15 CFR 774.1 - Introduction.

This rule updates the Code of Federal Regulations legal authority citations for the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to include the citations to the President's Notice of August 15, 2012—Continuation of Emergency Regarding Export Control Regulations and the President's Notice of May 19, 2012—Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Actions of the Government of Syria. It also adds a citation to Executive Order 13338 to the authority citations paragraph of part 746 of the EAR.

In this final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1823 (2008), which, among other things, terminated sanctions against Rwanda concerning “arms and related materiel” imposed in 1994 pursuant to UNSCR 918. This rule includes conforming changes in the EAR related to the termination of the United Nations embargo on “arms and related materiel” against Rwanda, including the removal of machetes from the Commerce Control List (CCL). Further, BIS amends Part 746 (Embargoes and Other Special Controls) of the EAR to require a license to export or reexport certain items to countries subject to United Nations Security Council arms embargoes. A presumptive denial policy will apply to applications to export or reexport items that are controlled for UN reasons and that would contravene a United Nations Security Council arms embargo.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this final rule, which amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by establishing a new Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) series, 0Y521, on the Commerce Control List (CCL) and makes corresponding changes to the EAR. The ECCN 0Y521 series will be used for items that warrant control on the CCL but are not yet identified in an existing ECCN. As BIS explained in the proposed rule issued on July 15, 2011 (76 FR 41958), this new temporary holding classification is equivalent to United States Munitions List (USML) Category XXI (Miscellaneous Articles), but with a limitation that while an item is temporarily classified under ECCN 0Y521, the U.S. Government works to adopt a control through the relevant multilateral regime(s); to determine an appropriate longer-term control over the item; or determines that the item does not warrant control on the CCL. Items will be added to the 0Y521 ECCNs by the Department of Commerce, with the concurrence of the Departments of Defense and State, when it identifies an item that should be controlled because it provides a significant military or intelligence advantage to the United States or because foreign policy reasons justify such control. The 0Y521 series was described in the July 15, 2011 proposed rule that identified a framework for how articles, which the President determines, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, no longer warrant control on the USML would be controlled under the CCL. In this rule, however, the 0Y521 provisions are being published in final form, with necessary corresponding changes, separate from the other July 15 rule proposals. Public comments on the other July 15 proposals remain under BIS review.

This correction adds a compliance date of February 9, 2012, to a final rule published on January 9, 2012 (77 FR 1017). That final rule imposed a license requirement on exports and reexports to all destinations other than Canada of two types of microwave and millimeter wave electronic components. The two components are packaged high electron mobility transistors and packaged microwave “monolithic integrated circuits” power amplifiers that meet certain criteria with respect to frequency range, size and output power. BIS is publishing this correction to make sure exporters and reexporters have sufficient time to comply with the rule.

This rule imposes a license requirement on exports and reexports to all destinations other than Canada of two types of microwave and millimeter wave electronic components. The two components are packaged high electron mobility transistors and packaged microwave “monolithic integrated circuits” power amplifiers that meet certain criteria with respect to frequency range, size and output power. BIS takes this step to control exports and reexports of these components, which have uses in military radar systems as well as in civilian radar and telecommunications systems. The U.S. Government also plans to propose adding these components to the Dual List of the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (Wassenaar Arrangement Dual Use List) in 2012.

On December 9, 2010, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking entitled Commerce Control List: Revising Descriptions of Items and Foreign Availability as part of the President's Export Control Reform (ECR) Initiative. The December 9, 2010 notice sought, among other things, public comments on how descriptions of items controlled on the Commerce Control List (CCL) could be made clearer. This proposed rule would implement changes identified by BIS and the public that would make the CCL clearer. This rule would only implement changes that can be made to the CCL without requiring changes to multilateral export control regime guidelines or lists. However, BIS has identified changes that would require a decision of a multilateral regime to implement. For those changes, the U.S. Government is developing regime change proposals for consideration by members of those multilateral export control regimes. BIS will implement those changes in separate rulemakings, if approved by the respective multilateral export control regimes.

This proposed rule describes how certain articles the President determines no longer warrant control under the United States Munitions List (USML) would be controlled on the Commerce Control List (CCL). Those articles and the USML categories under which they are currently controlled are: Military electronics (Category XI) and certain cryogenic and superconductive equipment designed for installation in military vehicles and that can operate while in motion (Categories VI, VII, VIII, and XV). Military electronics and related items would be controlled by new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 3A611, 3B611, 3D611, and 3E611 proposed by this rule. Cryogenic and superconducting equipment for military vehicles and related items would be controlled under new ECCNs 9A620, 9B620, 9D620, and 9E620. This proposed rule also would amend ECCNs 7A001 and 7A101 to apply the missile technology reason for control only to items in those ECCNs on the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex. This is one in a planned series of proposed rules describing how various types of articles the President determines, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, no longer warrant USML control, would be controlled on the CCL and by the EAR. This proposed rule is being published in conjunction with a proposed rule from the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which would amend the list of articles controlled by USML Category XI.

This rule updates the Code of Federal Regulations legal authority citations for the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to include the citations to the President's Notice of August 15, 2012—Continuation of Emergency Regarding Export Control Regulations and the President's Notice of May 19, 2012—Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Actions of the Government of Syria. It also adds a citation to Executive Order 13338 to the authority citations paragraph of part 746 of the EAR.

In this final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1823 (2008), which, among other things, terminated sanctions against Rwanda concerning “arms and related materiel” imposed in 1994 pursuant to UNSCR 918. This rule includes conforming changes in the EAR related to the termination of the United Nations embargo on “arms and related materiel” against Rwanda, including the removal of machetes from the Commerce Control List (CCL). Further, BIS amends Part 746 (Embargoes and Other Special Controls) of the EAR to require a license to export or reexport certain items to countries subject to United Nations Security Council arms embargoes. A presumptive denial policy will apply to applications to export or reexport items that are controlled for UN reasons and that would contravene a United Nations Security Council arms embargo.

President Obama directed the Administration in August 2009 to conduct a broad-based review of the U.S. export control system in order to identify additional ways to enhance national security. Then-Secretary of Defense Gates described in April 2010 the initial results of that effort and why fundamental reform of the U.S. export control system is necessary to enhance national security. Since then, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, and the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), Department of State, have published multiple proposed amendments to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), respectively, that would implement various aspects of what has become known as the Export Control Reform Initiative. One aspect of the reform effort would result in the transfer of control to the EAR of items the President determines no longer warrant control under ITAR, once congressional notification requirements and corresponding amendments to the ITAR and the EAR are completed. This proposed rule addresses issues pertaining to transition of control over such items. It complements the Export Control Transition Plan, a proposed policy statement and request for comments issued by DDTC. This rule proposes to amend the EAR by, inter alia, establishing a General Order regarding continued use of State authorizations for a specified period, by broadening license exceptions in the EAR to make them consistent with ITAR exemptions, and by extending the validity period of Commerce licenses. Any modifications to License Exceptions specific to particular types of items, such as firearms, will be addressed in the proposed rules pertaining specifically to those items. This rule also addresses specific concerns raised in public comments on recent rules by proposing a revised de minimis rule for “600 series” items, i.e., the items the President determines no longer warrant control on the USML and that would thus be controlled in the “600 series” of the EAR's Commerce Control List (CCL). Finally, this rule proposes additional conforming changes that are necessary to implement the Export Control Reform Initiative, but also would affect items currently subject to the EAR, such as changes to reporting thresholds for the Automated Export System. In addition, this proposed rule addresses issues raised by the public in response to a notice requesting comments on the streamlining of BIS's regulations published on August 5, 2011 (76 FR 47527). On January 18, 2011, President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13563, affirming general principles of regulation and directing government agencies to conduct retrospective reviews of existing regulations. Although the Export Control Reform Initiative did not originate with Executive Order 13563, it is entirely consistent in spirit and substance. BIS issued a notice soliciting public comment on streamlining its regulations pursuant to the President's Executive Order. In response to the public comments received on the notice, and consistent with BIS's internal analysis, this rule proposes revisions to license exceptions for government uses and temporary exports that streamline and update unduly complex or outmoded provisions in addition to broadening certain provisions to implement Export Control Reform. Other proposed changes to the EAR warranted by the Executive Order will be addressed in separate Federal Register notices. Commerce's full plan can be accessed at: http://open.commerce.gov/news/2011/08/23/commerce-plan-retrospective-analysis-existing-rules.

This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category IX (Military Training Equipment and Training) of the United States Munitions List (USML) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) in new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 0A614, 0B614, 0D614, and 0E614. This rule is one in a planned series of proposed rules describing how various types of articles the President determines, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, no longer warrant USML control, would be controlled on the CCL and by the EAR. This proposed rule is being published in conjunction with a proposed rule from the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which would amend the list of articles enumerated in USML Category IX. The revisions in this rule are part of Commerce's retrospective plan under EO 13563 completed in August 2011. Commerce's full plan can be accessed at: http://open.commerce.gov/news/2011/08/23/commerce-plan-retrospective-analysis-existing-rules .

This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant export control under Category X (Protective Personnel Equipment and Shelters) of the United States Munitions List (USML), would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) in new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 1A613, 1B613, 1D613, and 1E613. In conjunction with establishing these new ECCNs, this proposed rule would control military helmets (currently controlled under ECCNs 0A018 and 0A988) under new ECCN 1A613 and amend ECCN 1A005 for body armor. This proposed rule also would remove machetes from ECCN 0A988. This is one in a planned series of proposed rules describing how various types of articles the President determines, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, no longer warrant USML control, would be controlled on the CCL and by the EAR. This proposed rule is being published in conjunction with a proposed rule of the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), which would amend the list of articles controlled by USML Category X in the International Traffic In Arms Regulations (ITAR).

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this action to propose how auxiliary and miscellaneous military equipment and related articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category XIII (Auxiliary Military Equipment) of the United States Munitions List (USML) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) in new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 0A617, 0B617, 0C617, 0D617, and 0E617 as part of the proposed new “600 series” of ECCNs. This rule proposes also to integrate into those five new ECCNs items within the scope of Wassenaar Arrangement Munitions List (WAML) Category 17 that would be removed from the USML, or that are not specifically identified on the USML or CCL but that are currently subject to USML jurisdiction. Finally, this rule proposes to control some items now classified under ECCNs 0A018, 0A918 and 0E018 under new ECCNs 0A617 and 0E617. This action would consolidate the above-mentioned auxiliary and miscellaneous military equipment and related articles on the CCL in the proposed new “600 series.” This rule is one of a planned series proposing how various types of articles that the President determines, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, no longer warrant control on the USML under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), would be controlled on the CCL in accordance with the requirements of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This proposed rule is being published in conjunction with a proposed rule from the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which would amend the list of articles controlled by USML Category XIII.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this proposed rule describing how energetic materials and related articles that the President determines no longer warrant control under Category V (Explosives and Energetic Materials, Propellants, Incendiary Agents and Their Constituents) of the United States Munitions List (USML) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) in new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 1B608, 1C608, 1D608, and 1E608. If implemented, this proposed rule would also control under ECCN 1C111 some of the aluminum powder and hydrazine and derivatives thereof that are now controlled under Category V of the USML. This proposed rule also would control equipment for the “production” of explosives and solid propellants, currently controlled under ECCN 1B018.a, and related “software,” currently controlled under ECCN 1D018, under new ECCNs 1B608 and 1D608, respectively. In addition, this proposed rule would control commercial charges and devices containing energetic materials, which are currently controlled under ECCN 1C018, under new ECCN 1C608. This is one of a planned series of proposed rules describing how various types of articles that the President determines, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, no longer warrant control on the USML, under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), would be controlled on the CCL in accordance with the requirements of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This proposed rule is being published in conjunction with a proposed rule from the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which would amend the list of articles controlled by USML Category V.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this final rule, which amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by establishing a new Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) series, 0Y521, on the Commerce Control List (CCL) and makes corresponding changes to the EAR. The ECCN 0Y521 series will be used for items that warrant control on the CCL but are not yet identified in an existing ECCN. As BIS explained in the proposed rule issued on July 15, 2011 (76 FR 41958), this new temporary holding classification is equivalent to United States Munitions List (USML) Category XXI (Miscellaneous Articles), but with a limitation that while an item is temporarily classified under ECCN 0Y521, the U.S. Government works to adopt a control through the relevant multilateral regime(s); to determine an appropriate longer-term control over the item; or determines that the item does not warrant control on the CCL. Items will be added to the 0Y521 ECCNs by the Department of Commerce, with the concurrence of the Departments of Defense and State, when it identifies an item that should be controlled because it provides a significant military or intelligence advantage to the United States or because foreign policy reasons justify such control. The 0Y521 series was described in the July 15, 2011 proposed rule that identified a framework for how articles, which the President determines, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, no longer warrant control on the USML would be controlled under the CCL. In this rule, however, the 0Y521 provisions are being published in final form, with necessary corresponding changes, separate from the other July 15 rule proposals. Public comments on the other July 15 proposals remain under BIS review.

This correction adds a compliance date of February 9, 2012, to a final rule published on January 9, 2012 (77 FR 1017). That final rule imposed a license requirement on exports and reexports to all destinations other than Canada of two types of microwave and millimeter wave electronic components. The two components are packaged high electron mobility transistors and packaged microwave “monolithic integrated circuits” power amplifiers that meet certain criteria with respect to frequency range, size and output power. BIS is publishing this correction to make sure exporters and reexporters have sufficient time to comply with the rule.

This rule imposes a license requirement on exports and reexports to all destinations other than Canada of two types of microwave and millimeter wave electronic components. The two components are packaged high electron mobility transistors and packaged microwave “monolithic integrated circuits” power amplifiers that meet certain criteria with respect to frequency range, size and output power. BIS takes this step to control exports and reexports of these components, which have uses in military radar systems as well as in civilian radar and telecommunications systems. The U.S. Government also plans to propose adding these components to the Dual List of the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (Wassenaar Arrangement Dual Use List) in 2012.