The Bureau of Industry and Security is officially removing Cambodia from the Export Administration Regulations’ list of countries subject to an arms embargo, about two months after the State Department made a similar change.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls posted on its website Feb. 2 that it has "limited operations" due to a partial government shutdown after Congress wasn't able to pass funding last week for the State and Treasury departments, the Pentagon and other agencies. "Services currently available include registration and licensing," DDTC said. "Certain support functions may remain unavailable during the lapse in government appropriations."
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls saw a sharp uptick in the number of end-use checks in FY 2024 compared with the previous year and spent more than double the amount of money carrying out those end-use checks, according to its annual Blue Lantern report, released last week. The report, which details the agency’s end-use monitoring efforts on export-controlled defense articles and services, said there was a surge in defense trade last year, leading to an increase in the number of exports needing end-use checks.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is launching an "enhanced version" of its new AI virtual agent in February for authenticated users of its Defense Export Controls and Compliance System. The updated tool will offer "new features tailored to industry needs," DDTC said. "If you’d like to be among the first to try these improvements, email PM_DDTCProjectTeam@state.gov to join our early access group." DDTC first announced the AI chat agent last month (see 2512160059).
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is seeking public comments on two export-related information collections, the agency said in Federal Register notices published this week. One collection deals with requests to change end-user, end-use or destination information of exported hardware and also covers DDTC's open general license pilot (see 2310020014). The other collection involves technology security and clearance plans, screening records and nondisclosure agreements covered under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Comments on both are due by March 23.
DOJ unveiled last week that it had seized two "mission crew trainers" in 2024 that allegedly were bound for the Chinese military from a South African flight academy on the Entity List. The agency made the announcement Jan. 15 while filling a forfeiture complaint for both trainers with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The State Department is accepting applications for its Defense Export Controls and Compliance System 2026 User Group, which will provide feedback to the agency on DECCS functionality and suggest potential improvements. The agency’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will appoint 50 industry volunteers to the user group, all of whom must be enrolled with DECCS and represent companies, government agencies or third-party organizations involved in defense trade. Member terms will last one year. Applicants should email PM_DDTCProjectTeam@state.gov by the close of business on Jan. 23 with their name and company or government affiliation.
Turkey opened a safeguard investigation on paper and paperboard on Dec. 31, the country told the World Trade Organization's Committee on Safeguards. Turkey said interested parties are required to fill out investigation questionnaires within 30 days from the date of publication of the safeguard announcement and submit it to the Ministry of Trade's Directorate General for Imports.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls on Jan. 2 sent a proposed rule for interagency review that could lead to U.S. Munitions List updates. The rule, titled "International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Proposed Omnibus USML Changes," would remove items from the USML that no longer warrant inclusion, add items that do, and clarify certain items described on the USML, the agency said.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls on Dec. 30 released a fact sheet for its recently issued rule that finalized an exemption for defense trade among the AUKUS partners -- the U.S., Australia and the U.K. -- within the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (see 2512290017). The fact sheet covers the "key elements" of the exemption, including who can be authorized users, the items on the Excluded Technology List that can't be used with the exemption, and more. DDTC also noted that its rule codified the requirement for the agency to adjudicate licenses for Australia, the U.K., and Canada within 30-45 days "when the transfer or activity cannot be undertaken under an ITAR exemption," and it authorizes "the reexport and retransfer of classified defense articles to certain dual nationals under certain circumstances."