Shippers pay fines for U.S. export violations

Shippers pay fines for U.S. export violations The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security has announced that three shippers have agreed to pay civil penalties to settle allegations that they violated the Export Administration Regulations.
   Marysol Technologies of Clearwater, Fla. will pay a $180,000 fine for allegedly exporting laser equipment to China, India, Belarus and Russia on nine occasions between December 2003 and April 2006 without the required export licenses.

Jackson

   “Companies must be careful when self-classifying products and should consult with a BIS licensing officer who may advise that a formal commodity classification for their products or technology is warranted,” said Darryl W. Jackson, Commerce’s assistant secretary for export enforcement, in a statement.
   Maxim Integrated Products, a semiconductor manufacturer based in Sunnyvale, Calif., will pay a $192,000 penalty for allegedly exporting and re-exporting national security-controlled integrated circuits and related components on 34 occasions between June 2002 and September 2005 to China, Estonia, Russia, and the Ukraine, as well as deemed export violations involving Iranian and Chinese nationals.
   Also, American Rice of Houston will pay a $30,000 fine for allegedly violating the antiboycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations on 15 transactions between 2002 and 2006 for U.S. origin goods to the United Arab Emirates.
   Antiboycott provisions prohibit U.S. persons from complying with certain requirements of unsanctioned foreign boycotts, including providing information about business relationships with or in a boycotted country. BIS said American Rice failed to report in a timely manner its receipt of a request to engage in a restrictive trade practice or boycott.
   “To avoid enforcement actions, companies should establish effective compliance programs that include such core elements as management commitment, employee training and internal controls for reporting and responding to boycott issues,” Jackson said.