On March 7, 2012 the Administration officially opened two new national, multi-agency centers to improve how the U.S. Government administers its export control system, in support of the President’s Export Control Reform Initiative of "implementing common sense reforms to streamline and improve the nation’s export control system." According to the White House, these centers are changing the way the Executive Branch does business by implementing a more fully coordinated and harmonized approach that facilitates secure trade and will better protect military critical technologies from being transferred to countries or entities of national security and proliferation concern. It will also strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base by helping U.S. exporters to be more competitive and reliable suppliers.

The Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration are issuing an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS). Korea is already party to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), but this trade agreement implements a lower procurement threshold.

On March 6, 2012, the Office of Foreign Assets Control removed 19 Colombian individuals from its Specially Designated Nationals list. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

From March 2-6, 2012, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added two individuals and three entities to its "Specially Designated Nationals" list. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

On March 5, 2012, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified the Syrian General Organization of Radio and TV as subject to sanctions imposed on the Government of Syria by Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, which blocks all property and interests in property of the Government of Syria. The General Organization of Radio and TV is a state-run agency subordinate to Syria’s Ministry of Information.

Export.gov has announced a series of international trade shows that are scheduled for March 2012 through April 2013.

The Foreign Agricultural Service has amended the availability of credit guarantees for sales of U.S. agricultural commodities under the Commodity Credit Corporation's Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102) for fiscal year 2012, for Turkey (here)

The Foreign Agricultural Service’s Agricultural Trade Office in Seoul, Korea recently launched a website to showcase potential opportunities to be created by the U.S. Korea Trade Agreement, which will take effect on March 15, 2012. The FAS recommends that U.S. agricultural exporters and those interested in expanding sales to international markets visit the page, titled What U.S. Exporters Need to Know about the KORUS Agreement, to learn about the agreement and understand the new tariff schedules. Information available on the website includes effects of KORUS on key products, monthly Korean trade statistics, and instructions on how to determine tariffs under KORUS.

The Office of Management and Budget has approved a Department of Defense final rule on FAR Case 2010-018 - Representation Regarding Export of Sensitive Technology to Iran.

Export.gov has updated their list domestic trade shows that are scheduled for March - December 2012.