STATE TO EASE CONTROLS ON ARMS EXPORTS TO JAPAN, AUSTRALIA

STATE TO EASE CONTROLS ON ARMS EXPORTS TO JAPAN, AUSTRALIA    The U.S. State Department will reform export controls on Japan and Australia, effective Sept. 1, to streamline the U.S. defense export control licensing process and improve industrial cooperation with the NATO allies.
   The International Traffic in Arms regulations are being updated to permit U.S. companies to provide, without a license, defense services necessary to perform maintenance on and maintenance training on U.S.-origin equipment for Japan and Australia, provided the maintenance does not modify, enhance, upgrade or alter or improve the performance of the defense article. The revision also permits the transfer of technical data to the NATO countries necessary to support offshore procurement of defense articles for use in the United States.
   The revised regulations also will include four new authorizations designed to limit the number of export approvals necessary to authorize the export of U.S. technology to the two countries, that will encourage government-to-government cooperative research and development, joint ventures and teaming arrangements and facilitate a U.S. company's role in a cooperative project when covered by government-to-government memorandum of understanding.
   For more information, contact Rose Biancaniello, Office of Defense Trade Controls, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Department of State, (202) 663-2862.