The Daily Bugle Weekly Highlights: Week 49 (30 Nov-4 Dec 2020)

Every Monday we post the highlights out of last week’s FCC Export/Import Daily Update (“The Daily Bugle”). Send out every business day to approximately 8,500 readers of changes to defense and high-tech trade laws and regulations, The Daily Bugle is a free daily newsletter from Full Circle Compliance, edited by James E. Bartlett III, Salvatore Di Misa, and Elina Tsapouri.

We check the following sources daily: Federal Register, Congressional Record, Commerce/AES, Commerce/BIS, DHS/CBP, DOE/NRC, DOJ/ATF, DoD/DSS, DoD/DTSA, FAR/DFARS, State/DDTC, Treasury/OFAC, White House, and similar websites of Australia, Canada, U.K., and other countries and international organizations.  Due to space limitations, we do not post Arms Sales notifications, Denied Party listings, or Customs AD/CVD items. To subscribe, click here.

Last week’s highlights of The Daily Bugle included in this edition are:

  1. Treasury/OFAC: “Publication of Web General Licenses Issued Pursuant to the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations”; Monday, 30 Nov 2020; Item #1
  2. Commerce/BIS: “Impact of the CVW on Legitimate Commercial Chemical, Biotechnology, and Pharmaceutical Activities Involving -Schedule 1- Chemicals During Calendar Year 2020”; Tuesday, 1 Dec 2020; Item #1
  3. EU Reconfirms the Authorization of the EU Military Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean; Wednesday, 2 Dec 2020; Item #7
  4. UK ECJU Publishes 2019’s Strategic Export Controls Annual Report; Wednesday, 2 Dec 2020; Item #
  5. Commerce/BIS: “Corrections to Wassenaar Arrangement 2018 Plenary Decisions Implementation; and Other Revisions Related to National Security Controls”; Friday, 4 Dec 2020; Item #1

 

**********

Treasury/OFAC: “Publication of Web General Licenses Issued Pursuant to the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations” 

(Source: Federal Register) [Excerpts]

 

85 FR 76450: Rule

* AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

* ACTION: Publication of Web General Licenses.

* SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing three Venezuela-related web general licenses in the Federal Register: General License 5C, which has been superseded, General License 5D, which has been superseded, and General License 5E, each of which was previously issued on OFAC’s website.

* DATES: General License 5E was issued on October 6, 2020 and the authorizations in it will be effective January 19, 2021.

* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: OFAC: Assistant Director for Licensing, 202-622-2480; Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs, 202-622-4855; or Assistant Director for Sanctions Compliance & Evaluation, 202-622-2490.

 

**********

Commerce/BIS: “Impact of the CVW on Legitimate Commercial Chemical, Biotechnology, and Pharmaceutical Activities Involving -Schedule 1- Chemicals During Calendar Year 2020”

(Source: Federal Register) [Excerpts]

 

* AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce.

* ACTION: Notice of inquiry.

* SUMMARY: The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on the impact that implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, through the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act of 1998 and the Chemical Weapons Convention Regulations, has had on commercial activities involving “Schedule 1” chemicals during calendar year 2020. The purpose of this notice of inquiry is to collect information to assist BIS in its preparation of the annual certification to the Congress on whether the legitimate commercial activities and interests of chemical, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical firms are harmed by such implementation. This certification is required under Condition 9 of Senate Resolution 75 (April 24, 1997), in which the Senate gave its advice and consent to the ratification of the CWC.

* DATES: Comments must be received by December 31, 2020.

 

**********

EU Reconfirms the Authorization of the EU Military Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean

(Source: Official Journal of the European Union, 2 Dec 2020)

 

THE POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 38 thereof,

Having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/472 of 31 March 2020 on a European Union military operation in the Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED IRINI) (1), and in particular Article 8(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)    On 31 March 2020, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/472, which established and launched a European Union military operation in the Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED IRINI)for the period until 31 March 2021.

(2)    Article 8(3) of Decision (CFSP) 2020/472 provides that, notwithstanding this period, the authorisation of the operation is to be reconfirmed every four months and that the Political and Security Committee is to prolong the operation unless the deployment of maritime assets of the operation produces a pull effect on migration on the basis of substantiated evidence gathered according to the criteria set out in the Operations Plan.

(3)    On 23 July 2020, the Political and Security Committee adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/1104 (2), reconfirming the authorisation of the operation until 30 November 2020.

(4)    The Operation Commander has provided monthly pull factor reports.

(5)    The authorisation of the operation should be reconfirmed for the third four-month period of its mandate and the operation should be prolonged accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1: The authorisation of EUNAVFOR MED IRINI is hereby reconfirmed and the operation is prolonged for the period from 1 December 2020y to 31 March 2021.

Article 2:  This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 26 November 2020.


**********

UK ECJU Publishes 2019’s Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 

(Source: UK ECJU, 1 Dec 2020)

 

  This report gives a detailed overview of the UK’s Strategic Export Controls work in January to December 2019.

  Our annual report is normally published before the summer recess. This year, it was deferred due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and prioritising the business-critical function of processing applications for strategic export licenses. 

Get a copy here.


**********

Commerce/BIS: “Corrections to Wassenaar Arrangement 2018 Plenary Decisions Implementation; and Other Revisions Related to National Security Controls”

(Source: Federal Register, 4 Dec 2020) [Excerpts]

 

85 FR 78684: Rule

* AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce.

* ACTION: Correcting amendments.

* SUMMARY: In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by making corrections to address errors that were inadvertently introduced with the September 11, 2020, Federal Register publication of “Wassenaar Arrangement 2018 Plenary Decisions Implementation; and Other Revisions Related to National Security Controls (Final Rule)”.

* DATES: This rule is effective December 4, 2020.

* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Logan Norton, Regulatory Policy Division, Logan.Norton@bis.doc.gov, (202) 812-1762.

Sign up to the daily bugle for free!

    Find our Daily Bugle Policy here