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February 25, 2010
Obama's Pledge to Double Exports
in Five Years
Gary C. Hufbauer, from the Institute
for International Economics, discusses the Obama export plan, arguing
that it will be politically challenging and difficult to complete
in the stated time frame.
http://www.cfr.org/publication/21522/obamas_flawed_export_plan.html
February 22, 2010
Bureau of Industry and Security Releases Compliance Guidelines
The Office of Exporter Services of the Bureau of Industry and Security
released "Compliance Guidelines: How to Develop and Effective
Export Management and Compliance Program and Manual" which
aims to help companies develop a comprehensive Export Management
and Compliance Program (EMCP) through information, tools, and templates.
February 4, 2010
Commerce Secretary Locke outlines
the National Export Initiative
Gary Locke, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce delivered the speech
"Back to Basics: A Blueprint for Exports-Driven Job Growth"
at the National Press Club today. Secretary Locke detailed what
would be included in the National Export Initiative mentioned in
President Obama's speech. The Initiative aims to double U.S. Exports
to $2 trillion by 2015.
The general themes of the speech were
outlined on the White
House Blog.
Daily
Finance interviewed Secretary Locke following his speech.
January 28, 2010
President Obama sets out proposal to reform export controls in
the State of the Union
On Wednesday, President Obama cited increasing exports as one of
the primary ways the U.S. will recover from the recession:
.... we need to export more of our
goods. Because the more products we make and sell to other countries,
the more jobs we support right here in America. So tonight, we set
a new goal: We will double our exports over the next five years,
an increase that will support two million jobs in America. To help
meet this goal, we're launching a National Export Initiative
that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports,
and reform export controls consistent with national security.
Read
full transcript of the State of the Union here
A review of export control policy by the Obama Administration is
currently under way. Recently, the Export Control Practitioners
Group sent a detailed
set of recommendations for reform to the administration.
Bill Reinsch, President of the National Foreign Trade Council will
be speaking at the upcoming February 10 NCITD Compliance Meeting
on the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness and the most recent
export control reform efforts.
January 20, 2010
NCITD International Trade Scholarship
Program: 2010-2011
In recognition of the responsibility
of NCITD to promote and provide international trade education, NCITD
has established a yearly scholarship for students of international
trade.
Scholarships awarded (minimum $1,000)
will be paid directly to the institution, in the name of the awardee(s).
Awardee(s) will also receive a one-year
NCITD membership and will be welcome to attend monthly meetings
(if not currently a member).
Read
the full Scholarship Program Announcement Here
NCITD
International Trade Scholarship Program Application
January 19, 2010
The Export Control Practictioners Group Releases Set of Recommendations
for Export Control Reform
The Export Control Practitioners Group, which is made up of
various associations (including NCITD), businesses, and compliance
experts released a set of proposed reforms to export control system.
The Practitioners Group’s guiding
principles for reform include the following:
• Pursue reform with a government/private
sector partnership at the center.
• Ensure accountability in the decision-making process.
• Control lists, thresholds, and parameters must keep pace with
advances in critical technologies.
• Controls must take into account the globalization of research
and development of new technologies.
• Export controls must be multilateral to be effective in denying
controlled technology to our adversaries.
• A strong technology industrial base is critical to maintaining
a strong national defense.
You may read the letter and detailed recommendations here.
September 29, 2009
Iran Sanctions
As concerns over Iran's nuclear aspirations
increase, the Obama administration is working on plans to further
isolate Iran if talks over Iran's nuclear ambitions fail. While
there is still hope that the discussions will be succcesful, the
Obama administration is focusing on restricting the ease with which
Iranian companies move goods around the world. The insurance and
reinsurance industries are currently of particular interest to the
administration.
The
Washington Post published an article outlining the potential
changes, and positing that new sanctions and measures are unlikely,
but that increased enforcement will take place.
The Council on Foreign Relations recently produced a backgrounder
on the history of sanctions on Iran.
Congressional Research Service has a more
detailed summary of Iran sanctions.
December 4, 2008
NCITD Seeking Comments
on Effectiveness of OFAC's Agricultural/Medical Licensing Program
On November 17, 2008, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
published a notice in the Federal Register (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-27242.pdf)
requesting comments "on the effectiveness of OFAC's licensing
procedures for the exportation of agricultural commodities, medicine,
and medical devices to Sudan and Iran" under the Trade Sanctions
Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA). The comments will
be included in the biennial report that OFAC is required to submit
to Congress.
Those familiar with the
TSRA Ag/Med licensing process are aware that it is currently taking
OFAC many months to process and issue TSRA licenses. Therefore,
these comments are very important if the program is to be improved.
NCITD will be working
with other organizations to submit a joint submission to OFAC with
industry comments on the TSRA Ag/Med licensing process. Therefore,
for purposes of the comments we are seeking the following information
regarding your experiences in obtaining TSRA Ag/Med licenses from
OFAC during 2007 and 2008, including:
* The number of days (actual
days, not business days) that it took to receive a TSRA Ag/Med license
from OFAC from the date the license application was submitted;
* Describe your experience
in obtaining renewals of previously issued TSRA Ag/Med licenses.
For example, was new information requested that was not requested
in the past?;
* Have any license applications
for renewals of previously issued TSRA Ag/Med licenses been denied?;
* Describe your experiences
in dealing with OFAC in obtaining the status of TSRA Ag/Med licenses;
* Provide your comments
and suggestions ways to improve OFAC's TSRA Ag/Med licensing process.
Please send your comments
with respect to TSRA licenses by December 12, 2008 to christina-at-ncitd.org.
Your information will be treated confidentially and, other than
factual information provided in your submission, no company names
will be included in the final comments submitted to OFAC.
October 27, 2008
GAO Publishes Report
Calling on Commerce to Suspend VEU Program to China
The Government Accountability
Office (GAO) made public a report recommending that the Department
of Commerce suspend the Validated End-User (VEU) program to China
until a new agreement is reached to conduct onsite reviews and establish
VEU-specific procedures for these reviews.
The report, "Challenges
with Commerce's Validated End-User Program May Limit Its Ability
to Ensure That Semiconductor Equipment Exported to China Is Used
as Intended" was updated from 2002 at the request of the
Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. GAO's major criticism is
that the Department of Commerce did not negotiate a VEU-specific
agreement or amend the 2004 End Use Visit Understanding (EUVU) with
the Chinese government. Commerce has disagreed with the GAO's findings,
stating that it can use the 2004 EUVU to carry out on-site reviews.
While the report focuses
on semiconductor exports to China, it highlights issues which apply
broadly to the VEU program in China.
October 15, 2008
October
27, 2008: BIS Public Meeting on Establisment of License Exception
Intra-Company Transfer (ICT):
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will hold a public meeting
on October 27, 2008 to discuss the new ICT license exception that
would be established under the Export Administration Regulations
(EAR) as presented in the proposed
rule published in the Federal Register on October, 3, 2008.
September 23, 2008
H.R.
7002: Today, the "MOVEMENT Act of 2008" was introduced,
calling for exporters and importers to pay a fee to fund transportation,
port security, and environmental projects.
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