15 CFR - Commerce and Foreign Trade

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding thirty-three (33) persons to the Unverified List (“UVL”) and adding an additional address for one (1) person currently listed on the UVL. The thirty-three persons are being added to the UVL on the basis that BIS could not verify their bona fides because an end-use check could not be completed satisfactorily for reasons outside the U.S. Government's control. A new address is added for one person as BIS has determined that this person is receiving exports from the United States at an additional address.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) issues this final rule amending its regulations to clarify that the data collected from the Kimberley Process Certificates (KPCs) are collected in compliance with the Clean Diamond Trade Act. In addition, this rule clarifies the submission requirements and permissible uses of the KPCs.

In a final rule published on January 19, 2017, federal departments and agencies made revisions to the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (hereafter the “2018 Requirements”). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopted the same regulatory changes in a separate final rule published on September 18, 2017. The 2018 Requirements were scheduled to become effective on January 19, 2018, with a general compliance date of January 19, 2018 (with the exception of the revisions to the cooperative research provision). The departments and agencies listed in this document have also published an interim final rule delaying the effective date and general compliance date for the 2018 Requirements for six months, to cover the time period of January 19, 2018 until July 19, 2018. As per the interim final rule, the effective date of the 2018 Requirements is now July 19, 2018. The departments and agencies listed in this document propose delaying the general compliance date for the 2018 Requirements for an additional six months, for the time period of July 19, 2018 until January 21, 2019. This proposed rule is intended to provide additional time to regulated entities for the preparations necessary to implement the 2018 Requirements. This proposed rule, if finalized, would require regulated entities to continue to comply with the requirements of the current Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (hereafter the “pre-2018 Requirements”) until January 21, 2019. This proposal also takes comment on whether to permit institutions to implement, for certain research studies, the following provisions in the 2018 Requirements during the period from July 19, 2018, until January 21, 2019, that the general compliance date is delayed. Those three provisions, intended to reduce burdens on regulated entities, are the 2018 Requirements' definition of “research,” which deems certain activities not to be research, the allowance for no annual continuing review of certain categories of research, and the elimination of the requirement that institutional review boards (IRBs) review grant applications related to the research. The way that this option is proposed, regulated entities would be required to comply with all pre-2018 Requirements during the period that the general compliance date is delayed, except for provisions substituted by the three burden-reducing provisions of the 2018 Requirements. As described in section III, below, this flexibility is proposed only for studies for which an institution makes a choice to transition to comply with the 2018 Requirements, beginning on July 19, 2018. In order to clearly describe this proposed flexibility, including how it would impact institutions choosing to transition research to comply with the 2018 Requirements, this document proposes a redrafted transition provision.

This rule removes part 2008 of the Office of the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) regulations, which established policy and procedure for the classification and safeguarding of national security information by USTR staff. USTR has replaced the rule, which was promulgated in 1979 and is based on a superseded Executive Order, with updated plain language guidance that is available on the USTR website.

In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to impose a license requirement on exports and reexports of specified target assemblies and components for the production of tritium under new Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 1A231, and for the related “production” technology for 1A231 commodities covered under ECCNs 1E001 and 1E201. The items identified in this rule are controlled for nuclear nonproliferation (NP) Column 1 and anti-terrorism (AT) Column 1 reasons. These new classifications are the result of a U.S. Government proposal submitted and agreed to by members of the relevant multilateral regime, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), in June 2017. This final rule, as required under the 0Y521 procedure and in fulfillment of multilateral commitments, implements the multilateral control for the items adopted by the NSG.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this final rule to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement the recommendations presented at the February 2017 Australia Group (AG) Intersessional Implementation Meeting, and later adopted pursuant to the AG silent approval procedure, and the recommendations made at the June 2017 AG Plenary Implementation Meeting and adopted by the AG Plenary. This rule amends the following Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) on the Commerce Control List (CCL) to reflect the February 2017 Intersessional Implementation Meeting recommendations that were adopted by the AG: ECCN 2B350 (by adding certain prefabricated repair assemblies, and specially designed components therefor, that are designed for attachment to glass-lined reaction vessels, reactors, storage tanks, containers or receivers controlled by this entry); ECCN 2B351 (by clarifying that toxic gas monitoring equipment includes toxic gas monitors and monitoring systems, as well as their dedicated detecting components); and ECCN 2B352 (by adding certain nucleic acid assemblers and synthesizers to this entry and clarifying how the capacity of certain fermenters should be measured for purposes of determining whether they are controlled under this entry). Consistent with the June 2017 AG Plenary Implementation Meeting recommendations that were adopted by the AG, this rule amends the following ECCNs on the CCL: ECCN 1C353 (to clarify that genetically modified organisms include organisms in which the nucleic acid sequences have been created or altered by deliberate molecular manipulation and that inactivated organisms containing recoverable nucleic acids are considered to be genetic elements) and ECCN 1C350 (by addingN,N-Diisopropylamino­ethanethiol hydrochloride). This rule also corrects several typographical errors in a note to ECCN 1C351 and updates the advance notification requirements in the EAR that apply to certain exports of saxitoxin. Finally, this rule amends the EAR to reflect the addition of India as a participating country in the AG.

This final rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding twenty-three persons to the Entity List. These twenty-three persons have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States and will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Pakistan, Singapore and South Sudan. This rule also removes one person under the destination of Ecuador and one person under the destination of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) from the Entity List. Both removals are the result of requests for removal received by BIS pursuant to the section of the EAR used for requesting removal or modification of an Entity List entry and a review of information provided in the removal requests. Lastly, this rule corrects the license requirement for twelve entities that were added under the destination of Russia as part of a recent BIS rule.

This interim final rule amends the National Security Industrial Base Regulations to add two new supplements. The new supplements set forth the process for how parties in the United States may submit requests for exclusions from actions taken by the President (“exclusion requests”) to protect national security from threats resulting from imports of specified articles. The new supplements also set forth the requirements and process for how parties in the United States may submit objections to the granting of an exclusion request. The supplements are being added to implement Presidential Proclamations 9704 and 9705 of March 8, 2018 (“Proclamations”), adjusting imports of steel articles identified in Proclamation 9705 (“steel”) and aluminum articles identified in Proclamation 9704 (“aluminum”) through the imposition of duties so that imports of steel articles and aluminum articles will no longer threaten to impair the national security. As set forth in the Proclamations, the President concurred with the findings of the Secretary of Commerce (“Secretary”) in two reports to the President on the investigations under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, of the effect of imports of steel and aluminum, respectively, on the national security of the United States. The Proclamations authorize the Secretary to grant exclusions from the duties upon request of affected parties if the steel or aluminum articles are determined not to be produced in the United States in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of a satisfactory quality or based upon specific national security considerations. The President directed the Secretary to promulgate regulations as may be necessary to set forth the procedures for an exclusion process.

Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) section 610 requires that NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) periodically review existing regulations that have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, such as small businesses, small organizations, and small governmental jurisdictions. This plan describes how ONMS will perform this review and describes the regulations proposed for review in 2018.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) with this final rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding twenty-one entities to the Entity List. The twenty-one entities that are added to the Entity List have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. BIS is taking this action to ensure the efficacy of existing sanctions on the Russian Federation (Russia) for violating international law and fueling the conflict in eastern Ukraine. These entities will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Georgia, Poland and Russia.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, is seeking public comments to perform a complementary review of items on the Commerce Control List concurrent with the Department of State's review of the controls implemented in its recent revisions of parts of the United States Munitions List (which control explosives and energetic materials, propellants, incendiary agents and their constituents; personal protective equipment; and military electronics), to ensure that the descriptions of these items on the CCL are clear, items for normal commercial use are not inadvertently controlled as military items on the USML, technological developments are accounted for on the control lists, and controls properly implement the national security and foreign policy objectives of the United States. This Notice of Inquiry also furthers the regulatory reform agenda directed by the President in Executive Order 13777.

This rulemaking proposes revisions to the Department of Commerce's (Department) regulations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act. The FOIA regulations are being revised to clarify, update and streamline the language of several procedural provisions, including methods for submitting FOIA requests and appeals and the time limits for filing an administrative appeal, and to incorporate certain changes brought about by the amendments to the FOIA under the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. Additionally, the FOIA regulations are being updated to reflect developments in the case law.

This final rule amends regulations of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to set forth the reporting requirements for the mandatory BE-120 Benchmark Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intellectual Property with Foreign Persons. This survey applies to the 2017 fiscal reporting year. The benchmark survey covers the universe of transactions in selected services and intellectual property and is BEA's most comprehensive survey of such transactions. For the 2017 benchmark survey, BEA is making changes to the reporting requirements of the survey, the data items collected, and the design of the survey form to satisfy changing data needs and to improve data quality and the effectiveness and efficiency of data collections.

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding twenty-one persons under twenty-three entries to the Entity List. The twenty-one persons who are added to the Entity List have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. These twenty-one persons will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Bulgaria, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). In addition, this rule amends the EAR by removing three entities from the Entity List. This rule removes one entity listed under the destination of Taiwan and two entities listed under the destination of the U.A.E. from the Entity List. All three of the removals are the results of requests for removal received by BIS pursuant to the section of the EAR used for requesting removal or modification of an Entity List entry and a review of information provided in the removal requests. Finally, this final rule modifies two existing entries on the Entity List. This rule modifies one entry under China and one entry under Pakistan to provide additional or modified addresses and/or names for these persons.

In a final rule published on January 19, 2017, federal departments and agencies listed in this document made revisions to the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopted the same regulatory changes in a separate final rule published on September 18, 2017. The revised policy, reflected in both final rules, is described here as the “2018 Requirements.” The 2018 Requirements are scheduled to become effective on January 19, 2018, with a general compliance date of January 19, 2018 (with the exception of the revisions to the cooperative research provision). This interim final rule delays the effective date and general compliance date of the 2018 Requirements to July 19, 2018. The federal departments and agencies listed in this document are in the process of developing a proposed rule to further delay implementation of the 2018 Requirements. The limited implementation delay accomplished by this interim final rule both provides additional time to regulated entities for the preparations necessary to implement the 2018 Requirements, and additional time for the departments and agencies listed in this document to seek input from interested stakeholders through a notice and comment rulemaking process that allows for public engagement on the proposal for a further implementation delay.

In this final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security corrects certain provisions in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to provide accurate references and fix typographical errors, and amend several Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) to enhance consistency with the other ECCNs on the Commerce Control List (CCL). The corrections are editorial in nature and do not affect license requirements.

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding two entities to the Entity List. The two entities being added to the Entity List have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. These two entities will be listed on the Entity List under the destination of Russia.

This final rule amends regulations of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to set forth the reporting requirements for the 2017 BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States. The BE-12 survey is conducted every five years; the prior survey covered 2012. The benchmark survey covers the universe of foreign direct investment in the United States and is BEA's most detailed survey of such investment. For the 2017 benchmark survey, BEA will make changes in data items collected, the design of the survey forms, and the reporting requirements for the survey to satisfy changing data needs and to improve data quality and the effectiveness and efficiency of data collection.

This proposed rule would amend regulations of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to renew reporting requirements for the mandatory BE-120 Benchmark Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intellectual Property with Foreign Persons. This survey will apply to the 2017 fiscal reporting year. The benchmark survey covers the universe of transactions in selected services and intellectual property and is BEA's most comprehensive survey of such transactions. For the 2017 benchmark survey, BEA proposes several changes in the data items collected, the design of the survey form, and the reporting requirements for the survey. This mandatory survey would be conducted under the authority of the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

This rule amends the licensing policy for Cuba and portions of three license exceptions available for exports and reexports to Cuba: License Exceptions Gift Parcels and Humanitarian Donations (“GFT”), Consumer Communications Devices (“CCD”), and Support for the Cuban People (“SCP”). The Bureau of Industry and Security is publishing this rule to implement portions of the National Security Presidential Memorandum on Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba, dated June 16, 2017.

This final rule makes clarifications to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to provide guidance based on existing agency understanding and practice on the use of two license exceptions. Specifically, this final rule makes three clarifications to License Exception Governments, International Organizations, International Inspections under the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the International Space Station (GOV) and adds five notes, along with making other minor clarifications, to License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA). These revisions respond to questions BIS has received about the use of these two EAR license exceptions and provide the general public answers to frequently asked questions based on existing agency interpretive practice. Therefore, the clarifications in this final rule do not change the EAR requirements for the use of the license exceptions but are intended to assist exporters new to the EAR.

In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to revise the existing Validated End-User (VEU) list for the People's Republic of China (PRC) by updating the list of eligible destinations (facilities) and eligible items in Supplement No. 7 to part 748 for Lam Research Service Co., Ltd. (Lam). The End-User Review Committee (ERC) reviewed and authorized the amendments to the eligible facilities in response to a request made by Lam and in accordance with established procedures. Changes to the list of eligible items are technical corrections intended to improve clarity. As a consequence of these amendments, the EAR will include an updated and accurate list of eligible items (items that may be exported, reexported and transferred (in-country)), and eligible Lam facilities in the PRC. Publication of this rule supports the VEU program by providing information that assists the exporting public.

The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) is seeking public comments to perform a review of the requirements governing routed export transactions. In particular, the Census Bureau is interested in comments regarding the definition of a routed export transaction as well as the responsibilities of parties in routed export transactions. Routed export transactions are transactions in which the Foreign Principal Party in Interest (FPPI) controls the movement of the goods out of the country. There are a variety of reasons why the FPPI assumes this responsibility such as the use of a preferred carrier and the desire to not disclose the ultimate consignee to the U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI), although the ultimate consignee is properly identified to the U.S. Government. Because the FPPI controls the movement of the goods in a routed transaction and cannot file Electronic Export Information (EEI), the Census Bureau requires the FPPI to authorize a U.S. authorized agent or the USPPI to file the EEI on its behalf. This ensures that the Census Bureau collects the statistical information.