15 CFR Part 774 - THE COMMERCE CONTROL LIST

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, maintains the Export Administration Regulations, including the Commerce Control List (CCL). Certain items identified on the CCL are controlled for chemical/biological (CB) reasons, because they are identified on one of the common control lists maintained by the Australia Group (AG), which is a multilateral forum of countries (plus the European Union) that maintain export controls on specified chemicals, biological agents, and related equipment and technology that could be used in a chemical or biological weapons (CBW) program. Among the items subject to these CB controls are spraying or fogging systems described in Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 2B352.i on the CCL. Through this notice, BIS is seeking public comments as part of a review of the effectiveness of its controls on these systems, and “parts” and “components” therefor, to ensure that the descriptions of these items on the CCL are clear, do not inadvertently control items in normal commercial use, accurately reflect CB-related technological capabilities and developments, and are consistent with the principal objective of the AG, which is to ensure that exports of certain chemicals, biological agents, and dual-use chemical and biological manufacturing facilities and equipment, do not contribute to the spread of chemical and biological weapons (CBW). This notice also requests public comments on potential alternatives to the current controls in ECCN 2B352.i.

This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under United States Munitions List (USML) Category I—Firearms, Close Assault Weapons and Combat Shotguns; Category II—Guns and Armament; and Category III—Ammunition/Ordnance would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL). This proposed rule is being published simultaneously with a proposed rule by the Department of State that would revise Categories I, II, and III of the USML to describe more precisely the articles warranting continued control on that list.

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.

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.

In this final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security corrects an error in the text of Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 0D606, 0E606, and 8A609.

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 updates the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) legal authority paragraphs in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to cite the most recent Presidential notice continuing a national emergency declared pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This is a procedural, non-substantive rule that only updates authority paragraphs of the EAR. It does not alter any right, obligation or prohibition that applies to any person under the EAR.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) maintains, as part of its Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Commerce Control List (CCL), which identifies certain items subject to Department of Commerce jurisdiction. This final rule revises the CCL, as well as corresponding parts of the EAR, to implement changes made to the Wassenaar Arrangement List of Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (WA List) maintained and agreed to by governments participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (Wassenaar Arrangement, or WA) at the December 2016 WA Plenary meeting. The Wassenaar Arrangement advocates implementation of effective export controls on strategic items with the objective of improving regional and international security and stability. This rule harmonizes the CCL with the agreements reached at the 2016 Plenary meeting by revising Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) controlled for national security reasons in each category of the CCL, as well as making other associated changes to the EAR.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to reflect changes to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex that were agreed to by MTCR member countries at the October 2016 Plenary in Busan, South Korea, and the March 2016 Technical Experts Meeting (TEM) in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. This final rule revises thirteen Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs), adds one ECCN, revises two EAR defined terms (including making other EAR conforming changes for the use of these two terms) and makes conforming EAR changes where needed to implement the changes that were agreed to at the meetings and to better align the missile technology (MT) controls on the Commerce Control List (CCL) with the MTCR Annex.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) maintains, as part of its Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Commerce Control List (CCL), which identifies certain items subject to Department of Commerce jurisdiction. This rule corrects citations, replaces text that was inadvertently removed, and corrects other errors associated with the “Wassenaar Arrangement 2015 Plenary Agreements Implementation, Removal of Foreign National Review Requirements, and Information Security Updates” final rule published on September 20, 2016 (WA15 rule).

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,” published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum), this action temporarily delays the implementation date of one revision implemented by the final rule entitled “Commerce Control List: Removal of Certain Nuclear Nonproliferation (NP) Column 2 Controls” published by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Federal Register on November 25, 2016. The final rule amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to remove nuclear nonproliferation (NP) Column 2 license requirements from certain pressure tubes, pipes, fittings, pipe valves, pumps, numerically controlled machine tools, oscilloscopes, and transient recorders on the Commerce Control List (CCL).

This final rule addresses issues raised in, and public comments on, the interim final rule that was published on May 13, 2014, as well as additional clarifications and corrections. The May 13 rule added controls to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) for spacecraft and related items that the President has determined no longer warrant control under United States Munitions List (USML) Category XV—spacecraft and related items. This is the third final rule BIS has published related to the May 13 rule and completes the regulatory action for the interim final rule. These changes were also informed by comments received in response to the May 13 rule that included a request for comments, as well as interagency discussions on how best to address the comments. The changes made in this final rule are grouped into four types of changes: Changes to address the movement of additional spacecraft and related items from the USML to the Commerce Control List (CCL), as a result of changes in aperture size for spacecraft that warrant ITAR control, in response to public comments and further U.S. Government review; changes to address the movement of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) from the USML to the CCL; other corrections and clarifications to the spacecraft interim final rule; and addition of .y items to Export Control Classification Number 9A515. This final rule is being published in conjunction with the publication of a Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) final rule, which makes changes, including corrections and clarifications, to the provisions adopted in the State Department's own May 13, 2014 rule. The State May 13 rule revised USML Category XV (22 CFR 121.1) to control those articles the President has determined warrant control on the USML. Both May 13 rules and the subsequent related rules are part of the President's Export Control Reform Initiative. This rule is also part of Commerce's retrospective regulatory review plan under Executive Order (EO) 13563 (see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this rule for information on the availability of the plan).

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this final rule to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to reflect the understandings reached at the June 2015 Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Plenary meeting held in Bariloche, Argentina, and certain understandings reached at the 2016 NSG Plenary meeting held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The amendments to the EAR based on the 2015 meeting address the nuclear nonproliferation (NP) controls that apply to certain centrifugal multiplane balancing machines described on the Commerce Control List (CCL). The amendments to the EAR based on the 2016 meeting address the NP controls that apply to certain linear displacement measuring systems identified on the CCL. This rule also makes additional changes to the description of these systems on the CCL to fully conform to their description on the NSG Annex. In addition, this rule corrects an error in the technical parameters of the CCL entry that describes certain radiation-hardened TV cameras (including lenses therefor) that are subject to NP controls.

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 2016 Australia Group (AG) Intersessional Implementation Meeting, and later adopted pursuant to the AG silent approval procedure, and the understandings reached at the June 2016 AG Plenary Implementation Meeting. This rule amends two Commerce Control List (CCL) entries to reflect the February 2016 Intersessional Implementation Meeting recommendations that were adopted by the AG. Specifically, this rule amends the CCL entry that controls certain human and zoonotic pathogens and toxins to reflect the AG updates to the nomenclature for certain bacteria and toxins identified on the AG “List of Human and Animal Pathogens and Toxins for Export Control.” In addition, this rule amends the CCL entry that controls equipment capable of handling biological materials to reflect the AG updates to the controls on cross (tangential) flow filtration equipment described on the AG “Control List of Dual-Use Biological Equipment and Related Technology and Software.” Consistent with the understandings adopted at the June 2016 AG Plenary Implementation Meeting that updated the AG “List of Human and Animal Pathogens and Toxins for Export Control,” this rule amends the CCL entry that controls certain human and zoonotic pathogens and toxins by removing dengue fever virus, updating the nomenclature of the listing for conotoxin, and consolidating the controls for Shiga toxin and Verotoxin (and other Shiga-like ribosome inactivating proteins) under a single listing. This rule also amends the CCL entry that controls equipment capable of handling biological materials by updating the controls on biological containment facilities and related equipment and the controls on fermenters, consistent with the AG Plenary Implementation Meeting updates to the AG “Control List of Dual-Use Biological Equipment and Related Technology and Software.”

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this final rule to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to remove nuclear nonproliferation (NP) Column 2 license requirements from certain pressure tubes, pipes, fittings, pipe valves, pumps, numerically controlled machine tools, oscilloscopes, and transient recorders on the Commerce Control List (CCL). These changes are intended to revise the EAR controls on these items by making them more consistent with the export controls of other countries that manufacture these items and that, together with the United States, are participating countries in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). As a result of the changes made by this rule, some of these items are no longer listed under an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) on the CCL. However, such items remain subject to the EAR under the designation EAR99. This rule also creates four new ECCNs to maintain anti-terrorism (AT) controls on certain affected commodities and related “software” and “technology.” All items subject to the EAR, regardless of whether they are listed on the CCL, may require a license for reasons described elsewhere in the EAR ( e.g., license requirements based on end-user/end-use controls, embargoes, or other special controls).

This rule modifies the Commerce Control List (CCL) entries for two types of items: Military aircraft and related items, and military gas turbine engines and related items. The rule adds clarifying text to the descriptions of the types of military aircraft controlled on the CCL. The lists of items that are subject only to the anti-terrorism reason for control are clarified and expanded. This rule, which is being published simultaneously with a rule by the Department of State, is based on a review of Categories VIII and XIX of the United States Munitions List (USML). This rule and the related Department of State rule are part of a plan to review rules published as part of the Export Control Reform Initiative (ECRI). This rule also furthers the retrospective regulatory review directed by the President in Executive Order 13563.

This final rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category XII (Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance Equipment) of the United States Munitions List (USML) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) will be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by amending Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 7A611 and creating new “600 series” ECCNs 7B611, 7D611, and 7E611. In addition, for certain dual-use infrared detection items, this final rule expands controls for certain software and technology, eliminates the use of some license exceptions, revises licensing policy, and expands license requirements for certain transactions involving military end users or foreign military commodities. This final rule also harmonizes provisions within the EAR by revising controls related to certain quartz rate sensors.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) maintains, as part of its Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Commerce Control List (CCL), which identifies certain items subject to Department of Commerce jurisdiction. This final rule revises the CCL, as well as corresponding parts of the EAR, to implement changes made to the Wassenaar Arrangement's List of Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (WA List) maintained and agreed to by governments participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (Wassenaar Arrangement, or WA) at the December 2015 WA Plenary Meeting (the Plenary). The Wassenaar Arrangement advocates implementation of effective export controls on strategic items with the objective of improving regional and international security and stability. This rule harmonizes the CCL with the changes made to the WA List at the Plenary by revising Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) controlled for national security reasons in each category of the CCL, as well as making other associated changes to the EAR. The changes to the WA List include raising the Adjusted Peak Performance (APP) for high performance computers. The President's report for High Performance Computers was sent to Congress on June 1, 2016, to set forth the new APP in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY1998. This rule also makes changes to the EAR that were not agreed to at the WA Plenary. APP parameters are amended in several places in the EAR by this rule, such as APP parameters in the de minimis rules, License Exception APP, and related reporting requirements. BIS is also updating license requirements and policies associated with Category 5—Part 2, including revising Export Control Classification Numbers 5A992, 5D992 and 5E992. In addition, this rule removes the Foreign National Review requirement associated with deemed exports under License Exceptions APP and CIV.

This rule updates the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) legal authority paragraphs in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to cite the most recent Presidential notice extending an emergency declared pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This is a procedural rule that only updates authority paragraphs of the EAR. It does not alter any right, obligation or prohibition that applies to any person under the EAR.

In this interim final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to make certain items subject to the EAR and to impose on those items a license requirement for export and reexport to all destinations, except Canada. Specifically, this rule classifies certain specified targets “specially designed” for the production of tritium and related “development” and “production” technology under Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 0A521 and 0E521, respectively, on the Commerce Control List (CCL). As described in the final rule that established the 0Y521 series and that was published in the Federal Register on April 13, 2012, items are added to the 0Y521 series upon a determination by the Department of Commerce, with the concurrence of the Departments of Defense and State, and other agencies as appropriate, that the items should be controlled for export because the items provide at least a significant military or intelligence advantage to the United States or foreign policy reasons justify control. In this matter, the Department of Energy also concurred in the control imposed. The items identified in this rule are controlled for regional stability (RS) Column 1 reasons. The only license exception available for these items is for exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) made by or consigned to a department or agency of the U.S. Government.

This final rule implements changes described in a proposed rule that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published on June 17, 2015. Specifically, this final rule describes how articles the President has determined no longer warrant control under Category XIV (Toxicological Agents, Including Chemical Agents, Biological Agents, and Associated Equipment) or Category XVIII (Directed Energy Weapons) of the United States Munitions List (USML) are now controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL). The affected Category XIV articles consist primarily of dissemination, detection, and protection “equipment” and related articles, such as production and test “equipment,” and are controlled under new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 1A607, 1B607, 1C607, 1D607, and 1E607, as added to the CCL by this final rule. The affected Category XVIII articles consist primarily of tooling, production “equipment,” test and evaluation “equipment,” test models, and related articles and are controlled under new ECCNs 6B619, 6D619 and 6E619, as added to the CCL by this final rule. This final rule is one in a series of rules describing how various types of articles that the President has determined no longer warrant control on the USML, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, are controlled on the CCL in accordance with the requirements of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This final rule is being published by BIS in conjunction with a final rule from the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which amends the list of articles controlled by USML Categories XIV and XVIII. The citations in this BIS rule to USML Categories XIV and XVIII reflect the amendments contained in the Department of State's rule. The revisions made by BIS in this rule are part of Commerce's retrospective regulatory review plan under Executive Order 13563 completed in August 2011.

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 2015 Australia Group (AG) intersessional implementation meeting, and later adopted pursuant to the AG silent approval procedure, and the understandings reached at the June 2015 AG Plenary meeting. This rule amends three Commerce Control List (CCL) entries to reflect the February 2015 intersessional recommendations that were adopted by the AG. Specifically, this rule amends the CCL entry that controls chemical precursors by adding the chemical diethylamine (C.A.S. 109-89-7), which was not previously identified on the AG's “Chemical Weapons Precursors” common control list. This rule also amends the CCL entry that controls certain human and zoonotic pathogens and toxins by adding two viruses that were not previously identified on the AG “List of Human and Animal Pathogens and Toxins for Export Control” and by updating the nomenclature of certain viruses that were already identified on this AG common control list. In addition, this rule amends the CCL entry that controls equipment capable of handling biological materials to reflect the AG intersessional updates to the controls on biocontainment chambers, isolators, and biological safety cabinets and the controls on aerosol inhalation equipment described on the AG “Control List of Dual-Use Biological Equipment and Related Technology and Software.” Consistent with the understandings adopted at the June 2015 AG Plenary meeting, this rule also amends the CCL entry that controls equipment capable of handling biological materials by updating the controls on freeze-drying (lyophilization) equipment. Finally, this rule amends the EAR to reflect the addition of Angola and Burma as States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and also amends the Chemical Weapons Convention Regulations (CWCR) to reflect the addition of these two countries as States Parties.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this final rule to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to remove the short supply license requirements that, prior to the entry into force of the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016” on December 18, 2015, applied to exports of crude oil from the United States. Specifically, this rule removes the Commerce Control List (CCL) entry and the corresponding short supply provisions in the EAR that required a license from BIS to export crude oil from the United States. This rule also amends certain other EAR provisions to reflect the removal of these short supply license requirements. The changes made by this rule are intended to bring the provisions of the EAR into full compliance with the act, which mandates that, apart from certain exemptions specified therein, “no official of the Federal Government shall impose or enforce any restriction on the export of crude oil.” Consistent with the exceptions in the act, exports of crude oil continue to require authorization from BIS to embargoed or sanctioned countries or persons and to persons subject to a denial of export privileges.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to reflect changes to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex that were agreed to by MTCR member countries at the October 2015 Plenary in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and the April 2015 Technical Experts Meeting (TEM) in Bern, Switzerland. This final rule makes conforming changes to correlate the Commerce Control List (CCL) (Supplement No. 1 to Part 774 of the EAR) and other EAR provisions with the current MTCR Annex. This final rule revises six Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) to implement the changes that were agreed to at the meetings and to better align the MT controls on the CCL with the MTCR Annex. In addition, this final rule makes a change to MT licensing policy to be consistent with the MTCR Annex General Minimum Software Note and the MTCR Annex General Technology Note that specify that a license for MT controlled items should also authorize certain minimum “software” and “technology.” This final rule also adds a new paragraph to the section of the EAR that specifies which changes to a license are considered “non-material.” This amendment will facilitate this rule's revised MT licensing policy, which will apply to all licenses for MT controlled items, except when excluded by a license condition.

This rule updates the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) legal authority citations in the National Security Industrial Base Regulations (NSIBR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The citation updates reflect recent editorial reclassifications within the United States Code, the repeal of certain statutory authorities, the continuation of an emergency declared in an executive order, and minor stylistic edits. This is a non-substantive rule that only updates legal authority paragraphs of the NSIBR and the EAR. It does not alter any right, obligation or prohibition that applies to any person under the NSIBR or the EAR.

This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category XII (Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance and Control Equipment) of the United States Munitions List (USML) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by amending Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 7A611 and creating new “600 series” ECCNs 7B611, 7D611, and 7E611. In addition, for certain dual-use infrared detection items, this proposed rule would expand controls for certain software and technology, eliminate the use of some license exceptions, revise licensing policy, and expand license requirements for certain transactions involving military end users or foreign military commodities. This proposed rule would also harmonize provisions within the EAR by revising controls related to certain quartz rate sensors and uncooled thermal imaging cameras.

This proposed rule would modify the Commerce Control List (CCL) entries for two types of items: Military aircraft and related items, and military gas turbine engines and related items. The rule would add clarifying text to the descriptions of the types of military aircraft controlled on the CCL. The lists of items that are subject only to the anti-terrorism reason for control would be clarified and expanded. This proposed rule is based on a review of the military aircraft and gas turbine engine related entries that were added to the CCL on October 15, 2013. That review was intended to ensure that the regulatory changes made by the October 15, 2013 rule are clear, do not inadvertently control items in normal commercial use, account for technological developments, and properly implement the national security and foreign policy objectives of the export control reform effort. This proposed rule is being published simultaneously with a proposed rule by the Department of State, which is based on a review of Categories VIII and XIX of the United States Munitions List (USML). This document also furthers the retrospective regulatory review directed by the President in Executive Order 13563.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) maintains, as part of its Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Commerce Control List (CCL), which identifies certain of the items subject to Department of Commerce jurisdiction. This correction rule revises the Commerce Country Chart by implementing revisions that BIS inadvertently omitted from the “Wassenaar Arrangement 2014 Plenary Agreements Implementation and Country Policy Amendments” rule published on May 21, 2015 (80 FR 29442) (“May 21 rule”), for Argentina and South Africa. This rule also implements the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) agreement to make a clarification to the control text for rebreathing equipment that BIS inadvertently did not make in the May 21 rule. A license requirement note indicating jurisdiction is corrected and a related control note is clarified in an entry on the CCL controlling space launch vehicles and “spacecraft,” “space buses,” “spacecraft payloads,” etc., as the range of the reference was incorrectly stated in the May 21 rule. The reference concerning jurisdiction for “specially designed” parts, components, systems and structures, for launch vehicles, launch vehicle propulsion systems or “spacecraft” is corrected in the CCL entry controlling such items in this rule. In addition, this rule makes one minor correction to remove Fiji from Column D:5 “U.S. Arms Embargoed Countries,” as well as from Country Group D, because Fiji is not listed under any other column within Country Group D and because the Department of State published a final rule that revised the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to rescind the previous policy of denying the export of defense articles and defense services to Fiji. Lastly, this rule removes an outdated reference in the Definitions part of the EAR.

In this interim final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to make certain items subject to the EAR and to impose on those items a license requirement for export and reexport to all destinations, except Canada. Specifically, this rule classifies the specified XBS Epoxy System under Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 0C521 on the Commerce Control List (CCL). As described in the final rule that established the 0Y521 series and that was published in the Federal Register on April 13, 2012, items are added to the 0Y521 series upon a determination by the Department of Commerce, with the concurrence of the Departments of Defense and State, that the items should be controlled for export because the items provide at least a significant military or intelligence advantage to the United States or foreign policy reasons justify control. The items identified in this rule are controlled for regional stability (RS) Column 1 reasons. The only license exception available for these items is for exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) made by or consigned to a department or agency of the U.S. Government. In this rule, BIS also removes technology and software related to aircraft wing folding systems.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, maintains the Export Administration Regulations, including the Commerce Control List (CCL). The Export Control Reform Initiative, a fundamental reform of the U.S. export control system, has resulted in transfer to the CCL of items that the President has determined do not warrant control on the United States Munitions List (USML), including certain military vehicles, vessels of war, submersible vessels, oceanographic equipment, auxiliary and miscellaneous military equipment, and related items therefor. The USML is part of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations maintained by the Department of State. Through this notice, BIS is seeking public comments to perform a complementary review of the aforementioned items on the CCL, concurrent with the Department of State's review of the controls implemented in its recent revisions to Categories VI, VII, XIII, and XX of the USML (which control surface vessels of war and special naval equipment, military ground vehicles, miscellaneous military articles and materials, submersible vessels, and related items therefor), to ensure that the descriptions of these items on the CCL are clear, do not inadvertently control items in normal commercial use, account for technological developments, and properly implement the national security and foreign policy objectives of the reform effort. This notice also furthers the retrospective regulatory review directed by the President in Executive Order 13563.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) publishes this final rule to correct typographical errors contained in a final rule published on June 16, 2015 (80 FR 34266), which amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement the recommendations presented at the November 2013 Australia Group (AG) intersessional implementation meeting and later adopted pursuant to the AG silent approval procedure. The typographical errors appear in a Note to ECCN 1C351.a, which includes viruses identified on the AG “List of Human and Animal Pathogens and Toxins for Export Control.” This rule also identifies another typographical error in the June 16, 2015, final rule involving the “ Reason for Control ” paragraph for ECCN 1E351. This error does not require a correction at this time, but is being identified to provide clarification to the public.

This rule updates the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) legal authority paragraphs in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to cite the most recent Presidential notice extending an emergency declared pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This is a procedural rule that only updates authority paragraphs of the EAR. It does not alter any right, obligation or prohibition that applies to any person under the EAR.

In this final rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by removing the Special Comprehensive License (SCL) authorization. Based on changes to the EAR as part of Export Control Reform, BIS concludes that the SCL has outlived its usefulness to the exporting public since recent changes to the EAR permit exporters to accomplish similar results using individual licenses and without undertaking the more onerous SCL application. This rule also makes conforming amendments. These changes are part of BIS's efforts to further update export controls under the EAR consistent with the Retrospective Regulatory Review Initiative that directs BIS and other federal agencies to streamline regulations and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on the public.

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement the rescission of Cuba's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Specifically, this rule removes anti-terrorism (AT) license requirements from Cuba and eliminates references to Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, but maintains preexisting license requirements for all items subject to the EAR unless authorized by a license exception. This rule also removes Cuba from Country Group E:1 (terrorist supporting countries), which makes Cuba eligible for a general 25 percent de minimis level and portions of four license exceptions. The Secretary of State rescinded the designation of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism on May 29, 2015.

This final rule makes additional clarifications and corrections to the interim final rule that was published on May 13, 2014. The May 13 rule added controls to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) for spacecraft and related items that the President has determined no longer warrant control under United States Munitions List (USML) Category XV—spacecraft and related items. The changes included in this final rule are limited to corrections and clarifications to what was included in the interim final rule. This is the second corrections and clarifications rule BIS has published for the May 13 rule. These corrections and clarifications were also informed by comments received in response to the May 13 rule that included a request for comments. The corrections and clarifications to the May 13 rule are also part of Commerce's retrospective regulatory review plan under Executive Order (EO) 13563 (see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this rule for information on the availability of the plan).

This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category XIV (Toxicological Agents, Including Chemical Agents, Biological Agents, and Associated Equipment) or Category XVIII (Directed Energy Weapons) of the United States Munitions List (USML) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL). The affected Category XIV articles consist primarily of dissemination, detection and protection “equipment” and related articles and would be controlled under new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 1A607, 1B607, 1C607, 1D607, and 1E607, as proposed by this rule. The affected Category XVIII articles consist primarily of tooling, production “equipment,” test and evaluation “equipment,” test models and related articles and would be controlled under new ECCNs 6B619, 6D619 and 6E619, as proposed by this rule. This rule is one in a series of proposed rules describing how various types of articles that the President determines no longer warrant control on the USML, as part of the Administration's Export Control Reform Initiative, would be controlled on the CCL in accordance with the requirements of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This proposed rule is being published by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) 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 Categories XIV and XVIII. The citations in this BIS proposed rule to USML Categories XIV and XVIII reflect the proposed amendments contained in the Department of State's rule. The revisions proposed by BIS in this rule are part of Commerce's retrospective regulatory review plan under Executive Order 13563 completed in August 2011.

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 November 2013 Australia Group (AG) intersessional implementation meeting and later adopted pursuant to the AG silent approval procedure. Specifically, this rule amends the Commerce Control List (CCL) entry in the EAR that controls certain human and zoonotic pathogens and toxins, and removes the CCL entry that controls certain animal pathogens to reflect the merger of two AG common control lists based on recommendations presented at the AG intersessional implementation meeting. As a result of these recommendations, the AG “List of Animal Pathogens for Export Control” was merged with the AG “List of Biological Agents for Export Control,” creating a single AG common control list for these items ( i.e., the AG “List of Human and Animal Pathogens and Toxins for Export Control”). The scope of the controls on these human and animal pathogens and toxins was not affected by the merger of the two lists into a single AG common control list. This rule also makes conforming amendments to other provisions in the EAR to reflect these changes. In addition, this rule amends the CCL entry that controls chemical manufacturing facilities and equipment to reflect changes to the AG “Control List of Dual-Use Chemical Manufacturing Facilities and Equipment and Related Technology and Software,” based on the November 2013 AG intersessional recommendation to revise controls on certain valves, casings (valve bodies) designed for such valves, and preformed casing liners designed for such valves. This rule also amends this CCL entry to add a Technical Note clarifying how the terms “multi-seal” and “seal-less” are used with respect to the controls on pumps. In a change unrelated to any revisions to the AG common control lists or guidelines, this rule also amends this CCL entry to authorize the use of License Exception LVS for specified shipments. This rule does not contain changes based on the understandings reached at the June 2014 AG Plenary meeting, because no amendments to the EAR were required as a result of these understandings.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) maintains, as part of its Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Commerce Control List (CCL), which identifies certain of the items subject to Department of Commerce jurisdiction. This final rule revises the CCL to implement changes made to the Wassenaar Arrangement's List of Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (Wassenaar List) maintained and agreed to by governments participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (Wassenaar Arrangement, or WA) at the December 2014 WA Plenary Meeting (the Plenary). The twentieth Plenary meeting of the Wassenaar Arrangement was held in Vienna on 2 to 3 December 2014. The Wassenaar Arrangement advocates implementation of effective export controls on strategic items with the objective of improving regional and international security and stability. Wassenaar Participating States agreed to new export controls in a number of areas, including spacecraft equipment (Category 9) and technology for fly-by-wire/flight-by-light systems (Category 7), while texts for the control of machine tools (Category 2) and optical equipment for military utility and fiber laser components (Category 6) were substantially revised. In addition, significant reviews of several categories resulted in the deletion of obsolete controls relating to vessels (Category 8) and in refined controls on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles—UAVs (Category 9), specifically taking note of the substantial progress of technology in that area. Wassenaar Participating States modified controls in a number of other areas, such as equipment for production of electronic devices (Category 3), certain telecommunications equipment where encryption and other “information security” functionality is limited to operations, administration, or maintenance (OAM) tasks (Category 5P2), and general purpose computers or servers where standard “information security” functionality is provided by embedded mass market microprocessors (CPUs) or operating systems (also Category 5P2). This rule amends the CCL by implementing the changes agreed to by the WA at the Plenary by revising 42 Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs), adding one ECCN and removing one ECCN, as well as amending the General Technology Note, WA reporting requirements, adding seven (7) definitions and revising six (6) definitions in the EAR. This rule also revises 3 ECCNs to add License Exception CIV eligibility for Anisotropic plasma dry etching equipment and related software and technology for the development and production of this equipment, as a result of BIS' foreign availability assessment. Country Group A column 1, the Coordinating Committee (CoCom) member countries, is replaced with the successor national security export regime the Wassenaar Arrangement Participating States. In addition, the second national security column and the second regional stability column of the Commerce Country Chart are amended to harmonize with each other, as well as make changes based on the risk of diversion to unauthorized end user, end uses or destinations.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) proposes to implement the agreements by the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) at the Plenary meeting in December 2013 with regard to systems, equipment or components specially designed for the generation, operation or delivery of, or communication with, intrusion software; software specially designed or modified for the development or production of such systems, equipment or components; software specially designed for the generation, operation or delivery of, or communication with, intrusion software; technology required for the development of intrusion software; Internet Protocol (IP) network communications surveillance systems or equipment and test, inspection, production equipment, specially designed components therefor, and development and production software and technology therefor. BIS proposes a license requirement for the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of these cybersecurity items to all destinations, except Canada. Although these cybersecurity capabilities were not previously designated for export control, many of these items have been controlled for their “information security” functionality, including encryption and cryptanalysis. This rule thus continues applicable Encryption Items (EI) registration and review requirements, while setting forth proposed license review policies and special submission requirements to address the new cybersecurity controls, including submission of a letter of explanation with regard to the technical capabilities of the cybersecurity items. BIS also proposes to add the definition of “intrusion software” to the definition section of the EAR pursuant to the WA 2013 agreements.

This proposed rule describes how articles the President determines no longer warrant control under Category XII (Fire Control, Range Finder, Optical and Guidance and Control Equipment) of the United States Munitions List (USML) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) by creating new “600 series” Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCN)s 6A615, 6B615 and 6D615 for military fire control, range finder, and optical items, by revising ECCN 7A611 and by creating new ECCNs 7B611, 7C611 and 7E611 for military optical and guidance items. In addition, for certain night vision items currently subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), this rule proposes to expand the scope of control, eliminate the use of some license exceptions, and create new ECCNs for certain software and technology related to night vision items. This proposed rule would also expand the scope of end-use restrictions on certain exports and reexports of certain cameras, systems, or equipment and expand the scope of military commodities described in ECCN 0A919.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to reflect changes to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) Annex that were agreed to by MTCR member countries at the September and October 2014 Plenary in Oslo, Norway, and pursuant to the 2014 Technical Experts Meeting in Prague, Czech Republic. This rule also makes conforming changes to correlate the Commerce Control List (CCL) (Supplement No. 1 to Part 774 of the EAR) with the current MTCR Annex. This final rule revises six Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) to implement the changes that were agreed to at the meetings and to better align the MT controls on the CCL with the MTCR Annex.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce maintains the Export Administration Regulations, including the Commerce Control List (CCL). The Export Control Reform Initiative, a fundamental reform of the U.S. export control system, has resulted in transfer to the CCL of items that the President has determined do not warrant control on the United States Munitions List (USML), including certain military aircraft, military gas turbine engines, and related items. The USML is part of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations maintained by the Department of State. Through this notice, BIS is seeking public comments to perform a complementary review of military aircraft, military gas turbine engines, and related items on the CCL concurrent with the Department of State's review of the controls implemented in its recent revisions to Categories VIII and XIX of the USML, which control military aircraft and military gas turbine engines, to ensure that they are clear, do not inadvertently control items in normal commercial use, account for technological developments, and properly implement the national security and foreign policy objectives of the reform effort. This notice also furthers the retrospective regulatory review directed by the President in Executive Order 13563.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is correcting certain provisions of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) that were amended in past rulemakings appearing in the Federal Register between November 5, 2007 and October 14, 2014. This final rule makes corrections to certain provisions to ensure consistency and clarity in the regulations. In addition, this final rule makes other corrections to the EAR to fix typographical errors to ensure that the regulations accurately reflect the revisions intended by these past rulemakings.