Increase in Israeli boycott activities noted from Iraq, Libya

Increase in Israeli boycott activities noted from Iraq, Libya The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security has noticed an increase in reports of Israeli boycott activities by importers of U.S. goods in Iraq and Libya.
   'We're seeing persistent boycott activities in Iraq, and it seems to be growing,” said Ned Weant, acting director for BIS's Office of Antiboycott Compliance, to the Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC) on Tuesday.
   Weant said similar reports are coming from U.S. companies that have started doing business in Libya. The United States recently lifted its economic embargo against both the North African country and Iraq.
   The BIS official noted that the United Arab Emirates continues to be the largest violator of U.S. antiboycott rules. In other countries, such as Oman, Israeli boycott activities have diminished, while in Bahrain they have picked up again.
   In the mid-1970s, Congress passed laws prohibiting U.S. companies and individuals from complying with unsanctioned overseas boycotts or embargoes. The Arab League boycott of Israel is the main economic boycott that U.S. businesses must be concerned with today.
   The U.S. Export Administration Regulations require U.S. companies and individuals to report quarterly to BIS any Israeli boycott requests from overseas importers.
   The penalties for violating U.S. antiboycott rules can be severe. Companies and individuals that knowingly violate the rules can be subject to a fine of up to $50,000 or five times the value of the exports and up to five years in prison for individuals. For administrative violations, companies and individuals may face a general denial of export privileges and fines up to $11,000 per violation.
   BIS officials plan to travel to the Middle East in February to help make the governments and companies in the region more aware of U.S. antiboycott rules, Weant said.