The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls announces that systems will undergo network maintenance on Friday, January 14, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. EST until Monday, January 17, 2011 6:00 a.m. EST. During this time, the D-Trade system will be unavailable to accept submissions; EFS, ELLIE and MARY will be unavailable; and the pmddtc.state.gov website will not be available.
In December 2010, the State Department issued and an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) requesting comments on revisions to make the USML positive and tiered, etc., and a proposed rule to revise Category VII of the U.S. Munitions List (tanks and military vehicles) to assign tiers and describe more precisely the defense articles therein.
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has announced the following entity name changes for new DDTC license applications. New license applications received after the listed deadline will be considered for return without action for correction to the new name (notices hyperlinked):
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls announces that effective immediately, the responsibility for export contracts will transfer from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency (FXM). All currently approved DSP authorizations will not require an amendment to reflect the transfer; however, a copy of DDTC's website notice must be attached to a currently approved license. New license applications received after February 15, 2011, identifying the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) as a party to the license will be considered for return without action for correction to the new name.
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has posted a reminder that all companies and individuals registered as a broker at any time during calendar year 2010 must submit an annual brokering report to DDTC by January 31, 2011. Guidance on what must be included in the report can be found in 22 CFR 129.9.
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has announced the following entity name and/or address change(s) for new DDTC license applications. New license applications received after the listed deadline will be considered for return without action for correction to the new name/address (notices hyperlinked):
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls has posted the presentations and working drafts from the Defense Trade Advisory Group's (DTAG) October 20, 2010 Plenary Session on "positive" lists for U.S. Munitions List Category VIII, Category XI, and Category XII, which incorporate DDTC's proposed tiering system for each of these categories. DDTC has also posted the tasking letter and overview from the session.
The Government Accountability Office has sent a letter to Congressional requestors1 entitled "Export Controls: Agency Actions and Proposed Reform Initiatives May Address Previously Identified Weaknesses, but Challenges Remain."
The following are highlights of the trade-related Executive Communications sent to Congress from December 8, 2010 to December 16, 2010:
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has announced that special agents of its Homeland Security Investigations have charged Marc Knapp of Simi Valley, CA for engaging in a seven-month course of criminal conduct involving controlled technology exports to Hungary and attempted exports to Iran and Russia.