security, $17 million below the Biden administration’s request but $15 million above the FY 2024 enacted level and $19.3 million above what the House Appropriations Committee has proposed (see 2403110065 and 2406250035).