The transfer of items from the U.S. Munitions List (USML) to the Commerce Control List (CCL) remains the flagship objective of the administration’s Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative but the administration is planning broader efforts to streamline export controls in the future, according to officials speaking at an Atlantic Council forum on July 31. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade and Regional Security, Beth McCormick, said the aim is enhanced interagency integration on numerous levels of export control.

The Department of State on July 16 issued a Presidential Permit to Vantage Pipeline US, enabling the organization to construct, operate and maintain pipeline facilities at the U.S. border with Canada in Divide County, N.D. The permit authorizes Vantage to export liquefied ethane to Canada. For further information, interested parties should contact the State Department Office of Europe, Western Hemisphere and Africa, Bureau of Energy Resources at 202-647-7553.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on July 25 approved additional medical supplies to the list of permissible export items to Iran under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR). The move updates section 560.530(a)(3)(i) and adds the items to section 560.530(a)(3)(ii), said the department’s website. OFAC also released new guidance (here) on the sale of food, agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices by non-U.S. persons to Iran.

The Bureau of Industry and Security-sponsored Update 2013 Conference on Export Controls (here) featured from July 23 to July 25 the following speeches and presentations, some of which were conducted in panel format:

The State Department (here) and the Bureau of Industry and Security (here) reproposed on July 24 concurrent rules to move some military electronics goods from control under Category XI of the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List. Both agencies said they're putting out a second proposal because of comments on their original November 2012 proposals that prompted changes that were substantial enough to merit another proposed rule and more comments (see 12112616). The relevant items include military electronics, and some superconducting and cryogenic equipment and related material. The concurrent rules are part of the administration’s Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative that targets streamlining of the export control lists. Both agencies will accept comments on this rule by Sept. 9.

The Automated Export System (AES) is critical for the Bureau of Industry and Security to assess export control reform's effect on exports, as the interagency effort continues to transfer United States Munitions List (USML) items to the Commerce Control List (CCL), according to Director of Office of Technology Evaluation at BIS Gerard Horner. Speaking at an AES panel during the Update 2013 Conference on Export Control, Horner said new validations and other “new elements” in the AES allow BIS to assess the impact regulations are having on trade.

U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman and officials from the Departments of State and Defense praised progress in revising U.S. Munitions List (USML) categories but said significantly more needs to be done towards export control reform (ECR), at the 26th annual Update Conference on Export Control. Beth McCormick from the State Department and Tim Hoffman, Deputy Director of the Defense Department, said ECR has seen “phenomenal” interagency collaboration so far, but agreed that much work was needed before moving to a single control list and single agency.

The Department of Commerce announced the location and agenda for a meeting of the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC), scheduled on Aug. 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT) in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, CINTAC intends to establish and organize subcommittees, as well as announce chair and vice-chair positions. A public comment period will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. For consideration during the meeting and to ensure transmission to the Committee beforehand, any member of the public may submit written comments by Aug. 23.

The Bureau of Industry and Security banned a Chicago man from exporting for ten years, in connection with his unlicensed export of a thermal imaging camera he had allegedly stolen from his employer. Orville Parker also failed to file a shipper’s export declaration (SED) or Automated Export System (AES) record, despite knowing it was necessary for the export valued over $2,500.

To comply with Commerce Department and federal web policies, the Automated Export System (AES) Direct web address is changing to reflect Census Bureau association. As of July 22, the AESDirect website address is aesdirect.census.gov (here). The website does not contain the prefix “www”, and the prefix "www" will prevent access to the site. The former address (www.aesdirect.gov) will redirect users to the new web address through September 9, 2013. After that, the old address will no longer be accessible. For further information or questions, contact the U.S. Census Bureau's Automated Export System Branch at (800) 549-0595 or askaes@census.gov.