The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce is announcing its recruitment of candidates to serve on one of its six Technical Advisory Committees (“TACs” or “Committees”). TAC members advise the Department of Commerce on the technical parameters for export controls applicable to dual-use items (commodities, software, and technology) and on the administration of those controls.

The United States and European Union need to produce more results on trade through the bilateral Trade and Technology Council, European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said Wednesday.

Chinese "fast fashion" platforms like Shein and Temu are expanding rapidly in the United States, raising concerns about exploitation of trade loopholes, sourcing relationships, product safety, and forced labor. A report released by the US China Economic Security Review Commission details the concerns, highlighting the merchants’ rapid growth, policy concerns, and reccomendations.

Chinese "fast fashion" platforms like Shein and Temu are expanding rapidly in the United States, raising concerns about exploitation of trade loopholes, sourcing relationships, product safety, and forced labor. A report released by the US China Economic Security Review Commission details the concerns, highlighting the merchants’ rapid growth, policy concerns, and reccomendations.

According to a report by the United Nations on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the country's nuclear weapons program has accelerated despite no nuclear tests during the reporting period, and sanctions evasion is rampant. The Report by the Panel of Experts is prepared annually for the Security Council to document compliance with the body's resolutions.

The Export Practitioner introduces a web-based format for easier review, research and sharing.  

In addition to your monthly print or e-edition, we can furnish mid-month updates for our readers. 

We seek your input as we make this transition. Please send your suggestions to fruffing@traderegs.com or call 703.283.5220.   

– Frank Ruffing, Editor 

In a move to counter what it sees as a violation of the one-China principle, China has announced sanctions against two American institutions and four individuals involved in hosting Taiwan's leader, Tsai Ing-wen, during her recent visit to the United States. Tsai's visit took place from 29 to 31 March and from 4 to 6 April 2023.

Treasury, Commerce, State and the UK's Foreign Office launched a coordinated expansion of sanctions on the Russian military-industrial complex, as well as the personal holdings and advisors of a prominent oligarch.

Despite US sanctions on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of US-made semiconductors continue to flow into Russia through circuitous routes, according to reporting in Nikkei Asia.   A large portion of these chips are channeled through small traders in Hong Kong and mainland China.

The lead sponsors of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA),  have written a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary, Robert P. Silvers, expressing concerns about the transparency and effectiveness of the law's enforcement.

The global transition to a green economy faces a serious challenge as the supply of critical raw materials struggles to keep pace with growing demand, warns a new policy paper from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report, Raw Materials for the Green Transition: Production, International Trade and Export Restrictions, emphasizes the need for a substantial increase in production and international trade of these materials in order to meet net zero CO2 emissions targets.

Microsoft has agreed to pay $3.3 million to settle potential civil liability relating to exporting services or software to comprehensively sanctioned jurisdictions and Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) in violation of OFAC's Cuba, Iran, Syria, and Ukraine-/Russia-Related sanctions programs.

Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated Genesis Market, one of the world's largest illicit marketplaces, for its part in the theft and sale of device credentials and related sensitive information.

An Estonian national has been indicted on eighteen counts related to conspiracy and other charges, including the procurement of sensitive US-made electronics for the Russian government and military. He engaged in this conduct despite being listed on the US Department of Commerce-maintained "Entity List," which designates individuals and companies barred from exporting items from the United States without a license.

China is moving ahead with plans to develop a $500 million undersea fiber-optic internet cable network, linking Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, according reporting from Reuters. This ambitious effort, spearheaded by state-owned Chinese telecom firms, is seen as a direct rival to a similar U.S.-backed project and threatens to deepen the ongoing tech war between Washington and Beijing.

The tenth EU-US Energy Council met in Brussels, attended by key representatives from the European Union and the United States. The Council serves as the primary forum for transatlantic coordination on strategic energy issues, aiming to enhance energy security, promote energy efficiency, develop technologies for net-zero emissions, and support research, innovation, and business cooperation.

The Treasury has  published the 2023 DeFi Illicit Finance Risk Assessment, the first illicit finance risk assessment conducted on decentralized finance (DeFi) in the world.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Congressional Budget Justification, detailing the agency's budgetary needs and priorities for the coming year. FY 24 payroll is expected to be 23 percent higher than two years prior, while travel at $8.6 million is nearly three times that of FY 22.

 Commerce's International Trade Administration announces the U.S. Industry Program (USIP) at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, Austria, from September 24-27, 2023. This program aims to promote U.S. civil nuclear companies' services and technologies to an international audience, including senior energy policymakers from current and emerging markets and IAEA staff.

For the next annual offset report reflecting calendar year 2022 data, U.S. firms must submit the required information on offsets agreements and transactions from calendar year 2022 to BIS by June 15, 2023.