BIS holds Wednesday export reform updates

   Starting today, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Assistant Secretary Kevin Wolf will hold weekly teleconferences at 2 p.m. (Eastern time) to answer questions about the department’s proposed rules related to the White House’s export control reform.
   “These calls are intended to foster public understanding of the initiative and to assist interested parties to prepare more informed comments,” the Bureau of Industry and Security said in a statement.
   The calls will cover all proposed export control reform rules that are open for public comment on the day the call takes place, the agency added.
Wolf will respond to questions submitted in advance of each week’s call. Questions to be should be sent to oesdseminar@bis.doc.gov with a subject line of “Teleconference questions.” The dial-in number for the conference calls will be (877) 389-6079, Participant Code: 905168. Callers should dial in 10 minutes early. No reservations required.
   Export control reform rules open for public comment as of Dec. 6 include:

•    Control of aircraft and related items that president determines no longer warrant control under the U.S. Munitions List (USML). This proposed rule describes how certain articles under the USML’s Category VIII (aircraft and related items) would be controlled under the Commerce Control List (CCL) in new Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCNs) 9A610, 9B610, 9C610, 9D610, and 9E610. In addition, this proposed rule would control military aircraft and related items now controlled under ECCNs 9A018, 9D018 and 9E018 under new ECCNs 9A610, 9D610 and 9E610. This proposed rule also addresses license exception availability for items controlled by the five new ECCNs that would be created.
     This proposed rule also would modify the BIS’s July 15 proposed rule by adding provisions relating to License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA) eligibility to clarify that its scope extends to the U.S. government, to any person in the United States, and to the “development” or “production” of items; and by including a general policy of denial for so-called “600 serie”s items for destinations that are subject to a U.S. arms embargo under the regional stability reasons for control. Comments on this proposed rule must be submitted by Dec. 22.
•    Control of gas turbine engines and related items the president determines no longer warrant control under the USML. This proposed rule describes how certain military gas turbine engines and related articles under Category VI, VII, or VIII of the USML would be controlled under the CCL in new ECCNs 9A619, 9B619, 9C619, 9D619 and 9E619. In addition, this proposed rule would control military trainer aircraft turbo prop engines and related items, which are currently controlled under ECCN 9A018.a.2 or .a.3, 9D018 or 9E018, under new ECCN 9A619, 9D619 or 9E619. Comments on this proposed rule must be received by Jan. 20, 2012.
•    Control of military vehicles and related items that the president determines no longer warrant control on the USML. This proposed rule would re-propose, with certain changes, five new ECCNs on the CCL that were proposed in a proposed rule published on July 15. The revised ECCNs in this proposed rule are the result of continued deliberations of BIS and the Defense and States and recommendations of commenters on the July 15 proposed rule. Comments on this proposed rule must be received by Jan. 20, 2012.

   The Commerce Department “encourages persons to review the notices closely and to provide comments by the deadlines indicated in each of the proposed rules.”