Presidential directive requires improvements to ?dual-use? exports

Presidential directive requires improvements to ôdual-useö exports A sweeping national security directive released by the White House on Jan. 22 requires the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security to ensure more efficient controls for so-called “dual-use” exports, or items with both commercial and military applications.
   Mario Mancuso, the department’s undersecretary for industry and security, said BIS will continue to “deny potentially sensitive technology to our adversaries,” while at the same time “facilitating economic and technology leadership.”
   One way to do this is to maintain efficient trade to reliable overseas buyers, while denying access to sensitive dual-use exports to producers of weapons of mass destruction, terrorists, and other parties who threaten U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. The presidential directive highlights the Commerce Department’s recent implementation of the validated end user (VEU) program for sensitive exports to Chinese and Indian importers. Five Chinese companies have so far passed a rigorous review for VEU status. In addition, the directive recommends refining the department’s Entity List.
   Another aspect of the directive is the need for the Commerce Department to supply sufficient information about dual-use export controls to U.S. exporters in order to help them comply. This includes the publication of advisory opinions on the department’s Web site, as well as lists of foreign parties warranting higher scrutiny.
   Mancuso told reporters in a telephone press conference on Friday that the department’s goal is to implement the directive’s recommendations in a “very practical and urgent way.”
   Mancuso said the administration is fully aware that the United States does not hold a “monopoly on intellectual capital in the international marketplace.
   “We have to acknowledge the world as it is and not how it should be,” he said.
   The Bush administration said in a statement that it will continue to encourage Congress to reauthorize the Export Administration Act (EAA) with updated penalties and enhanced law enforcement authority to ensure dual-use export control policies are “vigorously enforced.”
   “EAA renewal isn’t too dead of a horse to beat,” Mancuso said. “We’re urging Congress to pass it.” ' Chris Gillis