The Bureau of Industry and Security last week charged a Montana resident and his two companies with violating U.S. export controls after BIS said he tried to ship controlled items knowing they would be used in Iran. Kenneth Scott and his companies, Scott Communication and Mission Communications, also made false or misleading statements to agents, failed to file Electronic Export Information and didn’t maintain the required export records, BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security June 8 issued a temporary denial order for three U.S. companies for their involvement in illegally exported technical drawings and blueprints to China. BIS said it suspended the export privileges for Quicksilver Manufacturing, Rapid Cut and U.S. Prototype for 180 days after they illegally exported materials used to 3D print satellite, rocket and defense-related prototypes, which are subject to strict export controls because of their “sensitivity and importance to U.S. national security,” BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security June 6 charged Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich with violating U.S. export controls by exporting U.S.-origin aircraft to Russia without the required licenses (see 2202240069). BIS said Abramovich’s planes flew to and from Russia in March, days after the agency announced new export controls on Russia-related aircraft.
The Bureau of Industry and Security soon will introduce a congressional notification requirement for certain firearm exports, the agency said in a final rule. The change, effective July 18, will add a new section to the Export Administration Regulations that will require congressional reporting for certain semiautomatic firearms shipments valued at $4 million or more and destined to certain countries. The requirement will apply to certain guns whose export control authority was transferred from the State Department to the Commerce Department in 2020 (see 2001170030).
The Bureau of Industry and Security is proposing new unilateral export controls on four dual-use biological toxins that can be weaponized to kill people or animals, “degrade equipment” or damage the environment, the agency said in a rule released May 20. Controls would apply to the marine toxins brevetoxin, gonyautoxin, nodularin and palytoxin, BIS said, all of which can be “exploited for biological weapons purposes.” The agency said it won’t categorize the toxins or their technologies as emerging or foundational technologies, and doesn't plan to continue to differentiate between the two categories going forward.
The Bureau of Industry and Security completed an interagency review of a proposed rule that could place new export controls on certain “marine toxins.” The rule, sent for review March 21 (see 2203220005) and completed May 16, proposes changes to the Commerce Control List to reflect revisions recently made at the multilateral Australia Group.
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The Bureau of Industry and Security added 10 more planes to its list of restricted aircraft, including seven planes owned by Belavia, the first Belarusian airline added to the list, the agency said April 14. The agency also added two additional planes owned by Utair and one aircraft owned by Aeroflot. BIS said it will impose penalties and/or jail time or revoke export privileges for any company or person who violates the Export Administration Regulations by providing “any form of service” to the listed aircraft without a required BIS license.
The Bureau of Industry and Security last week expanded its export license requirements for Russia and Belarus to cover all items on the Commerce Control List, further widening restrictions that previously only applied to categories 3-9 of the CCL (see 2202240069). The revised requirements, which took effect April 8, will now apply to all items in CCL categories 0-2, including nuclear materials, facilities and equipment (Category 0); materials, chemicals, microorganisms and toxins (Category 1); and materials processing equipment (Category 2).
The Bureau of Industry and Security expanded its export license requirements for Russia and Belarus to cover all items on the Commerce Control List, the agency said in an April 8 notice, further widening restrictions that previously only applied to categories 3-9 of the CCL. The agency correspondingly revised its recently created Russia/Belarus foreign direct product rule, which will now apply to all items on the CCL, BIS said. The agency also revised its License Exception Aircraft, vessels and spacecraft (AVS) to limit its availability for certain Belarus-related aircraft. The changes are effective April 8.