The Departments of State and Treasury issued limited waivers allowing the export and reexport of U.S.-origin reconstruction items such as agricultural equipment, to opposition-controlled areas of Syria June 12. The new license policy will also allow U.S. companies to engage in transactions with Syria’s oil, agricultural and telecommunications sectors. The actions "still require companies interested in engaging in these transactions to come in and get specific licenses," said a senior State Department official in a June 12 briefing call (read the transcript here). "That ensures that relevant U.S. governments can review specific transactions to make sure that specifically sanctioned entities aren’t able to participate in those transactions and that those transactions are actually for the benefit of the Syrian people."
The Department of Energy issued a proposed rule amending the agency’s acquisition regulations to add export control requirements applicable to Department contracts. The rule adds two new Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation (DEAR) subparts -- 925.71 and 970.2571 -- which lay out how to comply with export control laws, regulations and directives. DOE contractors, however, are independently responsible for complying with U.S. export rules, the Department said. The proposed rule sets forth requirements for contractors. “It is the contractor’s responsibility to comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding export-controlled items,” the rule said. “This responsibility exists independent of, and is not established, or limited by, this DEAR rulemaking.”
The Export-Import Bank approved a $19.9 million loan to facilitate the export of a used liftboat to Nigeria, the Bank said June 7. The liftboat comes from Louisiana-based company Offshore Liftboats, which provides self-propelled and self-elevating liftboats to energy production and service companies. The loan will be extended to HSBC Bank for Michharry & Company of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Express Association of America announced creation of an Export Committee to manage policy issues around exports and export controls, in light of the Obama administration’s Export Control Reform initiative, EAA Executive Director Mike Mullen said June 7. The committee will “engage with relevant Government officials” to discuss the best way to implement ECR in the time-sensitive express environment, according to a statement from EAA. The committee will also meet with CBP and Census Bureau officials, to ensure the new Automated Export System is “integrated into the express operating environment efficiently, meeting both the Government’s and the private sector’s requirements.” EAA said. EAA represents the four largest integrated express carriers: DHL, FedEx, TNT and UPS. The Export Committee will hold its first meeting June 18. EAA has similar committees on customs, trade and security.
The Export-Import Bank is seeking comments on a $99 million loan application to support the export of aluminum beverage cans and ends manufacturing equipment to China. The U.S. exports, which will total about $110.4 million, will enable the Chinese company to produce about 2.8 billion aluminum cans each year, Ex-Im said. Available information shows that all the new foreign aluminum cans and ends produced will be entirely sold and consumed in China. Interested parties can submit comments to economic.impact@exim.gov or through the mail to Ex-Im offices by June 24.
Final rules on U.S. Munitions List edits to military vehicles, submarines, military vessels and miscellaneous items -- plus another proposed rule on changes to electronics -- will be the next steps in the Obama administration’s Export Control Reform initiative, Assistant Secretary for Export Administration Kevin Wolf said June 4.
The Bureau of Industry and Security published a final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations based off edits from the multilateral Australia Group, which maintains export controls on a list of chemicals, biological agents and related equipment and technology. The rule becomes effective June 5. It changes various Export Control Classification Numbers to reflect Australia Group (AG) plenary changes to the list of Biological Agents for Export Control. The ECCNs edited in the rule are:
The Export-Import Bank approved a $343.3 million direct loan to Hong Kong-based Asia Satellite Telecommunications to finance the purchase of two communications satellites from a California company, the Bank announced June 3. The satellites are being manufactured by Space Systems/Loral LLC, located in Palo Alto. The loan will also support launch services, supplied by Space Exploration Technologies in Hawthorne, California, and launch insurance from New York-based Marsh USA Inc.
The Census Bureau's Automated Export System branch is hosting an export assistance webinar in its "Go Global" series on June 7 at 1 p.m. EDT. The topic is "Picking Your Market/Trade Research." The webinar will include information on using USA Trade Online. Register and see the listing of upcoming Census webinars (here).
The Export-Import Bank is providing a $187.4 million capital-markets bond guarantee to finance helicopter exports to a Dublin aviation company, the largest financing of U.S. manufactured commercial helicopter exports in the Bank’s history, Ex-Im announced May 31. The bond will finance the export of Sikorsky S-92 helicopters to the Milestone Aviation Group in Dublin. The helicopters will be manufactured at Sikorsky’s facilities in Stratford, Connecticut and Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The helicopters will operate in the United Kingdom, Norway and Brazil, Ex-Im said. The bond guarantee is also the first time Ex-Im has supported exports to a helicopter-leasing company.