State Department's D-Trade Electronic Licensing System Became Operational on January 15, 2004
According to the State Department, effective January 15, 2004, its Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), through the use of the D-Trade electronic licensing system, is prepared to receive and adjudicate fully electronic defense export authorization requests properly submitted by any U.S. person who is a defense trade registrant and wishes to permanently export unclassified defense articles via the Form DSP-5 or furnish defense services via Technical Assistance Agreements (TAAs).
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(On March 26, 2003, DDTC, using an initial test group of selected companies, began the processing and review of actual export authorization requests (Form DSP-5 and TAAs) through its pilot of D-Trade. Since that time, DDTC states that hundreds of electronic licenses have been successfully processed and adjudicated using D-Trade.)
Current Restrictions on D-Trade Use
DDTC states that the use of its new D-Trade electronic licensing system is currently limited in terms of a number of factors, including (partial list):
DDTC registered entities and persons. Use of D-Trade is limited to U.S. entities and persons registered with DDTC who keep their registration and required data current;
DSP-5s and TAAs (and amendments). Export authorization request forms to be used are currently limited to the DSP-5 (application for licenses for unclassified permanent exports), TAAs that do not involve classified exports, and amendments to TAAs initially submitted via D-Trade;
Acceptable file formats. Acceptable file formats for D-Trade submissions are subject to DDTC approval;
Only certain ultimate destinations. Ultimate destinations on export authorization requests are currently limited to those countries and areas covered by the following State Department geographic bureaus: Western Hemispheric Affairs, European Affairs, and East Asia and Pacific Affairs. (A list of countries organized according to State Department geographic bureaus is available at http://www.pmdtc.org/docs/use_requirements.pdf.);
Restrictions on types of commodities. D-Trade submissions may not include (a) commodities subject to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and (b) commodities that require Congressional notification pursuant to Section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) or established State Department practices and procedures. Only those applications for commercial communication satellite parts and components and for satellite insurance licenses that do not require Congressional notification may be submitted.
(See complete list of D-Trade limitations on the DDTC Web site at http://www.pmdtc.org/docs/use_requirements.pdf .)
DDTC Offers Web Seminars and Training CD-ROM for D-Trade
DDTC has been hosting a series of live web seminars to assist users with filing Form DSP-5 and TAAs, as well as registration, obtaining and managing digital certificates, viewing license applications, and a general overview on batch processing.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 01/09/04 news, 04010920, for BP summary of DDTC's February 3-5, 2004 series of web-based training.)
DDTC further states that a training CD-ROM will be available after the live web training that will consist of course contents, lessons learned, and answers to frequently asked questions received during the live seminar.
DDTC Envisions Expanding D-Trade to All Export Licensing Submissions
DDTC states that, based on envisioned expansion of electronic processing capabilities during 2004, it anticipates, with few exceptions, all export licensing submissions via D-Trade.
Complete details on the DDTC's new D-Trade electronic licensing system are available at www.pmdtc.org.