The State Department this week issued a minor correction to last month's final rule that will add and remove items on the U.S. Munitions List and clarify the control scope of others (see 2508260011). The agency said “an asterisk was inadvertently omitted from the amendatory text.”
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will again renew relaxed export restrictions for certain defense goods and services involving Cyprus, it said in a final rule released this week and effective Oct. 1. The agency has issued the renewal each year since 2020 (see 2309130028), suspending its policy of denial for exports, reexports and transfers of defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List to Cyprus. The move also suspends the policy of denial for retransfers and temporary imports destined for or originating in Cyprus and brokering activities involving Cyprus. The latest renewal expires Sept. 30, 2026.
The Commerce Department’s spring 2025 regulatory agenda for the Bureau of Industry and Security features more than 20 new rulemakings that could introduce new or update existing export controls, including restrictions over advanced AI chips, emerging technologies, Russia-related controls and other revisions to the Export Administration Regulations.
The House approved several export control and sanctions bills late Sept. 2, including two aimed at China.
House lawmakers have proposed dozens of export control-, sanctions- and foreign investment-related amendments to their chamber’s version of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including measures aimed at China, Russia and Turkey.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on Aug. 26 suspended the export privileges of 19 people after they were convicted of export-related offenses, including illegal shipments involving guns, gun parts, ammunition, microdisplays and vehicles. The suspensions took effect from the date of their convictions.
The State Department is seeking public comments on an information collection related to Part 130 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which deals with political contributions, fees and commissions relating to sales of defense articles and services. Under the ITAR, defense exporters shipping certain goods worth more than $500,000 to a foreign armed service, international organization or others must notify the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls about certain political contributions or fees associated with the sale, the agency said. Comments are due Oct. 27.
The State Department is finalizing changes from a January rule that will add and remove items on the U.S. Munitions List and clarify the control scope of others. It said some new items should be subject to export controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, while others “no longer warrant inclusion” or will soon be moved to the Commerce Department’s Commerce Control List. The agency will also create a new license exemption for underwater drones and tweak other portions of the January rule, but it declined to make multiple changes requested by exporters.
A U.S. business owner allegedly exported gun parts and accessories to Russia illegally by routing them through Kazakhstan and mislabeling the shipments to evade authorities, DOJ said last week. Maxim Larin, a Florida resident who owns multiple U.S.-based firearms supply companies, illegally worked with a person in Russia to evade export restrictions and ship items controlled under both the Export Administration Regulations and International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the agency said.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is seeking comments on an information collection involving nontransfer and use certificates information collections. Companies must submit those certificates to DDTC with any manufacturing license agreement or technical assistance agreement that involves "significant military equipment or classified defense articles, including classified technical data," the agency said. The foreign consignee or foreign end-user and applicant -- and in some cases a foreign government official -- must fill out this form to certify that the foreign end-user won't reexport, resell or dispose of the defense articles "outside the foreign country named as the country of ultimate destination" or to "any other person." Comments are due Oct. 24.