End-Use and End-User Based Export Controls, Including U.S. Persons Activities Controls: Military and Intelligence End Uses and End Users, 60985-60998 [2024-16496]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
(2) The furnishing of assistance,
including training or consulting, to
foreign persons, regardless of whether a
defense article is involved, as described
in USML Category IX(s)(2) or (3) in
§ 121.1 of this subchapter.
Note to paragraph (a): For military training
previously described in this paragraph, see
paragraph (a)(1) and USML Category IX(s)(2)
and (3).
(b) [Reserved]
PART 121—THE UNITED STATES
MUNITIONS LIST
4. The authority citation for part 121
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2752, 2778, 2797; 22
U.S.C. 2651a; Sec. 1514, Pub. L. 105–261, 112
Stat. 2175; E.O. 13637, 78 FR 16129, 3 CFR,
2013 Comp., p. 223.
5. Amend § 121.1, by revising the
heading to Category IX, revising
paragraph (e), and adding new
paragraph (s) to read as follows:
■
§ 121.1
*
*
The United States Munitions List.
*
*
*
Category IX—Military Training
Equipment, Intelligence Defense
Services, and Military Defense Services
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
*
*
*
*
*
(e) Technical data (see § 120.33 of this
subchapter) and defense services (see
§ 120.32 of this subchapter):
(1) Directly related to the defense
articles enumerated in paragraphs (a)
and (b) of this category; or
(2) Directly related to the software and
associated databases enumerated in
paragraph (b)(4) of this category even if
no defense articles are used or
transferred.
*
*
*
*
*
(s) Defense Services, as follows:
(1) [Reserved]
(2) Assistance, including training or
consulting, to a foreign government,
unit, or force, or their proxy or agent,
that creates, supports, or improves
intelligence activities, including
through planning, conducting, leading,
providing analysis for, participating in,
evaluating, or otherwise consulting on
such activities, for compensation,
except for the following types of
assistance:
(i) Furnishing of medical, translation,
financial, insurance, legal, scheduling,
or administrative services, or acting as
a common carrier;
(ii) Participation as a member of a
regular military force of a foreign nation
by a U.S. person who has been drafted
into such a force (see also § 124.2(b) of
this subchapter);
(iii) Training and advice that is
entirely composed of general scientific,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
mathematical, or engineering principles
commonly taught in schools, colleges,
and universities;
(iv) Information technology services
that support ordinary business activities
not specific to a particular business
sector;
(v) Any lawfully authorized
investigative, protective, or intelligence
activity of a law enforcement or
intelligence agency of the United States
or of a territory, possession, State, or
District of the United States, including
political subdivisions thereof; or
(vi) Maintenance or repair of a
commodity or software.
(3) Assistance, including training or
consulting, to a foreign government,
unit, or force, or their proxy or agent,
that creates, supports, or improves the
following, other than as specified in
paragraph (s)(3)(iv) of this category:
(i) The organization or formation of
military or paramilitary forces; (ii)
Military or paramilitary operations, by
planning, leading, or evaluating such
operations; or
(iii) Military or paramilitary
capabilities through advice or training,
including formal or informal
instruction.
(iv) Assistance in paragraphs (s)(3)(i)
through (iii) of this category does not
include: (A) Furnishing of medical,
translation, financial, insurance, legal,
scheduling, or administrative services,
or acting as a common carrier;
(B) Participation as a member of a
regular military force of a foreign nation
by a U.S. person who has been drafted
into such a force (see also § 124.2(b) of
this subchapter); or
(C) Training and advice that is
entirely composed of general scientific,
mathematical, or engineering principles
commonly taught in schools, colleges,
and universities.
The Under Secretary, Arms Control
and International Security, Bonnie D.
Jenkins, having reviewed and approved
this document, has delegated the
authority to electronically sign this
document to Zachary A. Parker,
Director, Office of Directives
Management, for purposes of
publication in the Federal Register.
Zachary A. Parker,
Director, Office of Directives Management,
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2024–16501 Filed 7–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–25–P
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
60985
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Industry and Security
15 CFR Parts 730, 732, 734, 736, 740,
and 744
[Docket No. 240712–0193]
RIN 0694–AJ43
End-Use and End-User Based Export
Controls, Including U.S. Persons
Activities Controls: Military and
Intelligence End Uses and End Users
Bureau of Industry and
Security, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule, with request for
comments.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, Bureau of Industry and
Security (BIS), seeks public comment on
proposed changes to existing
restrictions under the Export
Administration Regulations (EAR) on
military and intelligence end uses and
end users and related U.S. persons
activities controls, as well as the
proposed addition of a military-support
end-user control. These proposed
revisions and additions to the EAR’s
end-use, end-user, and ‘‘U.S. persons’’
activity controls would implement
expanded Export Control Reform Act of
2018 (ECRA) authority to control certain
‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities under the EAR.
Specific to the EAR’s ‘‘U.S. persons’’
activities controls, BIS is proposing
amendments to control ‘support’
furnished by ‘‘U.S. persons’’ to military
end users and military-production
activities, as well as intelligence end
users that are not otherwise already
regulated under or prohibited by U.S.
law. In addition, BIS is proposing to
revise the definition of ‘support’ set
forth in the EAR’s ‘‘U.S. person’’ activity
control provision in response to
requests by the public for clarification.
The revisions and additions, along with
clarifications, to end use, end user, and
‘‘U.S. persons’’ activity controls under
the EAR, would further the national
security and the foreign policy of the
United States.
DATES: Comments must be received by
BIS no later than September 27, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this rule may
be submitted to the Federal rulemaking
portal (www.regulations.gov). The
regulations.gov ID for this rule is: BIS–
2024–0029. Please refer to RIN 0694–
AJ43 in all comments.
All filers using the portal should use
the name of the person or entity
submitting the comments as the name of
their files, in accordance with the
instructions below. Anyone submitting
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
60986
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
business confidential information
should clearly identify the business
confidential portion at the time of
submission, file a statement justifying
nondisclosure and referring to the
specific legal authority claimed, and
provide a non-confidential version of
the submission. For comments
submitted electronically containing
business confidential information, the
file name of the business confidential
version should begin with the characters
‘‘BC.’’ Any page containing business
confidential information must be clearly
marked ‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’
on the top of that page. The
corresponding non-confidential version
of those comments must be clearly
marked ‘‘PUBLIC.’’ The file name of the
non-confidential version should begin
with the character ‘‘P.’’ Any
submissions with file names that do not
begin with either a ‘‘BC’’ or a ‘‘P’’ will
be assumed to be public and will be
made publicly available through https://
www.regulations.gov. Commenters
submitting business confidential
information are encouraged to scan a
hard copy of the non-confidential
version to create an image of the file,
rather than submitting a digital copy
with redactions applied, to avoid
inadvertent redaction errors which
could enable the public to read business
confidential information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
questions contact Sharron Cook, Senior
Export Policy Analyst in the Regulatory
Policy Division of the Bureau of
Industry and Security at Sharron.cook@
bis.doc.gov or Phone: (202) 482–4890.
Please refer to RIN 0694–AJ43 in the
subject line of emails.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
Background
Section 5589(b) of the December 2022
National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 (Pub.
L. 117–263, NDAA for FY 2023)
amended section 1753(a)(2)(F) of the
Export Control Reform Act of 2018
(ECRA) (50 U.S.C. 4812(a)(2)(F)) by
providing the Bureau of Industry and
Security (BIS) with the statutory
authority to impose controls on ‘‘the
activities of United States persons,
wherever located, relating to specific
foreign military, security, or intelligence
services.’’ Consistent with this statutory
amendment, BIS proposes to revise the
‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities control in
§ 744.6 on military-intelligence end-use
and end-user activities and expand
existing part 744 restrictions to
encompass activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’
in connection with defined military end
users, military-production activities (an
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
end use proposed by this rule), and
intelligence end users. BIS also
proposes to clarify the definition of
‘support’ in the ‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities
control provision. Consistent with
section 1754(d)(1) of ECRA (50 U.S.C.
4813(d)(1)), BIS proposes to regulate the
‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities described
above only to the extent not subject to
a license requirement or general
prohibition administered by another
Federal department or agency. BIS is
proposing amendments to the EAR on
foreign-security end user controls, and
controls that would restrict U.S.
persons’ support of such end users, in
a separate rule published concurrently
with this rule.
Furthermore, also in accordance with
ECRA, as expanded by the NDAA for FY
2023, BIS proposes to add to part 744
new controls on defined militarysupport end users, as well as revise
existing controls on militaryintelligence, and military end users and
end uses. These revisions and additions
to end-use and end-user controls under
the EAR would further the national
security and foreign policy of the United
States.
On November 14, 1994, Executive
Order 12938 (E.O. 12938, 59 FR 59099,
3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p. 950) directed BIS
to continue to regulate the activities of
‘‘U.S. persons’’ to prevent their
participation in activities that could
contribute to the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction. This
control, which is set forth in § 744.6 of
the EAR, imposes licensing
requirements on assistance furnished by
‘‘U.S. persons’’ in connection with
activities of proliferation concern, even
when such assistance does not involve
any items subject to the EAR or any
foreign entities subject to specified
restrictions under the EAR (e.g., persons
whose export privileges have been
denied under the EAR). Subsequently,
with the enactment of ECRA as part of
the John S. McCain NDAA for FY 2019
(Pub. L. 115–232), Congress authorized
in ECRA section 4812(a)(2)(F) the
control of ‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities
related not only to weapons of mass
destruction and their means of delivery,
but also to specific ‘‘foreign military
intelligence services.’’ Accordingly, in
January 2021, BIS amended § 744.6 of
the EAR to add a new restriction on the
activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’ in support
of certain military-intelligence end uses
and end users and also created a new
§ 744.22 that targeted exports, reexports,
and transfers (in-country) destined for
certain military-intelligence end uses or
end users (86 FR 4865 (Jan. 15, 2021)).
Through the NDAA for FY 2023’s
amendment to ECRA, section
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
1753(a)(2)(A–F) of ECRA (50 U.S.C.
4812(a)(2)(A–F)) directs the President to
impose controls on the activities of
‘‘U.S. persons,’’ wherever located,
relating to specific nuclear explosive
devices; missiles; chemical or biological
weapons; whole plants for chemical
weapons precursors; foreign maritime
nuclear projects; and foreign military
services, foreign intelligence services,
and foreign security services.
Additionally, § 1754(d) of ECRA (50
U.S.C. 4813(d)) directs the Secretary of
Commerce to require U.S. persons to
apply to BIS for authorization to engage
in the aforementioned activities except
to the extent that those activities are
already authorized by a statute or
regulation administered by a Federal
department or agency other than the
Department of Commerce.
As described below, BIS proposes
amending § 744.6 of the EAR to add
additional controls on specific activities
of ‘‘U.S. persons’’ consistent with ECRA
authority as expanded pursuant to the
NDAA for FY 2023 related to military
and intelligence services. Controls
related to security services consistent
with the NDAA for FY 2023 will be
proposed in a separate rule.
Specifically, in this rule, BIS proposes
modifying the existing prohibition on
‘‘U.S. persons’’ ‘support’ to militaryintelligence end users and end uses in
§ 744.6(b)(5) to apply to military end
users. In addition, BIS proposes to add
two new prohibitions in § 744.6(b)(6)
and (7) corresponding to ‘militaryproduction’ activities and intelligence
end users, respectively. Furthermore,
also consistent with its expanded ECRA
authority, BIS proposes to add
additional end-use and end-user
controls in connection with the U.S.
person ‘support’ activities subject to the
EAR’s general prohibitions (paragraph
in § 744.6(b)(1) through (7)).
Specifically, BIS proposes the following
changes: (1) revising § 744.21
(Restrictions on certain ‘military end
uses’ or ‘military end users’); (2) moving
§ 744.22 (Restrictions on exports,
reexports, and transfers (in-country) to
certain military-intelligence end uses or
end users) to § 744.24 and renaming it
as (Restrictions on certain intelligence
end users); and (3) adding a new
§ 744.22 (Restrictions on certain
military-support end users). For some of
these controls, BIS proposes new end
use and/or end user definitions and new
item and country scopes. Each control is
described more fully in the preamble
below, in order of appearance in the
EAR.
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
I. Revisions to U.S. Person Restrictions
Consistent with new ECRA authority
to control certain ‘‘U.S. persons’’
activities under the EAR, BIS is
proposing amendments to control ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ support for certain military
end users, military support end users,
and military production activities, as
well as certain intelligence end users.
BIS anticipates proposing new controls
on security end users and support for
foreign maritime nuclear projects in a
separate rule. Related to all these
controls, BIS proposes adding specific
exclusions to the definition of ‘support’
that is set forth in § 744.6 (Restrictions
on certain activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’).
First, BIS proposes to relocate the
current definition of ‘support’ from
paragraph (b)(6) to new paragraph
(a)(1)(i). The definition of ‘support’
remains unchanged, although certain
exclusions from the definition are
proposed. First, this rule proposes that
this definition not include activities
relating to items that are not subject to
the EAR as specified in § 734.3(b). This
exclusion renders explicit BIS’s
longstanding policy that restrictions on
‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities do not apply to
activities relating to items not subject to
the EAR that are specified in § 734.3(b).
Due to the expansion of the scope of
‘‘U.S. person’’ controls that is proposed
in this rule, this clarification of BIS
policy will ensure that the regulated
public is aware of the intended scope of
the proposed controls and reaffirm that
the EAR’s ‘‘U.S. person’’ controls,
including as proposed to be expanded,
are consistent with the policy objectives
underlying the various exclusions set
forth in § 734.3(b). For example,
activities involving items that are not
subject to the EAR because they are, e.g.,
published, released by instruction in a
catalog course or associated teaching
laboratory of an academic institution, or
‘‘software’’ or ‘‘technology’’ arising
during or resulting from fundamental
research (§ 734.3(b)(3) of the EAR), are
not intended to be restricted under these
expanded ‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities
controls.
Second, as a general matter, BIS
proposes to regulate those activities of
U.S. persons that support the end uses
and end users set forth in § 744.6(b) to
the extent they are not subject to control
by the State Department’s Directorate of
Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) or
another Federal department or agency
and are not specifically excluded from
control by BIS in proposed new
§ 744.6(a)(1)(ii). While this approach is
already explained in existing § 744.6(a),
to add additional clarity, this rule
would amend § 744.6 to state explicitly
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
that prohibited ‘‘U.S. persons’’ ‘support’
does not include any activity
undertaken with respect to defense
articles listed on the United States
Munitions List (USML) (22 CFR 121.1)
or on the United States Munitions
Import List (USMIL) (27 CFR 447.21), to
the extent such activities are subject to
control under the International Traffic
in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR
parts 120 through 130). The ITAR
controls a wide range of activities
including development, production,
maintenance, repair, and brokering,
when such activities involve not only
defense articles listed on the USML, but
also defense articles listed on the
USMIL, including when such USMIL
defense articles are also enumerated on
the Commerce Control List, Supp. No. 1
to part 774 of the EAR (CCL) (e.g., in the
case of most semi-automatic firearms).
As an illustrative example, BIS does not
propose to regulate the brokering of
semi-automatic firearms by ‘‘U.S.
persons,’’ an activity that is subject to
ITAR licensing requirements (22 CFR
129.1(b)). An explicit statement
referring to this exclusion from coverage
under the EAR of ITAR-related activities
is proposed to be added to
§ 744.6(a)(1)(ii), and a related note is
proposed to be added to § 744.6(a) to
advise ‘‘U.S. persons’’ to review ITAR
licensing requirements and submit a
commodity jurisdiction determination
request if any doubt exists as to whether
specific activities are subject to control
under the ITAR or the EAR.
Third, this rule would exclude from
regulation certain activities of ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ that do not extend beyond
administrative services. The proposed
exclusion incorporates language used in
an exclusion from the ITAR’s definition
of brokering activities (22 CFR
129.2(b)(2)(iv)) that is already familiar to
the regulated industry. BIS anticipates
that using existing regulatory
terminology will facilitate compliance
by industry and will effectively and
accurately describe the intended scope
of the exclusion under the EAR.
Fourth, also drawing on language
from exclusions to the ITAR’s brokering
registration requirements (22 CFR
129.3(b)(2)), BIS proposes excluding
commercial activities related to the
movement of goods by common carriers
from the EAR’s definition of ‘support’
solely with respect to the expanded
controls proposed in this rule to
implement new ECRA authority (i.e.,
the restrictions in § 744.6(b)(5) through
(7)). The purpose of this exclusion is to
permit ‘‘U.S. persons’’ continued
involvement in transportation, shipping,
and/or transferring items as part of
routine business activities of companies
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
60987
such as freight forwarders and shipping
lines. This proposed exclusion is
intended to ensure that the EAR’s ‘‘U.S
persons’ ’’ ‘support’ controls do not
adversely impact the basic business
operations of shipping lines and air
carriers, companies that are generally
not involved in arranging underlying
transactions involving the sale of the
items at issue. However, to the extent a
‘‘U.S. person’’ undertakes shipping,
transmitting, and transferring activities
involving items not subject to the EAR
with ‘‘knowledge’’ that such items will
support certain military end users,
military-production activities, militarysupport end users, and intelligence end
users remain controlled activities under
§ 744.6 of the EAR. BIS intends that
these controls apply to ‘‘U.S. persons’’
involved in the sale or supply of items
not subject to the EAR with
‘‘knowledge’’ that such items will be
used by the military- and intelligencerelated end uses and end users
described above, such as ‘‘U.S. persons’’
abroad who procure or sell such items
for such end uses or end users.
Moreover, BIS is excluding the routine
business activities of common carriers
only with respect to the new militaryand intelligence-related activity controls
proposed in this rule pursuant to ECRA
for consistency with a similar exclusion
in complementary ITAR defense
services controls proposed in a separate
rule in this issue of the Federal
Register. In 1991, when BIS
implemented restrictions on specific
activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’ as part of
the Enhanced Proliferation Control
Initiative (EPCI), BIS specifically
restricted activities, including
transportation, in connection with the
proliferation of nuclear weapons,
missiles, and chemical or biological
weapons (56 FR 40500, August 15,
1991). Because restrictions on
transportation, including by common
carriers, applied to the activity controls
related to the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction and their means of
delivery implemented under E.O.
12938, BIS does not propose to
eliminate those longstanding controls.
Fifth, BIS would exclude certain
activities that are conducted for, on
behalf of, or in connection with the U.S.
Government, including specified
programs or agreements executed by a
U.S. Government department or agency.
Specifically, this exclusion draws upon
and references three paragraphs of EAR
License Exception GOV (Section
740.11(b)(2)), which authorize exports,
reexports, and transfers (in-country)
made for or on behalf of a department
or agency of the U.S. Government to
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
60988
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
agencies of the U.S. Government and
certain shipments by the Department of
Defense (15 CFR 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(B), (C)
and (D)). This new exclusion exempts
from the licensing requirements of
§ 744.6 those activities that would meet
the conditions for the use of these three
provisions of License Exception GOV if
conducted with respect to items subject
to the EAR.
This rule also proposes several
revisions to the end uses and end users
set forth in § 744.6(b), with respect to
which ‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities are
restricted. First, this rule proposes to
remove the existing restrictions in
§ 744.6(b)(5) on military-intelligence
end uses and end users in connection
with a related proposed change
(explained further in section IV of this
preamble), that would characterize
military-intelligence end users as a
subset of a new, broader category of
defined intelligence end users proposed
to be subject to EAR controls. In place
of these military-intelligence end use
and end user restrictions, this rule
proposes to set forth in § 744.6(b)(5)
new controls on ‘military end users,’
which are defined in § 744.21(f)(2) of
the EAR, as described further in section
II of this preamble.
Sixth, this rule proposes to add
paragraph (b)(6) to § 744.6 to control
‘‘U.S. persons’’ ‘support’ of ‘militaryproduction activity,’ and sets forth a
section-specific definition of this term
distinct from ‘military end use,’ as
defined in § 744.21(f)(1) of the EAR, for
the reasons described further in section
II. of this preamble.
Seventh, this rule proposes to add
paragraph (b)(7) to § 744.6 to control
‘‘U.S. person’’ ‘support’ of ‘intelligence
end users,’ as described further in
section IV of this preamble.
As conforming changes, BIS proposes
to ensure that references to ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ controls throughout the EAR
reflect the expanded scope of such
controls, including by making necessary
revisions to the following sections of the
EAR to ensure that they reference not
only proliferation-related controls
implemented under E.O. 12938, but also
broader ‘‘U.S. persons’’ activity controls
implemented under expanded ECRA
authority (section 4812(a)(2)(F) of
ECRA): §§ 730.5(d), 732.1(d)(1)(viii) and
(d)(3), 732.3(j)(1), 734.4(a)(7), 734.5, and
736.2(b)(7).
Consistent with the current version of
§ 744.6, paragraph (c) would continue to
set forth additional prohibitions on
‘‘U.S. persons’’ informed by BIS that
their activities could involve support to
the end uses or end users described in
paragraphs (b)(1) through (7). BIS
proposes to add a note to paragraph (b)
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
that explains that General Order 6 of
supplement no. 1 to part 736 authorizes
the activities described in paragraph (b)
when such activities are required for the
performance of defense services subject
to control under the ITAR that have
been authorized by DDTC. This new
General Order 6 is intended to ensure
‘‘U.S. persons’’ who have received a
DDTC authorization to engage in
defense services are not required to seek
additional authorization from BIS to
perform services subject to the license
requirements of § 744.6 of the EAR, if
such services are required in
furtherance of the DDTC-authorized
defense services. As an illustrative
example, if a ‘‘U.S. person’’ is
authorized by DDTC to assist a foreign
defense contractor in integrating a
foreign-origin thermal imaging camera
that is not subject to the EAR but meets
the parameters of ECCN 6A003 into a
USML Category VII(a)(2) combat vehicle
destined to the armed forces of a D:5
country, that ‘‘U.S. person’’ may rely on
General Order 6 to satisfy the BIS
licensing requirement that would
otherwise apply pursuant to
§ 744.6(b)(6) of the EAR to the
facilitation of the sale of that foreignorigin 6A003-equivalent thermal camera
to the same foreign defense contractor to
be installed on the Category VII(a)(2)
vehicle, as authorized by DDTC.
Finally, paragraph (e) specifies that
applications for licenses submitted
pursuant to § 744.6(b)(5) through (7)
will be reviewed in accordance with the
license review policies set forth in the
corresponding end-use and end-user
controls set forth in §§ 744.21, 744.22,
and 744.24, respectively.
II. Military End Users and End Uses
A. End-Use and End-User Controls
BIS proposes amending § 744.21
(Restrictions on certain ‘military end
uses’ or ‘military end users’) to expand
and clarify which military end uses and
end users are subject to this control.
This rule proposes to update the
definition of ‘military end user’; expand
the provision’s end-use and end-user
controls to apply to all items subject to
the EAR (rather than only the items
specified in supplement no. 2 to part
744, which this rule proposes to remove
and reserve); and expand the country
scope of these end-use and end-user
controls to apply to all countries
identified in Country Group D:5, as well
as Macau. Additionally, this rule
proposes a new licensing policy under
which license applications would be
reviewed. No other changes to § 744.21
are being proposed at this time,
although BIS welcomes comment on all
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
requirements set forth in § 744.21 to
assess their effectiveness.
In paragraph (a), BIS would revise the
current general prohibition set forth in
(a)(1) to apply to the export, reexport,
and in-country transfer of all items
subject to the EAR (currently only items
specified in supplement number 2 to
part 744 and in connection with only
six countries) if at the time of such
action a person has ‘‘knowledge’’ as
defined in the EAR that the item is
intended for (1) a ‘military end use’ that
occurs in Macau or a D:5 country or the
product of which is destined to Macau
or a country listed specified in Country
Group D:5 in supplement no. 1 to part
740 of the EAR, or (2) a ‘military end
user’ wherever located, of Macau or a
D:5 country.
Through this proposed rule, BIS is
expanding the prohibition’s scope to
cover countries or destinations subject
to a policy of denial for exports of
defense articles and defense services, as
identified by the Department of State.
These countries or destinations are
listed in 22 CFR 126.1(d) of the ITAR
and incorporated by reference in the
footnote of Country Group D:5. This
grouping includes, but is broader than,
the six countries currently subject to
MEU controls. BIS believes that using a
Country Group reference instead of a
specific list of countries or destinations
promotes ease of regulatory compliance
and reduces regulatory complexity. BIS
is also including Macau, which is not
listed in Country Group D:5 but is a
Special Administrative Region of the
People’s Republic of China (PRC),
which is listed in Country Group D:5.
As a general matter, BIS has ensured
that all new controls under the EAR
applicable to the PRC apply equally to
Macau (88 FR 2821 (Jan. 17, 2023); 88
FR 54875 (Aug. 11, 2023)).
BIS also proposes to streamline the
text in paragraph (b) and render it
consistent with the standard text for
additional prohibitions that apply to
persons informed by BIS that is found
in other end use/user sections in part
744.
As a result of this rule’s proposed
revisions, all of the end users on the
Military End-User List in supplement
no. 7 to part 744 would be moved to the
Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part
744 with a license requirement that
applies to all items subject to the EAR.
The removal of entities from
supplement no. 7 to part 744 and their
corresponding addition to supplement
no. 4 to part 744 would be implemented
in a separate, final rule published in the
Federal Register, which would also
remove and reserve supplement no. 7 to
part 744. Should the revisions to
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
§ 744.21 proposed in this rule be
implemented in final form, this action
will be a necessary conforming change,
as the Military End-User List differs
primarily from the Entity List in that the
Military End-User List’s license
requirements apply only to items
specified in supplement no. 2 to part
744. In addition, the license review
policy column of the Entity List will
point to § 744.21(e), which will be an
indicator that the entity is considered a
military end user. If the license
requirement for ‘military end users’ is
expanded to all items subject to the
EAR, as proposed in this rule, ‘military
end users’ will be more appropriately
listed on the Entity List, which
generally provides for a broader license
requirement.
The license review standards
currently set forth in paragraphs (e)(1)
through (3) are proposed to be combined
and consolidated in one paragraph (e).
Applications to export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items for a ‘military
end use’ or to a ‘military end user’ as
described in revised and expanded
paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) in
connection with Burma, China, Cuba,
Iran, Macau, North Korea, Syria, and
Venezuela, will be reviewed with a
presumption of denial. Applications for
Russia and Belarus will be reviewed
with a policy of denial consistent with
§ 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other
applications, including those involving
Cambodia (currently listed in § 744.21
of the EAR) will be reviewed under a
case-by-case review policy, consistent
with United States policies set forth in
§ 126.1 of the ITAR.
BIS also proposes to merge the
definitions of military end use and
military end user currently located in
paragraphs (f) and (g), respectively, into
a revised paragraph (f). In addition, a
general statement about the purpose and
use of the definitions in paragraph (f)
would be added to the introduction text
of paragraph (f). This rule does not
propose to amend the definition of
‘military end use.’ It only makes a
technical correction by removing the
phrase ‘‘or items classified under ECCNs
ending in ‘A018’ ’’ in two places,
because these ECCNs do not currently
control items and are only used to point
to ‘‘600 series’’ ECCNs.
The definition of ‘military end user’ is
proposed for revision by removing from
its scope the ‘‘national police,
government intelligence or
reconnaissance organizations (excluding
those described in § 744.22(f)(2)), or any
person or entity whose actions or
functions are intended to support
‘military end uses’ as defined in
paragraph (f) of this section.’’ These
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
categories of entities are instead
proposed as new types of end users in
this rule, i.e., ‘military-support end
users,’ and ‘intelligence end users,’ or,
in the case of national police previously
included in the definition of ‘military
end user,’ are expected to be proposed
as ‘security end users’ in a separate rule.
Lastly, this rule proposes to expand
the scope of this provision’s definition
of ‘military end user’ by adding ‘‘any
person or entity performing the
functions of a ‘military end user,’
including mercenaries, paramilitary, or
irregular forces.’’ This expansion is
intended to capture private companies,
non-state actors, or parastatal entities
that engage in combat or other activities
akin to those of traditional armed forces,
other than the kinds of activities
described below in connection with
‘military-support end users,’ which
generally involves the design,
development, production, installation,
maintenance, repair, overhaul, or
refurbishing of military items. The term
‘military end users’ would include
entities designated with a footnote 3
(Russian or Belarusian military end
users) or 5 (Military End Users (other
than Russia or Belarus and not subject
to the foreign direct product rule set
forth in § 734.(g))) on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 to this part.
B. ‘‘U.S. Persons’’ Activity Control
Consistent with the proposed
revisions to the military end-use
controls in § 744.21 of the EAR, BIS also
proposes to control specific activities of
‘‘U.S. persons’’ that assist defined
military end users (as proposed for
revision, as described above). In
paragraph (b)(5) of Section 744.6, BIS
proposes restrictions on ‘‘U.S. persons’’
supporting military end users as defined
in proposed § 744.21(f)(2), including
military end users listed on the Entity
List with a footnote 3 or 5 designation.
As noted above, this restriction (along
with the other restrictions set forth in
Section 744.6) applies only to the extent
the underlying activities are not
regulated by DDTC as defense services
(see a complementary rule published
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
Register in which DDTC proposes to
regulate as ITAR defense services
assistance that creates, supports, or
improves the organization or formation
of military or paramilitary forces or
operations). Illustrative examples of
activities that, depending upon the
specific facts of each case, may be
subject to this proposed ‘‘U.S. persons’’
activity control include:
(1) Facilitating a military end user’s
acquisition or procurement of foreignorigin items, which if located in the
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
60989
United States would be subject to the
EAR (i.e., not USML defense articles)
and also not enumerated on the USMIL.
(2) Performing basic repair or
maintenance services with respect to
items owned or employed by a military
end user, which if located in the United
States would be subject to the EAR.
Note: BIS does not propose to regulate
‘‘U.S. persons’’ engaging in combat or
other military operations as a member
of, or on behalf of, a foreign military
force or paramilitary organization. BIS
notes that such activities may be subject
to licensing requirements by other U.S.
government agencies, or to prohibitions
under U.S. criminal statutes.
In addition to the proposed ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ activity controls with respect
to military end users, BIS proposes to
add to § 744.6(b)(6) controls on ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ support to ‘militaryproduction activities.’ BIS is proposing
a new section-specific definition of
‘military-production activities,’ (distinct
from the § 744.21(f)(1) definition of
‘military end use’) to provide greater
clarity for the regulated public and
avoid creating a misimpression that the
agency is regulating under the EAR
services regulated by DDTC under the
ITAR. Specifically, the proposed
definition of ‘military-production
activities’ differs from Section
744.21(f)(1)’s definition of ‘military end
use’ in two key aspects. First, the
‘military-production activities’
definition excludes activities directly
related to USML defense articles, as
such activities are defense services
subject to the ITAR. While BIS controls
the export, reexport, or transfer (incountry) of items subject to the EAR that
will be incorporated abroad into defense
articles (see, inter alia, § 744.21 of the
EAR), BIS does not control services
directly related to the underlying
incorporation of such items subject to
the EAR into defense articles. DDTC
regulates activities related to ‘‘600
series’’ items to the extent these
activities are ITAR defense services
regulated by the ITAR. Second, the new
‘military- production activities’
definition includes activities related to
dual-use items which if located in the
United States would be subject to the
EAR. Consequently, ‘‘U.S. persons’’
developing or producing such items for
‘military end users’ in targeted countries
must receive authorization from BIS.
Illustrative examples of activities that,
depending upon the specific facts of
each case, may be subject to this
proposed ‘‘U.S. persons’’ activity
control include:
(1) Assisting a defense contractor in a
targeted country in producing an ECCN
0A606.a armored vehicle;
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
60990
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
(2) Assisting a defense contractor in a
targeted country in installing an ECCN
8A002.g light system in an ECCN
8A620.a submersible vessel; and
(3) Assisting an electronics company
in a targeted country in developing
ECCN 3A001 integrated circuits that
have been ordered by the armed services
of a targeted country.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
III. ‘Military-Support End Users’
A. End-User Control
BIS proposes moving the contents of
current § 744.22 ‘‘Restrictions on certain
military-intelligence end user(s)’’ to
§ 744.24, and adding a new section,
‘‘Restrictions on certain militarysupport end users,’’ to § 744.22, directly
following § 744.21 ‘‘Restrictions on
certain military end uses and end
users.’’ Since the establishment of the
military end-use and end-user controls
in the EAR, BIS has received numerous
questions about the applicability of
these controls to persons or entities that
provide assistance to military end users
and end uses. These ‘military-support
end users’ warrant a separate section in
part 744, to clarify that BIS seeks to
control exports, reexports, and incountry transfers to these entities by
subjecting them to a narrower license
requirement, as described below.
Separate controls are warranted for
these entities in recognition of the
various types and roles of end users that
fall into this category.
Under this proposed new control, a
license would be required only to
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
to ‘military-support end users’ items
subject to the EAR that are specified on
the CCL. This license requirement
would apply when a person has
‘‘knowledge,’’ as defined in part 772 of
the EAR, that the item is intended,
entirely or in part, for a ‘militarysupport end user,’ as defined in
§ 744.22(f), in Macau or a D:5 country,
or wherever located when identified on
the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to
part 744 of the EAR and identified with
a footnote 6 designation.
As in § 744.21, there would also be a
license requirement when BIS informs a
person either individually by specific
notice or through a notice published in
the Federal Register that a license is
required for specific exports, reexport,
or transfers (in-country) of any item
because there is an unacceptable risk of
use in or diversion to a ‘military-support
end user.’ Only License Exception GOV
(specifically, the paragraph authorizing
certain exports, reexports, or transfers
(in-country) by or involving agencies or
departments of the U.S. Government) of
the EAR (§ 740.11(b)(2)) would
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
overcome the license requirements in
§ 744.22 of the EAR.
The license review policy for
applications submitted pursuant to this
section would be the same as under
§ 744.21. Specifically, applications to
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
items for a ‘military-support end user’ in
connection with Burma, China, Cuba,
Iran, Macau, North Korea, Syria, and
Venezuela, will be reviewed with a
presumption of denial. Applications for
Russia and Belarus will be reviewed
with a policy of denial consistent with
§ 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other
applications, including those involving
Cambodia (currently listed in § 744.21)
will be reviewed under a case-by-case
review policy, consistent with United
States policies set forth in § 126.1 of the
ITAR.
The definition of ‘military-support
end user’ would be set forth in
§ 744.22(f) of the EAR and is proposed
to mean any person or entity whose
actions or functions support ‘military
end uses,’ as defined in § 744.21(f). In
addition, the term would include
entities designated with a footnote 6 on
the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to
this part, as BIS will add these types of
entities to the Entity List.
B. ‘‘U.S. Persons’’ Activity Control
With this rule, BIS does not propose
to add a ‘‘U.S. persons’’ activity control
that corresponds directly to the
proposed new control on certain
exports, reexports, and transfers (incountry) involving ‘military support end
users.’ However, in § 744.6(b)(5), BIS
proposes that controls on ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ support to ‘military end users’
will extend to entities listed on the
Entity List and designated with a
footnote 6, which is applicable to
certain ‘military support end users.’ As
a result, while ‘‘U.S. persons’’ need to
exercise due diligence to ensure they are
not providing ‘support’ without a BIS
license to certain ‘military end users,’ as
defined in § 744.21(f)(2) regardless of
whether such ‘military end users’ are
designated with a footnote 3 or 5 on the
Entity List, for purposes of the activity
controls in § 744.6(b)(5), ‘‘U.S. persons’’
do not need to determine whether their
‘support’ activities assist a ‘militarysupport end user’ as defined in
§ 744.22(f) of the EAR. Instead, ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ only need to identify whether
contemplated ‘support’ assists a
‘military-support end user’ that is
specifically identified on the Entity List
with a footnote 6 designation. However,
‘‘U.S. persons’’ still need to exercise due
diligence to ensure their activities do
not involve ‘support’ for ‘militaryproduction activities’ described in
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
§ 744.6(b)(6), regardless of whether the
foreign party the ‘‘U.S. person’’ is
supporting is listed on the Entity List
with a footnote 6 designation. Because
the license requirement for footnote 6
entities may be limited to CCL items as
specified in § 744.22, or as provided in
such entities’ entries on the Entity List,
BIS also proposes to add a note to
§ 744.6(b) to clarify that, unlike for other
footnote-designated entities subject to a
broader restriction on ‘‘U.S. persons’’
‘support’ activities, for footnote 6
entities, ‘‘U.S. persons’’ should consult
the license requirement of such entities’
entries on the Entity List. Restrictions
on ‘‘U.S. persons’’ ‘support’ to ‘militarysupport end users’ are limited to
activities with respect to items
described in the footnote 6 entity’s
license requirement column on the
Entity List, or their foreign-origin
equivalents.
IV. ‘Intelligence End User’
A. End-User Control
To harmonize with section
4812(a)(2)(F) of ECRA, this rule would
revise the term ‘military-intelligence
end user’ by dropping the qualifier
‘‘military,’’ resulting in the term
‘intelligence end user.’ This revision
would expand the scope of controls to
all intelligence end users of the covered
countries, instead of only intelligence
end users that are part of the armed
services or national guard of the covered
countries. As a result of this revision, an
‘intelligence end user’ would
encompass not only military, but also
other governmental (e.g., civilian)
intelligence and reconnaissance
organizations. As noted above, BIS
proposes to move current § 744.22
‘‘Restrictions on export, reexports, and
transfers (in-country) to certain militaryintelligence end uses or end users’’ to
§ 744.24 and rename the section to
reflect the new term, ‘intelligence end
user’. Within new § 744.24, BIS
proposes to revise definitions, license
requirements, and license review policy.
In particular, as detailed below, BIS
proposes the following revisions:
(1) Updating the definition of
‘intelligence end users’;
(2) Establishing that the control
applies to all items subject to the EAR
and to the countries identified in
Country Groups D and E that are not
also listed in Country Groups A:5 and
A:6; and
(3) Establishing a new license
application review policy.
The country scope of the license
requirement would be revised from the
current language, which reads as
follows: ‘‘Belarus, Burma, Cambodia,
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
the People’s Republic of China (China),
Russia, or Venezuela; or a country
specified in Country Groups E:1 or E:2
(see supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the
EAR)’’ and expanded to include all
countries or destinations specified in
Country Groups D or E that are not also
identified in Country Group A:5 or A:6
of supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the
EAR. Country Group D comprises
countries of national security, nuclear,
chemical and biological, and missile
technology concerns, along with those
subject to U.S. arms embargoes. Country
Group E identifies countries that are
terrorist-supporting (E:1) or subject to a
unilateral embargo (E:2). Country
Groups A:5 and A:6 are composed of
countries that maintain strong export
controls cooperation with the United
States. The 45 Country Group D and E
countries that are not also identified in
Country Group A:5 or A:6 are as
follows: Afghanistan, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Burma,
Cambodia, Central African Republic,
People’s Republic of China (China),
Democratic Republic of Congo, Cuba,
Egypt, Eritrea, Georgia, Haiti, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,
Libya, Macau, Moldova, Mongolia,
Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan,
Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United
Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. BIS
assesses that the imposition of a license
requirement on exports, reexports, and
transfers (in-country) for ‘intelligence
end users’ in these covered countries
would enhance U.S. national security by
allowing prior U.S. government review
of contemplated transactions involving
intelligence or reconnaissance
organizations located in these countries.
As in §§ 744.21 and 744.22, there
would also be a license requirement
when BIS informs a person either
individually by specific notice, or
through a notice published in the
Federal Register, that a license is
required for specific exports, reexports,
or transfers (in-country) of any item
because there is an unacceptable risk of
diversion to a ‘foreign-intelligence end
user.’ Only License Exception GOV set
forth in § 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR would
overcome the license requirements in
§ 744.24 of the EAR.
The license review policy for
applications submitted pursuant to this
section would be the same as under
§§ 744.21 and 744.22 of the EAR.
Specifically, applications to export,
reexport, or transfer (in-country) items
for a ‘intelligence end user’ in
connection with Burma, China, Cuba,
Iran, Macau, North Korea, Syria, and
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
Venezuela, will be reviewed with a
presumption of denial. Applications for
Russia and Belarus will be reviewed
with a policy of denial consistent with
§ 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other
applications will be reviewed under a
case-by-case review policy, consistent
with United States policies set forth in
§ 126.1 of the ITAR.
Finally, as noted above, the definition
of an ‘intelligence end user’ set forth in
paragraph (f) would cover ‘‘any
government intelligence or
reconnaissance organization and other
entities performing functions on behalf
of such entities.’’ BIS intends that this
would include entities performing
intelligence functions such as planning
and directing, processing and
exploiting, analyzing and producing,
disseminating and integrating,
surveilling, and evaluating and
providing feedback. This definition is
intended to cover traditional espionage
and economic espionage activities. Also
included in the definition of
‘intelligence end users’ would be Entity
List entities designated with footnote 7.
Consistent with the separation of the
terms military and intelligence in ECRA
as a consequence of the amendment to
ECRA in the NDAA for FY 2023, BIS is
proposing to remove the term ‘militaryintelligence end use’ and the related
definition of this term from this
provision. Moreover, as a policy matter,
with the expansion of ‘military end use’
controls to apply to all items subject to
the EAR and in light of the expansion
of the definition of ‘intelligence end
user’ to include not only civilian
government intelligence and
reconnaissance organizations, but also
private sector entities that perform
certain functions on behalf of such
entities, BIS does not believe that
controls on ‘military-intelligence end
uses’ continue to be warranted.
Transactions previously subject to
‘military-intelligence end use’ controls
will now be subject to either ‘military
end use’ controls in § 744.21 of the EAR,
or controls on entities performing
functions on behalf of government
intelligence or reconnaissance
organizations in § 744.24 of the EAR.
B. ‘‘U.S. Persons’’ Activity Control
Consistent with the proposed
revisions to the end-user control in
§ 744.24 described above, BIS proposes
to add new paragraph (b)(7) to § 744.6
to impose controls on ‘‘U.S. persons’’
‘support’ for ‘intelligence end users’ of
the 45 Country Group D and E countries
not also listed in Country Groups A:5 or
A:6. As with all § 744.6 controls on
specific activities of ‘‘U.S. persons,’’
such controls only apply to the extent
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
60991
the underlying activities are not subject
to a license requirement or general
prohibition administered by another
Federal department or agency. In a
complementary rule published
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
Register, DDTC proposes to revise the
definition of defense services under the
ITAR (22 CFR parts 120—through 130)
and to create a specific USML defense
service entry to control certain
assistance that creates, supports, or
improves intelligence activities,
regardless of whether such assistance
involves the use of a defense article.
DDTC proposes several exclusions to
the scope of its controls, many of which
align with exclusions in proposed
§ 744.6(a)(1)(ii) of the EAR, which
would also not be subject to BIS control.
However, BIS does propose to
regulate, with respect to D and E
countries not also listed in A:5 or A:6
the types of ‘‘U.S. person’’ ‘support’ for
‘intelligence end users,’ which DDTC
proposes to exclude from the scope of
defense services controls and which BIS
does not exclude from control under
§ 744.6(a)(1)(ii). Accordingly, as
illustrative examples, ‘‘U.S. persons’’
will need to seek authorization from BIS
prior to performing the following types
of activities with respect to ‘intelligence
end users’ of the targeted countries or
destinations:
(1) Maintenance, repair, overhaul, or
refurbishing of items which if located in
the United States would be subject to
the EAR that are owned by or will be
used by or to support ‘intelligence end
users’; and
(2) Information technology services to
support ordinary business activities that
are not specific to a particular business
field.
V. Entity List and Section 744.11
Consistent with to the proposed
revisions to §§ 744.6, 744.21, 744.22,
and 744.24, BIS proposes amending
§ 744.11 ‘‘License requirements that
apply to entities acting or at significant
risk of acting contrary to the national
security or foreign policy interests of the
United States’’ by adding entities that
are ‘military end users,’ ‘militarysupport end users,’ and ‘intelligence
end users’ to the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 to part 744,
designating them by specific footnote,
and adding license requirements for
these entities to § 744.11 of the EAR.
Changes to the Entity List would be
made in a separate final rule.
BIS proposes amending § 744.11 by
revising the heading for paragraph (a)(2)
from ‘‘Entity List foreign-direct
product’’ (FDP) license requirements,
review policy, and license exceptions’’
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
60992
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
to ‘‘Entities designated by specified
footnotes,’’ because not all Entity List
entities or footnote designated entities
have license requirements that include
foreign-produced items subject to the
EAR pursuant to a foreign-direct
product rule in § 734.9 of the EAR. This
rule also proposes to redesignate
paragraph (a)(2)(ii) as (a)(2)(iii) and to
set forth license requirements for
footnote 3 entities—Russian and
Belarusian ‘military end users’ in
paragraph (a)(2)(ii). To set forth license
requirements in § 744.11 for footnote
designated entities, this rule proposes to
add paragraph (a)(2)(iv) footnote 5
entities—‘military-end users’; paragraph
(a)(2)(v) footnote 6 entities—‘militarysupport end users’; and paragraph
(a)(2)(vi) footnote 7 entities—
‘intelligence end users.’
This rule also proposes to add
introductory text to paragraph (a)(2) to
clarify that the ‘‘standards-related
activities’’ exclusion to the license
requirements set forth in paragraph
(a)(1) applies to all the footnote
designated entities described in
paragraph (a)(2).
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
VI. Conforming Changes
BIS proposes revising § 744.1(a)(1) to
update the descriptions of sections in
part 744.
Request for Comments on This Proposed
Rule
This rule is being issued in proposed
form because while it is in the foreign
policy and national security interests of
the United States to impose these new
end-use and end-user controls with the
earliest possible effective date, BIS also
seeks to provide the interested public
with an opportunity to submit
comments in order to avoid any
unnecessary disruption to supply
chains, ensure that the controls are
drafted to be as effective as possible,
and that the provisions of the controls
are clear and unambiguous for ease of
compliance by exporters, reexporters,
and transferors. BIS continues to
evaluate the scope of items subject to
this rule, the scope of the end users
covered by this rule, and the potential
for complementary end-use controls and
welcomes comments on these issues.
Therefore, as part of this rule BIS is
soliciting public comment on the
proposed revisions and additions to the
proposed revisions to the military enduse and end-user controls in § 744.21
and the foreign-intelligence end-user
controls in § 744.24; the proposed
additions of new § 744.22 (Restrictions
on certain foreign-military-support end
users); and any of the other revisions in
this rule. Comments may be submitted
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
in accordance with the DATES and
sections of this rule. BIS will
review and, if appropriate, address such
comments through a related rulemaking
process.
ADDRESSES
Export Control Reform Act of 2018
On August 13, 2018, the President
signed into law the John S. McCain
National Defense Authorization Act for
FY 2019, which included the Export
Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA) (50
U.S.C. 4801–4852). On December 23,
2022, the President signed into law the
National Defense Authorization Act for
FY 2023 (NDAA, Pub. L. 117–263)
section 5589(b) of which amended
section 4812(a)(2)(F) of ECRA. ECRA
provides the legal basis for BIS’s
principal authorities and serves as the
authority under which BIS issues this
rule.
Rulemaking Requirements
1. Executive Order 12866, as amended
by Executive Orders 13563 and 14094,
directs agencies to assess all costs and
benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety
effects, distributed impacts, and equity).
This rule has been designated a
‘‘significant regulatory action’’ by the
Office and Information and Regulatory
Affairs under Executive Order 12866.
2. Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, no person is required
to respond to or be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with a collection
of information, subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.) (PRA), unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Control Number. This regulation
involves collections previously
approved by OMB under control
number 0694–0088, Simplified Network
Application Processing System, which
includes, among other things, license
applications and commodity
classifications, and carries a burden
estimate of 29.4 minutes for a manual or
electronic submission for a total burden
estimate of 33,133 hours. This rule
increases the estimated number of
submissions by 150 which is not
expected to exceed the current approved
estimates.
3. This rule does not contain policies
with federalism implications as that
term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
4. Pursuant to section 1762 of the
Export Control Reform Act of 2018, this
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
action is exempt from the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
553) (APA) requirements for notice of
proposed rulemaking, opportunity for
public participation, and delay in
effective date. While section 1762 of
ECRA provides sufficient authority for
such an exemption, this action is
independently exempt from those APA
requirements because it involves a
military or foreign affairs function of the
United States (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1)).
Notwithstanding this determination, for
the policy reasons set forth in Section
VI. above, BIS is seeking public
comment on this proposed rule.
5. Because a notice of proposed
rulemaking and an opportunity for
public comment are not required to be
given for this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553, or
by any other law, the analytical
requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., are
not applicable. Accordingly, no
regulatory flexibility analysis is required
and none has been prepared.
List of Subjects
15 CFR Part 730
Administrative practice and
procedure, Advisory committees,
Exports, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Strategic and critical
materials.
15 CFR Part 732
Administrative practice and
procedure, Exports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
15 CFR Part 734
Administrative practice and
procedure, Exports, Inventions and
patents, Research, Science and
technology.
15 CFR Part 736
Exports.
15 CFR Part 740
Administrative practice and
procedure, Exports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
15 CFR Part 744
Exports, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Terrorism.
Accordingly, parts 730, 732, 734, 736,
740, and 744 of the Export
Administration Regulations (15 CFR
parts 730–774) are proposed to be
amended as follows:
PART 730—[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for 15 CFR
part 730 is revised to read as follows:
■
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801–4852; 50 U.S.C.
4601 et seq.; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; 10 U.S.C.
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
8720; 10 U.S.C. 8730(e); 22 U.S.C. 287c; 22
U.S.C. 2151 note; 22 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.; 22
U.S.C. 6004; 42 U.S.C. 2139a; 15 U.S.C. 1824;
50 U.S.C. 4305; 22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.; 22
U.S.C. 7210; E.O. 11912, 41 FR 15825, 3 CFR,
1976 Comp., p. 114; E.O. 12002, 42 FR 35623,
3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 133; E.O. 12058, 43
FR 20947, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 179; E.O.
12214, 45 FR 29783, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p.
256; E.O. 12851, 58 FR 33181, 3 CFR, 1993
Comp., p. 608; E.O. 12854, 58 FR 36587, 3
CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 179; E.O. 12918, 59 FR
28205, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p. 899; E.O.
12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p.
950; E.O. 12981, 60 FR 62981, 3 CFR, 1995
Comp., p. 419; E.O. 13020, 61 FR 54079, 3
CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 219; E.O. 13026, 61 FR
58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O.
13222, 66 FR 44025, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p.
783; E.O. 13224, 66 FR 49079, 3 CFR, 2001
Comp., p. 786; E.O. 13338, 69 FR 26751, 3
CFR, 2004 Comp., p 168; E.O. 13637, 78 FR
16129, 3 CFR, 2014 Comp., p. 223; Notice of
September 7, 2023, 88 FR 62439 (September
11, 2023); Notice of November 1, 2023, 88 FR
75475 (November 3, 2023); Notice of May 8,
2024, 89 FR 40355 (May 9, 2024).
2. Section 730.5 is amended by
revising paragraph (d) to read as
follows:
■
§ 730.5
Coverage of more than exports.
*
*
*
*
*
(d) ‘‘U.S. person’’ activities. The EAR
restrict specific activities of ‘‘U.S.
persons,’’ wherever located, as
described in § 744.6 of the EAR.
PART 732—[AMENDED]
3. The authority citation for 15 CFR
part 732 continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801–4852; 50 U.S.C.
4601 et seq.; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; E.O.
13026, 61 FR 58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p.
228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025, 3 CFR, 2001
Comp., p. 783.
4. Section 732.1 is amended by
revising paragraphs (d)(1)(vii) and
(d)(3), to read as follows:
■
§ 732.1
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
*
*
*
*
(d) * * *
(1) * * *
(vii) General Prohibition Seven
(Support of proliferation activities and
certain military end users, militaryproduction activities, and intelligence
end users (‘‘U.S. person’’ activities)).
*
*
*
*
*
(3) Controls on activities. Steps 12
through 18 refer to General Prohibitions
Four through Ten. Those general
prohibitions apply to all items subject to
the EAR, not merely those items listed
on the CCL in part 774 of the EAR. For
example, they refer to the general
prohibitions for persons denied export
privileges, prohibited end uses and end
users, countries subject to a
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
§ 732.3 Steps regarding the ten general
prohibitions.
*
*
*
*
*
(j) * * *
(1) Review the scope of activity
prohibited by General Prohibition Seven
(‘‘U.S. person’’ activities) (§ 736.2(b)(7)
of the EAR) as that activity is described
in § 744.6 of the EAR. Keep in mind that
such activity is not limited to exports,
reexports, or transfers (in-country).
‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities extend to
services and shipping or transmitting
certain wholly foreign-origin items, or
facilitating such shipments or
transmissions, in ‘support’ of the
specified weapons of mass destruction
and military and intelligence end users
and military-production activities and
are not limited to items subject to the
EAR. See § 744.6(a)(1) of the EAR for the
full definition of ‘support,’ which
includes, inter alia, ordering, storing,
using, selling, loaning, disposing,
servicing, financing, transporting,
freight forwarding, or conducting
negotiations to facilitate such activities.
*
*
*
*
*
provisions of the EAR. In addition, the
de minimis rules do not relieve ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ of the obligation to refrain
from supporting the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction, their
means of delivery, military and
intelligence end uses, and militaryproduction activities as provided in
§ 744.6 of the EAR.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 8. Section 734.5 is amended by
revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:
§ 734.5 Activities of U.S. and foreign
persons subject to the EAR.
*
*
*
*
*
(a) Specific activities of ‘‘U.S.
persons,’’ wherever located, related to
the proliferation of nuclear explosive
devices, ‘‘missiles,’’ chemical or
biological weapons, and whole plants
for chemical weapons precursors; and to
certain military and intelligence end
users and military-production activities
described in § 744.6 of the EAR.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 736—[AMENDED]
9. The authority citation for 15 CFR
part 736 is revised to read as follows:
■
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801–4852; 50 U.S.C.
4601 et seq.; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; E.O.
12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p.
950; E.O. 13020, 61 FR 54079, 3 CFR, 1996
Comp., p. 219; E.O. 13026, 61 FR 58767, 3
CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR
44025, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 783; E.O.
13338, 69 FR 26751, 3 CFR, 2004 Comp., p.
168; Notice of November 1, 2023, 88 FR
75475 (November 3, 2023); Notice of May 8,
2024, 89 FR 40355 (May 9, 2024).
10. Section 736.2 is amended by
revising paragraph (b)(7) introductory
text to read as follows:
■
PART 734—[AMENDED]
§ 736.2 General prohibitions and
determination of applicability.
6. The authority citation for 15 CFR
part 734 continues to read as follows:
*
■
Steps overview.
*
comprehensive embargo (e.g., Cuba,
Iran, North Korea and Syria), prohibited
activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’ in support
of proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and certain military and
intelligence end users and militaryproduction activities, prohibited
unlading of shipments, compliance with
orders, terms, and conditions, and
activities when a violation has occurred
or is about to occur.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 5. Section 732.3 is amended by
revising paragraph (j)(1) to read as
follows:
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801–4852; 50 U.S.C.
4601 et seq.; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; E.O.
12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p.
950; E.O. 13020, 61 FR 54079, 3 CFR, 1996
Comp., p. 219; E.O. 13026, 61 FR 58767, 3
CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR
44025, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 783; E.O.
13637, 78 FR 16129, 3 CFR, 2014 Comp., p.
223; Notice of November 1, 2023, 88 FR
75475 (November 3, 2023).
7. Section 734.4 is amended by
revising paragraph (a)(7) to read as
follows:
■
§ 734.4
De minimis U.S. content.
(a) * * *
(7) Under certain rules issued by the
Office of Foreign Assets Control, certain
exports from abroad by U.S.-owned or
controlled entities may be prohibited
notwithstanding the de minimis
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
60993
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(7) General Prohibition Seven—
Support of proliferation activities and
certain military and intelligence end
uses and end users (‘‘U.S. person’’
activities). A ‘‘U.S. person,’’ with
‘‘knowledge’’ and wherever located,
may not without a license ‘support,’ as
defined in § 744.6(a), proliferation
activities specified in § 744.6, e.g.,
nuclear explosive or unsafeguarded
activities; rocket systems (including
ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles
and sounding rockets); unmanned aerial
vehicle (including cruise missiles, target
drones and reconnaissance drones) end
uses; chemical (including chemical
precursors) or biological weapons end
uses; a ‘military end user’ or ‘militaryproduction activity,’ as defined in
§ 744.6(b)(6) of the EAR; or an
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
60994
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
‘intelligence end user,’ as defined in
§ 744.24(f) of the EAR.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 11. Supplement no. 1 to part 736 is
amended by adding paragraph f to read
as follows:
Supplement No. 1 to Part 736—General
Orders
*
*
*
*
*
(f) General Order No. 6:
General Order No. 6 of [DATE EFFECTIVE]
authorizes ‘‘U.S. persons’’ to perform services
that require a license pursuant to § 744.6(b)
of the EAR if required for the performance of
defense services subject to control under the
ITAR and authorized by the Department of
State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
(DDTC).
*
*
*
*
*
PART 740—[AMENDED]
12. The authority citation for 15 CFR
part 740 continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801–4852; 50 U.S.C.
4601 et seq.; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; 22 U.S.C.
7201 et seq.; E.O. 13026, 61 FR 58767, 3 CFR,
1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025,
3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 783.
13. Section 740.11 is amended by
revising paragraph (b)(2)(ii) to read as
follows:
■
§ 740.11 Governments, international
organizations, international inspections
under the Chemical Weapons Convention,
and the International Space Station (GOV).
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(2) * * *
(ii) Exports, reexports, and transfers
(in-country) made by or consigned to a
department or agency of the U.S.
Government. This paragraph authorizes
exports, reexports, and transfers of items
when made by or consigned to a
department or agency of the U.S.
Government, solely for its official use,
including for use in any lawfully
authorized investigative, protective, or
intelligence activity of a law
enforcement or intelligence agency of
the United States or of a territory,
possession, State, or District of the
United States, including political
subdivisions thereof, or for carrying out
any U.S. Government program with
foreign governments or international
organizations that is authorized by law
and subject to control by the President
by other means. This paragraph does not
authorize a department or agency of the
U.S. Government to make any export,
reexport, or transfer that is otherwise
prohibited by other administrative
provisions or by statute. Contractor
support personnel of a department or
agency of the U.S. Government are
eligible for this authorization when in
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
the performance of their duties pursuant
to the applicable contract or other
official duties. ‘Contractor support
personnel’ for the purpose of this
provision means those persons who
provide administrative, managerial,
scientific or technical support under
contract to a U.S. Government
department or agency (e.g., contractor
employees of Federally Funded
Research Facilities or Systems
Engineering and Technical Assistance
contractors). The term ‘contractor
support personnel’ for purposes of this
paragraph (b)(2)(ii) is limited to those
individuals who are providing such
support within a U.S. Government
owned or operated facility or under the
direct supervision of a U.S. government
employee (i.e., an individual directly
employed by the U.S. Government).
Private security contractors are not
‘contractor support personnel’ for
purposes of this paragraph (b)(2)(ii)
because although they may work within
a U.S. Government owned or operated
facility, such contractors do not provide
administrative, managerial, scientific or
technical support under contract to the
U.S. Government. This authorization is
not available when a department or
agency of the U.S. Government acts as
a transmittal agent on behalf of a nonU.S. Government person, either as a
convenience or in satisfaction of
security requirements.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 744—[AMENDED]
14. The authority citation for 15 CFR
part 744 is revised to read as follows:
■
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801–4852; 50 U.S.C.
4601 et seq.; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; 22 U.S.C.
3201 et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 2139a; 22 U.S.C. 7201
et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 7210; E.O. 12058, 43 FR
20947, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp., p. 179; E.O.
12851, 58 FR 33181, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p.
608; E.O. 12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994
Comp., p. 950; E.O. 13026, 61 FR 58767, 3
CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13099, 63 FR
45167, 3 CFR, 1998 Comp., p. 208; E.O.
13222, 66 FR 44025, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p.
783; E.O. 13224, 66 FR 49079, 3 CFR, 2001
Comp., p. 786; Notice of September 7, 2023,
88 FR 62439 (September 11, 2023); Notice of
November 1, 2023, 88 FR 75475 (November
3, 2023).
15. Section 744.1 is amended by
revising paragraph (a)(1) to read as
follows:
■
§ 744.1
General provisions.
(a)(1) Introduction. In this part,
references to the EAR are references to
15 CFR chapter VII, subchapter C. This
part contains prohibitions against
exports, reexports, and selected
transfers (in-country) to certain end
users and end uses, as well as certain
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
‘‘U.S. person’’ activities, as described in
General Prohibitions Five (End use/End
users), Seven (‘‘U.S. person’’ activities),
and Nine (Orders, Terms, and
Conditions), unless authorized by BIS. It
should also be noted that part 764 of the
EAR prohibits exports, reexports and
certain transfers (in-country) of items
subject to the EAR to denied parties.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 16. Section 744.6 is amended by:
■ a. Revising paragraph (a);
■ b. Revising paragraphs (b)(4) through
(6);
■ c. Adding paragraph (b)(7);
■ d. Revising paragraph (c)(1);
■ e. Revising paragraphs (d)
introductory text and (d)(2); and
■ f. Revising paragraph (e)(2).
The revisions and additions read as
follows:
§ 744.6 Restrictions on specific activities
of ‘‘U.S. persons.’’
(a) Scope and order of review. The
general prohibitions in this section
apply only to the extent that the
underlying activities are not subject to
a license requirement or general
prohibition administered by another
federal department or agency, see, for
example, Assistance to Foreign Atomic
Energy Activities regulations (10 CFR
part 810), administered by the
Department of Energy; International
Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22
CFR parts 120 through 130),
administered by the Department of
State; and certain sanctions regulations
(to include, but not limited to, 31 CFR
parts 500 through 599), administered by
the Department of the Treasury.
Accordingly, ‘‘U.S. persons’’ are
required to seek a license from BIS only
for the activities described in this
section that are not subject to a license
requirement or general prohibition
administered by the Department of
Energy, Department of State,
Department of the Treasury, or other
Federal department or agency. The
issuance of a license by BIS, or any
other Federal department or agency,
does not authorize ‘‘U.S. persons’’ to
engage in any activity that is otherwise
prohibited by law, including criminal
statutes.
(1) Definition of support—(i) Support
means:
(A) Shipping or transmitting from one
foreign country to another foreign
country any item not subject to the EAR
you know will be used in or by any of
the end uses or end users described in
paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) of this
section, including the sending or taking
of such item to or from foreign countries
in any manner;
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
(B) Transferring (in-country) any item
not subject to the EAR you know will
be used in or by any of the end uses or
end users described in paragraphs (b)(1)
through (7) of this section;
(C) Facilitating such shipment,
transmission, or transfer (in-country); or
(D) Performing any contract, service,
or employment you know may assist or
benefit any of the end uses or end users
described in paragraphs (b)(1) through
(7) of this section, including, but not
limited to: ordering, buying, removing,
concealing, storing, using, selling,
loaning, disposing, servicing, financing,
transporting, freight forwarding, or
conducting negotiations to facilitate
such activities.
(ii) Exclusions. Support does not
include:
(A) Activities related to items
described in § 734.3(b) of the EAR;
(B) Activities related to items
enumerated on the USML or on the
United States Munitions Import List
(USMIL) (27 CFR 447.21), to the extent
such activities are subject to control
under the ITAR.
(C) Activities limited to
administrative services, such as
providing or arranging office space and
equipment, hospitality, advertising, or
clerical, visa, or translation services,
collecting product and pricing
information to prepare a response to a
request for proposal, generally
promoting company goodwill at trade
shows, or activities by an attorney that
are limited to the provision of legal
advice;
(D) With respect to the end uses and
end users in paragraphs (b)(5) through
(7) only, commercial activities related to
the movement of goods by common
carriers; or
(E) Activities conducted for, on behalf
of, or in connection with:
(1) A department or agency of the U.S.
Government, including any lawfully
authorized investigative, protective, or
intelligence activity of a law
enforcement or intelligence agency of
the United States or of a territory,
possession, State, or District of the
United States, including political
subdivisions thereof;
(2) Any U.S. Government cooperative
program, project, agreement, or
arrangement with a foreign government
or international organization or agency
that is authorized by law and subject to
control by the President, as further
described in § 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(B) of the
EAR;
(3) Any U.S. Government foreign
assistance or sales program authorized
by law and subject to the control of the
President as further described in
§ 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(C) of the EAR; or
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
(4) An Acquisition and Cross
Servicing Agreement (ACSA) that is
executed at the direction of the U.S.
Department of Defense as further
described in § 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(D).
(2) [Reserved]
Note 1 to paragraph (a): Activities subject
to ITAR licensing requirements, including as
defense services (see 22 CFR 120.32 and the
United States Munitions List (USML) (22
CFR 121.1)) or brokering (see 22 CFR part
129) are not subject to EAR licensing
requirements pursuant to § 744.6(a) of the
EAR. Particularly in the case of ‘‘support’’ to
‘military end users,’ ‘military-production
activities,’ and ‘intelligence end users,’ ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ should be aware that their activities
may be subject to ITAR licensing
requirements and conduct their review
accordingly. For a formal determination as to
whether a specific ‘‘U.S. person’’ activity is
subject to the ITAR or the EAR, you may
submit a commodity jurisdiction request to
the Department of State, consistent with the
procedures in 22 CFR 120.12.
(b) * * *
(4) The design, ‘‘development,’’
‘‘production,’’ operation, installation
(including on-site installation),
maintenance (checking), repair,
overhaul, refurbishing, shipment, or
transfer (in-country) of a whole plant to
make chemical weapons precursors
identified in ECCN 1C350, in or by
countries other than those listed in
Country Group A:3 (Australia Group);
(5) A ‘military end user,’ as defined in
§ 744.21(f)(2), in or from a destination
specified in Country Group D:5 or
Macau, including, but not limited to,
‘military end users’ designated with a
footnote 3 or 5 on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 to this part, and only
those ‘military-support end users’
designated with a footnote 6 on the
Entity List in supplement no. 4 to this
part;
(6) A ‘military-production activity,’
when such activity occurs in or the
product of such activity is destined to
a country listed in Country Group D:5
or Macau. The term ‘military-production
activity’ means incorporation into the
following types of items or any other
activity that supports or contributes to
the operation, installation, maintenance,
repair, overhaul, refurbishing,
‘‘development,’’ or ‘‘production’’ of the
following types of items:
(i) ‘‘600 series’’ items, including
foreign-origin items not subject to the
EAR; or
(ii) Any other item that is either
described on the Commerce Control List
in other than a ‘‘600 series’’ ECCN, or
designated EAR99, including foreignorigin items not subject to the EAR, that
you ‘‘know’’ is ultimately destined to or
for use by a ‘military end user,’ as
defined in § 744.21(f)(2); or
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
60995
(7) An ‘intelligence end user,’ as
defined in § 744.24(f), wherever located,
from a destination specified in Country
Group D or E, but not also listed in
Country Group A:5 or A:6 (see
supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the EAR
for Country Groups), including, but not
limited to, ‘intelligence end users’
designated with a footnote 7 on the
Entity List in supplement no. 4 of this
part.
Note 2 to paragraph (b): General Order No.
6 authorizes ‘‘U.S. persons’’ to perform
activities subject to the license requirements
of paragraph (b) of this section, when
required for the performance of defense
services subject to control under the ITAR
and authorized by the Department of State,
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (see
supplement no. 1 to part 736 of the EAR).
Note 3 to paragraph (b): Restrictions on
‘support’ to entities designated with a
footnote 6 on the Entity List in supplement
no. 4 of this part only apply when the
support activities relate to items described in
the license requirement column of the
entity’s entry in supplement no. 4 of this
part, or their foreign-origin equivalents.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) * * *
(1) BIS may inform ‘‘U.S. persons,’’
either individually by specific notice,
through amendment to the EAR
published in the Federal Register, or
through a separate notice published in
the Federal Register, that a license is
required because an activity could
involve the types of ‘support’ (as
defined in paragraph (a)(1) of this
section) to the end uses or end users
described in paragraphs (b)(1) through
(7) of this section. Specific notice is to
be given only by, or at the direction of,
the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Strategic Trade and Technology
Security or the Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Strategic Trade. When
such notice is provided orally, it will be
followed by a written notice within two
working days signed by the Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary or Deputy
Assistant Secretary or their designee.
However, the absence of any such
notification does not excuse the ‘‘U.S.
person’’ from compliance with the
license requirements of paragraph (b) of
this section.
*
*
*
*
*
(d) Exceptions and exclusions. No
license exceptions apply to the
prohibitions described in paragraphs
(b)(1) through (7) or paragraph (c)(2) of
this section.
*
*
*
*
*
(2) Exclusion to paragraphs (b)(5)
through (7) and (c)(2)(iii) of this section.
Notwithstanding the prohibitions in
paragraphs (b)(5) through (7) and
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
60996
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
(c)(2)(iii) of this section, ‘‘U.S. persons’’
who are employees of a department or
agency of the U.S. Government may
‘support’ a ‘military-production
activity,’ ‘military end user,’ a ’military
support end user,’ or an ‘intelligence
end user,’ as described in paragraphs
(b)(5) through (7) and (c)(2)(iii) of this
section, if the ‘support’ is provided in
the performance of official duties in
furtherance of a U.S. Government
program that is authorized by law and
subject to control by the President by
other means. This paragraph (d)(2) does
not authorize a department or agency of
the U.S. Government to provide
‘support’ that is otherwise prohibited by
other administrative provisions or by
statute. ‘Contractor support personnel’
of a department or agency of the U.S.
Government are eligible for this
authorization when in the performance
of their duties pursuant to the
applicable contract or other official
duties. ‘Contractor support personnel’
for the purposes of this paragraph (d)(2)
has the same meaning given to that term
in § 740.11(b)(2)(ii) of the EAR. This
authorization is not available when a
department or agency of the U.S.
Government acts as an agent on behalf
of a non-U.S. Government person.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) * * *
(2) Applications for a ‘‘U.S. person’’ to
‘support’ an end use or end user as
described in paragraphs (b)(5) through
(7) of this section will be reviewed
consistent with the applicable policies
described in §§ 744.21, 744.22, and
744.24.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 17. Section 744.11 is amended by:
■ a. Revising the heading of paragraph
(a)(2) and adding introductory text;
■ b. Redesignating paragraph (a)(2)(ii) as
paragraph (iii); and
■ c. Adding paragraphs (a)(2)(ii) and (iv)
through (vi).
The revisions and additions read as
follows:
§ 744.11 License requirements that apply
to entities acting or at significant risk of
acting contrary to the national security or
foreign policy interests of the United States.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
*
*
*
*
*
(a) * * *
(2) Entities designated by specified
footnotes. With the exception of
‘‘standards-related activities’’ described
in paragraph (a)(1) of this section,
license requirements are set forth for
footnote designated entities as described
in this paragraph (a)(2) .
*
*
*
*
*
(ii) Footnote 3 entities. You may not
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
any item subject to the EAR, including
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
foreign-produced items that are subject
to the EAR under § 734.9(g) of the EAR,
without a license from BIS if, at the time
of the export, reexport, or transfer (incountry), you have ‘‘knowledge’’ that
the item is intended, entirely or in part,
for a Russian or Belarusian ‘military end
user,’ as defined in § 744.21(f)(2),
wherever located that is listed on the
Entity List in supplement no. 4 to this
part with a footnote 3 designation. See
§§ 744.21 and 746.8 of the EAR for
license review policy, and restrictions
on license exceptions. See § 744.6(b)(5)
for restrictions on specific activities of
‘‘U.S. persons’’ related to such entities.
*
*
*
*
*
(iv) Footnote 5 entities. You may not
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
any item subject to the EAR without a
license from BIS if, at the time of the
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country),
you have ‘‘knowledge’’ that the item is
intended, entirely or in part, for a
‘military end user,’ wherever located,
that is listed on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 to this part with a
footnote 5 designation. See § 744.21. See
also § 744.6(b)(5) for restrictions on
specific activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’
related to such entities.
(v) Footnote 6 entities. You may not
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
any item subject to the EAR specified in
the license requirement column of the
corresponding entry in supplement no.
4 to this part without a license from BIS
if, at the time of the export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country), you have
‘‘knowledge’’ that the item is intended,
entirely or in part, for a ‘militarysupport end user,’ wherever located,
that is listed on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 to this part with a
footnote 6 designation. See § 744.22. See
also § 744.6(b)(5) for restrictions on
specific activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’
related to such entities.
(vi) Footnote 7 entities. You may not
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
any item subject to the EAR without a
license from BIS if, at the time of the
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country),
you have ‘‘knowledge’’ that the item is
intended, entirely or in part, for an
‘intelligence end user,’ wherever
located, that is listed on the Entity List
in supplement no. 4 to this part with a
footnote 7 designation. See § 744.24. See
also § 744.6(b)(7) for restrictions on
specific activities of ‘‘U.S. persons’’
related to such entities.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 18. Section 744.21 is revised to read
as follows:
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
§ 744.21 Restrictions on certain ‘military
end uses’ and ‘military end users.’
(a) General prohibition. In addition to
the license requirements for items
specified on the Commerce Control List
(CCL) (supplement no. 1 to part 774),
you may not export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) any item subject to the EAR
without a license if, at the time of the
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country),
you have ‘‘knowledge,’’ as defined in
§ 772.1 of the EAR, that the item is
intended, entirely or in part, for:
(1) A ‘military end use,’ as defined in
paragraph (f)(1) of this section, when the
‘military end use’ occurs in, or the
product of the ‘military end use’ is
destined to Macau or a country
specified in Country Group D:5 in
supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the
EAR; or
(2) A ‘military end user,’ as defined in
paragraph (f)(2) of this section, wherever
located, of Macau or a country specified
in Country Group D:5 in supplement no.
1 to part 740 of the EAR.
(b) Additional prohibition on those
informed by BIS. BIS may inform
persons, either individually by specific
notice or through amendment to the
EAR published in the Federal Register,
or through a separate notification
published in the Federal Register, that
a license is required for a specific
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
because there is an unacceptable risk of
use in, or diversion to a ‘military end
use,’ or ‘military end user,’ from or in
Macau or a country specified in Country
Group D:5. Specific notice is to be given
only by, or at the direction of, the
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Strategic Trade and Technology
Security or the Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Strategic Trade. When
such notice is provided orally, it will be
followed by a written notice within two
working days signed by the Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary or Deputy
Assistant Secretary or their designee.
However, the absence of any such
notification does not excuse persons
from compliance with the license
requirements in paragraph (a) of this
section.
(c) License exception. Despite the
prohibitions described in paragraphs (a)
and (b) of this section, you may export,
reexport, or transfer (in-country) items
subject to the EAR under the provisions
of License Exception GOV set forth in
§ 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR.
(d) License application procedure.
When submitting a license application
pursuant to this section, you must state
in the ‘‘additional information’’ block of
the application that ‘‘this application is
submitted because of the license
requirement in § 744.21 (‘‘Restrictions
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
on certain ‘military end uses’ and
‘military end users’.’’) In addition, either
in the additional information block of
the application or in an attachment to
the application, you must include all
known information concerning the
‘military end use(r)(s)’ of the item(s). If
you submit an attachment with your
license application, you must reference
the attachment in the ‘‘additional
information’’ block of the application.
(e) License review policy.
Applications to export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items described in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section
will be reviewed with a presumption of
denial for Burma, China, Cuba, Iran,
Macau, Nicaragua, North Korea, Syria,
and Venezuela. Applications for Russia
and Belarus will be reviewed with a
policy of denial consistent with
§ 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other
applications will be reviewed under a
case-by-case review policy, consistent
with United States policies articulated
in § 126.1 of the ITAR.
(f) Definitions. For purposes of this
section or references to this section, the
following definitions apply:
(1) Military end use means
incorporation occurring outside the
United States into a defense article
described on the U.S. Munitions List
(USML) (22 CFR 121.1, International
Traffic in Arms Regulations);
incorporation into items classified
under Export Control Classification
Numbers (ECCNs) under ‘‘600 series’’
ECCNs; or any item that supports or
contributes to the operation,
installation, maintenance, repair,
overhaul, refurbishing, ‘‘development,’’
or ‘‘production,’’ of defense articles
described on the USML, or items
classified under ECCNs under ‘‘600
series’’ ECCNs.
(2) Military end user (MEU) means the
national armed services (army, navy,
marine, air force, or coast guard), the
national guard, or any person or entity
performing the functions of a ‘military
end user,’ including mercenaries,
paramilitary, or irregular forces. MEU
also includes entities designated with a
footnote 3 or 5 on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 of this part.
■ 19. Section 744.22 is revised to read
as follows:
§ 744.22 Restrictions on certain ‘militarysupport end users.’
(a) General prohibition. In addition to
the license requirements for items
specified on the Commerce Control List
(CCL) (supplement no. 1 to part 774),
you may not export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) any item subject to the EAR
specified in any ECCN on the CCL
without a license if, at the time of the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country),
you have ‘‘knowledge,’’ as defined in
§ 772.1 of the EAR, that the item is
intended, entirely or in part, for a
‘military-support end user,’ as defined
in paragraph (f) of this section, in Macau
or a country specified in Country Group
D:5 in supplement no. 1 to part 740 of
the EAR, or wherever located if
identified on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 of this part 744 with
a footnote 6 designation.
(b) Additional prohibition on those
informed by BIS. BIS may inform
persons, either individually by specific
notice or through amendment to the
EAR, that a license is required for a
specific export, reexport, or transfer (incountry), or for the export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) of any item subject
to the EAR to a certain end user,
because there is an unacceptable risk of
use in, or diversion to, the activities
specified in paragraph (a) of this
section. Specific notice is to be given
only by, or at the direction of, the
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Strategic Trade and Technology
Security or the Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Strategic Trade or their
designee. When such notice is provided
orally, it will be followed by a written
notice within two working days signed
by the Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary.
However, the absence of any such
notification does not excuse persons
from compliance with the license
requirements in paragraph (a) of this
section.
(c) License exception.
Notwithstanding the prohibitions
described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of
this section, you may export, reexport,
or transfer (in-country) items subject to
the EAR under the provisions of License
Exception GOV set forth in
§ 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR.
(d) License application procedure.
When submitting a license application
pursuant to this section, you must state
in the ‘‘additional information’’ block of
the application that ‘‘this application is
submitted because of the license
requirement in § 744.22 (Restrictions on
certain ‘military-support end users’).’’ In
addition, either in the additional
information block of the application or
in an attachment to the application, you
must include all known information
concerning the ‘military-support end
users’ of the item(s). If you submit an
attachment with your license
application, you must reference the
attachment in the ‘‘additional
information’’ block of the application.
(e) License review policy.
Applications to export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items described in
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
60997
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section
will be reviewed with a presumption of
denial for Macau and countries
described in in ITAR § 126.1(d)(1), with
the exception of Russia and Belarus.
Applications involving Belarus and
Russia will be reviewed with a policy of
denial consistent with § 746.8(b)(1) of
the EAR. All other applications will be
reviewed under a case-by-case review
policy, consistent with United States
policies articulated in § 126.1 of the
ITAR.
(f) Definition. For purposes of this
section, references to this section, or
references to the terms in this
paragraph, the following definitions
apply:
Military-support end user (MSEU)
means any person or entity whose
actions or functions support ‘military
end uses,’ as defined in § 744.21(f) of
this section. MSEU also includes
entities designated with a footnote 6 on
the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to
this part.
■ 20. Add § 744.24 to read as follows:
§ 744.24 Restrictions on certain
intelligence end users.
(a) General prohibitions. In addition
to the license requirements for items
specified on the Commerce Control List
(CCL) (supplement no. 1 to part 774 of
the EAR), you may not export, reexport,
or transfer (in-country) any item subject
to the EAR without a license from BIS
if, at the time of the export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country), you have
‘‘knowledge’’ that the item is intended,
entirely or in part, for an ‘intelligence
end user,’ wherever located, that is from
a country or destination specified in
Country Group D or E, but not also
listed in A:5 or A:6 in supplement no.
1 to part 740 of the EAR.
(b) Additional prohibition for those
informed by BIS. BIS may inform
persons, either individually by specific
notice, through amendment to the EAR
published in the Federal Register, or
through a separate notification
published in the Federal Register, that
a license is required for a specific
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country),
including to a certain end user, because
there is an unacceptable risk of use in,
or diversion to, the activities specified
in paragraph (a) of this section. Specific
notice is to be given only by, or at the
direction of, the Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Strategic Trade
and Technology Security or the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Strategic Trade.
When such notice is provided orally, it
will be followed by a written notice
within two working days signed by the
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary or
Deputy Assistant Secretary or their
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS2
60998
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2024 / Proposed Rules
designee. However, the absence of any
such notification does not excuse
persons from compliance with the
license requirements in paragraph (a) of
this section.
(c) License exception.
Notwithstanding the prohibitions
described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of
this section, you may export, reexport,
or transfer (in-country) items subject to
the EAR under the provision of License
Exception GOV set forth in
§ 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR.
(d) License application procedure.
When submitting a license application
pursuant to this section, you must state
in the ‘‘additional information’’ block of
the application that ‘‘this application is
submitted because of the license
requirement in § 744.24 (Restrictions on
exports, reexports, and transfers (incountry) to certain intelligence end
users).’’ In addition, either in the
additional information block of the
application or in an attachment to the
application, you must include all
known information concerning the
intelligence end user(s) of the item(s). If
you submit an attachment with your
license application, you must reference
the attachment in the ‘‘additional
information’’ block of the application.
(e) License review policy.
Applications to export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items described in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section
will be reviewed with a presumption of
denial for Macau and countries in ITAR
§ 126.1(d)(1), with the exception of
Russia and Belarus. Applications for
Russia and Belarus will be reviewed
with a policy of denial consistent with
§ 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other
applications will be reviewed under a
case-by-case review policy, consistent
with United States policies articulated
in § 126.1 of the ITAR.
(f) Definition. For the purposes of this
section, references to this section, or
references to the term in this paragraph,
the following definition applies:
Intelligence end user (IEU) means any
foreign government intelligence,
surveillance, or reconnaissance
organizations or other entities
performing functions on behalf of such
organizations. IEU includes entities
designated with a footnote 7 on the
Entity List in supplement no. 4 of this
part.
Supplement No. 2 to Part 744 [Removed
and Reserved]
21. Supplement No. 2 to part 744 is
removed and reserved.
■ 22. Supplement No. 4 to part 744 is
amended by adding Footnotes 5 through
7, to read as follows:
■
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:52 Jul 26, 2024
Jkt 262001
Supplement No. 4 to Part 744—Entity
List
*
*
*
*
*
5 For
this ‘military end user,’ (MEU) as
defined in § 744.21(f) of this part, entity, see
§§ 744.6, 744.11(a)(2)(iv), and 744.21 for
related license requirements and license
review policy.
6 For this ‘military-support end user,’
(MSEU) as defined in § 744.22(f) of the EAR,
entity, see §§ 744.6, 744.11(a)(2)(v), and
744.22 for related license requirements and
license review policy.
7 For this ‘intelligence end user,’ (IEU) as
defined in § 744.24(f) of the EAR, entity, see
§§ 744.6, 744.11(a)(2)(vi), and 744.24 for
related license requirements and license
review policy.
*
*
*
*
*
Thea D. Rozman Kendler,
Assistant Secretary for Export
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024–16496 Filed 7–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–33–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Industry and Security
15 CFR Parts 736, 744, and 774
[Docket No. 240712–0191]
RIN 0694–AI35
Export Administration Regulations:
Crime Controls and Expansion/Update
of U.S. Persons Controls
Bureau of Industry and
Security, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule, with request for
comments.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, Bureau of Industry and
Security (BIS), seeks public comments
on proposed amendments to the Export
Administration Regulations (EAR) in
support of U.S. national security and
foreign policy interests. To build upon
existing controls, BIS proposes
establishing certain Foreign-Security
End User (FSEU) and ‘‘U.S. persons’’
activities controls and Commerce
Control List-based (CCL) controls. The
proposed additions of the foreignsecurity end user control and ‘‘U.S.
persons’’ activity controls would
implement expanded authority under
the Export Control Reform Act of 2018
(ECRA), as amended, to control certain
‘‘U.S. persons’’ activities under the EAR.
Specific to the EAR’s ‘‘U.S. persons’’
activities controls, BIS is proposing
amendments to control ‘‘support’’
furnished by ‘‘U.S. persons’’ to
identified foreign-security end users. In
addition, BIS is proposing to add to the
Commerce Control List two new
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
unilateral item controls on facial
recognition technology.
DATES: Comments must be received by
BIS no later than September 27, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this rule may
be submitted to the Federal rulemaking
portal (www.regulations.gov). The
regulations.gov ID for this rule is: BIS–
2023–0006. Please refer to RIN 0694–
AI35 in all comments.
All filers using the portal should use
the name of the person or entity
submitting the comments as the name of
their files, in accordance with the
instructions below. Anyone submitting
business confidential information
should clearly identify the business
confidential portion at the time of
submission, file a statement justifying
nondisclosure and referring to the
specific legal authority claimed, and
provide a non-confidential version of
the submission. For comments
submitted electronically containing
business confidential information, the
file name of the business confidential
version should begin with the characters
‘‘BC.’’ Any page containing business
confidential information must be clearly
marked ‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’
on the top of that page. The
corresponding non-confidential version
of those comments must be clearly
marked ‘‘PUBLIC.’’ The file name of the
non-confidential version should begin
with the character ‘‘P.’’ Any
submissions with file names that do not
begin with either a ‘‘BC’’ or a ‘‘P’’ will
be assumed to be public and will be
made publicly available through https://
www.regulations.gov. Commenters
submitting business confidential
information are encouraged to scan a
hard copy of the non-confidential
version to create an image of the file,
rather than submitting a digital copy
with redactions applied, to avoid
inadvertent redaction errors which
could enable the public to read business
confidential information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
questions specific to the human rights
or foreign-security end-user provisions
set forth in proposed § 744.25, contact
Anthony Christino, Director, Human
Rights and Embargoes Division,
Anthony.Christino@bis.doc.gov, Phone:
(202) 482–3241. For general questions,
contact Hillary Hess, Director,
Regulatory Policy Division, rpd2@
bis.doc.gov. Include, ‘‘Human Rights
End Users’’ on subject line of emails.
Phone: (202) 482–2440.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In accordance with the Export Control
Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), the Bureau
E:\FR\FM\29JYP2.SGM
29JYP2
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 145 (Monday, July 29, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 60985-60998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16496]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Industry and Security
15 CFR Parts 730, 732, 734, 736, 740, and 744
[Docket No. 240712-0193]
RIN 0694-AJ43
End-Use and End-User Based Export Controls, Including U.S.
Persons Activities Controls: Military and Intelligence End Uses and End
Users
AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule, with request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security
(BIS), seeks public comment on proposed changes to existing
restrictions under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) on
military and intelligence end uses and end users and related U.S.
persons activities controls, as well as the proposed addition of a
military-support end-user control. These proposed revisions and
additions to the EAR's end-use, end-user, and ``U.S. persons'' activity
controls would implement expanded Export Control Reform Act of 2018
(ECRA) authority to control certain ``U.S. persons'' activities under
the EAR. Specific to the EAR's ``U.S. persons'' activities controls,
BIS is proposing amendments to control `support' furnished by ``U.S.
persons'' to military end users and military-production activities, as
well as intelligence end users that are not otherwise already regulated
under or prohibited by U.S. law. In addition, BIS is proposing to
revise the definition of `support' set forth in the EAR's ``U.S.
person'' activity control provision in response to requests by the
public for clarification. The revisions and additions, along with
clarifications, to end use, end user, and ``U.S. persons'' activity
controls under the EAR, would further the national security and the
foreign policy of the United States.
DATES: Comments must be received by BIS no later than September 27,
2024.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this rule may be submitted to the Federal
rulemaking portal (www.regulations.gov). The regulations.gov ID for
this rule is: BIS-2024-0029. Please refer to RIN 0694-AJ43 in all
comments.
All filers using the portal should use the name of the person or
entity submitting the comments as the name of their files, in
accordance with the instructions below. Anyone submitting
[[Page 60986]]
business confidential information should clearly identify the business
confidential portion at the time of submission, file a statement
justifying nondisclosure and referring to the specific legal authority
claimed, and provide a non-confidential version of the submission. For
comments submitted electronically containing business confidential
information, the file name of the business confidential version should
begin with the characters ``BC.'' Any page containing business
confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. The corresponding non-
confidential version of those comments must be clearly marked
``PUBLIC.'' The file name of the non-confidential version should begin
with the character ``P.'' Any submissions with file names that do not
begin with either a ``BC'' or a ``P'' will be assumed to be public and
will be made publicly available through https://www.regulations.gov.
Commenters submitting business confidential information are encouraged
to scan a hard copy of the non-confidential version to create an image
of the file, rather than submitting a digital copy with redactions
applied, to avoid inadvertent redaction errors which could enable the
public to read business confidential information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions contact Sharron Cook,
Senior Export Policy Analyst in the Regulatory Policy Division of the
Bureau of Industry and Security at [email protected] or Phone:
(202) 482-4890. Please refer to RIN 0694-AJ43 in the subject line of
emails.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 5589(b) of the December 2022 National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 (Pub. L. 117-263, NDAA for FY
2023) amended section 1753(a)(2)(F) of the Export Control Reform Act of
2018 (ECRA) (50 U.S.C. 4812(a)(2)(F)) by providing the Bureau of
Industry and Security (BIS) with the statutory authority to impose
controls on ``the activities of United States persons, wherever
located, relating to specific foreign military, security, or
intelligence services.'' Consistent with this statutory amendment, BIS
proposes to revise the ``U.S. persons'' activities control in Sec.
744.6 on military-intelligence end-use and end-user activities and
expand existing part 744 restrictions to encompass activities of ``U.S.
persons'' in connection with defined military end users, military-
production activities (an end use proposed by this rule), and
intelligence end users. BIS also proposes to clarify the definition of
`support' in the ``U.S. persons'' activities control provision.
Consistent with section 1754(d)(1) of ECRA (50 U.S.C. 4813(d)(1)), BIS
proposes to regulate the ``U.S. persons'' activities described above
only to the extent not subject to a license requirement or general
prohibition administered by another Federal department or agency. BIS
is proposing amendments to the EAR on foreign-security end user
controls, and controls that would restrict U.S. persons' support of
such end users, in a separate rule published concurrently with this
rule.
Furthermore, also in accordance with ECRA, as expanded by the NDAA
for FY 2023, BIS proposes to add to part 744 new controls on defined
military-support end users, as well as revise existing controls on
military-intelligence, and military end users and end uses. These
revisions and additions to end-use and end-user controls under the EAR
would further the national security and foreign policy of the United
States.
On November 14, 1994, Executive Order 12938 (E.O. 12938, 59 FR
59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p. 950) directed BIS to continue to regulate
the activities of ``U.S. persons'' to prevent their participation in
activities that could contribute to the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction. This control, which is set forth in Sec. 744.6 of
the EAR, imposes licensing requirements on assistance furnished by
``U.S. persons'' in connection with activities of proliferation
concern, even when such assistance does not involve any items subject
to the EAR or any foreign entities subject to specified restrictions
under the EAR (e.g., persons whose export privileges have been denied
under the EAR). Subsequently, with the enactment of ECRA as part of the
John S. McCain NDAA for FY 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232), Congress authorized
in ECRA section 4812(a)(2)(F) the control of ``U.S. persons''
activities related not only to weapons of mass destruction and their
means of delivery, but also to specific ``foreign military intelligence
services.'' Accordingly, in January 2021, BIS amended Sec. 744.6 of
the EAR to add a new restriction on the activities of ``U.S. persons''
in support of certain military-intelligence end uses and end users and
also created a new Sec. 744.22 that targeted exports, reexports, and
transfers (in-country) destined for certain military-intelligence end
uses or end users (86 FR 4865 (Jan. 15, 2021)).
Through the NDAA for FY 2023's amendment to ECRA, section
1753(a)(2)(A-F) of ECRA (50 U.S.C. 4812(a)(2)(A-F)) directs the
President to impose controls on the activities of ``U.S. persons,''
wherever located, relating to specific nuclear explosive devices;
missiles; chemical or biological weapons; whole plants for chemical
weapons precursors; foreign maritime nuclear projects; and foreign
military services, foreign intelligence services, and foreign security
services. Additionally, Sec. 1754(d) of ECRA (50 U.S.C. 4813(d))
directs the Secretary of Commerce to require U.S. persons to apply to
BIS for authorization to engage in the aforementioned activities except
to the extent that those activities are already authorized by a statute
or regulation administered by a Federal department or agency other than
the Department of Commerce.
As described below, BIS proposes amending Sec. 744.6 of the EAR to
add additional controls on specific activities of ``U.S. persons''
consistent with ECRA authority as expanded pursuant to the NDAA for FY
2023 related to military and intelligence services. Controls related to
security services consistent with the NDAA for FY 2023 will be proposed
in a separate rule. Specifically, in this rule, BIS proposes modifying
the existing prohibition on ``U.S. persons'' `support' to military-
intelligence end users and end uses in Sec. 744.6(b)(5) to apply to
military end users. In addition, BIS proposes to add two new
prohibitions in Sec. 744.6(b)(6) and (7) corresponding to `military-
production' activities and intelligence end users, respectively.
Furthermore, also consistent with its expanded ECRA authority, BIS
proposes to add additional end-use and end-user controls in connection
with the U.S. person `support' activities subject to the EAR's general
prohibitions (paragraph in Sec. 744.6(b)(1) through (7)).
Specifically, BIS proposes the following changes: (1) revising Sec.
744.21 (Restrictions on certain `military end uses' or `military end
users'); (2) moving Sec. 744.22 (Restrictions on exports, reexports,
and transfers (in-country) to certain military-intelligence end uses or
end users) to Sec. 744.24 and renaming it as (Restrictions on certain
intelligence end users); and (3) adding a new Sec. 744.22
(Restrictions on certain military-support end users). For some of these
controls, BIS proposes new end use and/or end user definitions and new
item and country scopes. Each control is described more fully in the
preamble below, in order of appearance in the EAR.
[[Page 60987]]
I. Revisions to U.S. Person Restrictions
Consistent with new ECRA authority to control certain ``U.S.
persons'' activities under the EAR, BIS is proposing amendments to
control ``U.S. persons'' support for certain military end users,
military support end users, and military production activities, as well
as certain intelligence end users. BIS anticipates proposing new
controls on security end users and support for foreign maritime nuclear
projects in a separate rule. Related to all these controls, BIS
proposes adding specific exclusions to the definition of `support' that
is set forth in Sec. 744.6 (Restrictions on certain activities of
``U.S. persons'').
First, BIS proposes to relocate the current definition of `support'
from paragraph (b)(6) to new paragraph (a)(1)(i). The definition of
`support' remains unchanged, although certain exclusions from the
definition are proposed. First, this rule proposes that this definition
not include activities relating to items that are not subject to the
EAR as specified in Sec. 734.3(b). This exclusion renders explicit
BIS's longstanding policy that restrictions on ``U.S. persons''
activities do not apply to activities relating to items not subject to
the EAR that are specified in Sec. 734.3(b). Due to the expansion of
the scope of ``U.S. person'' controls that is proposed in this rule,
this clarification of BIS policy will ensure that the regulated public
is aware of the intended scope of the proposed controls and reaffirm
that the EAR's ``U.S. person'' controls, including as proposed to be
expanded, are consistent with the policy objectives underlying the
various exclusions set forth in Sec. 734.3(b). For example, activities
involving items that are not subject to the EAR because they are, e.g.,
published, released by instruction in a catalog course or associated
teaching laboratory of an academic institution, or ``software'' or
``technology'' arising during or resulting from fundamental research
(Sec. 734.3(b)(3) of the EAR), are not intended to be restricted under
these expanded ``U.S. persons'' activities controls.
Second, as a general matter, BIS proposes to regulate those
activities of U.S. persons that support the end uses and end users set
forth in Sec. 744.6(b) to the extent they are not subject to control
by the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC)
or another Federal department or agency and are not specifically
excluded from control by BIS in proposed new Sec. 744.6(a)(1)(ii).
While this approach is already explained in existing Sec. 744.6(a), to
add additional clarity, this rule would amend Sec. 744.6 to state
explicitly that prohibited ``U.S. persons'' `support' does not include
any activity undertaken with respect to defense articles listed on the
United States Munitions List (USML) (22 CFR 121.1) or on the United
States Munitions Import List (USMIL) (27 CFR 447.21), to the extent
such activities are subject to control under the International Traffic
in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR parts 120 through 130). The ITAR
controls a wide range of activities including development, production,
maintenance, repair, and brokering, when such activities involve not
only defense articles listed on the USML, but also defense articles
listed on the USMIL, including when such USMIL defense articles are
also enumerated on the Commerce Control List, Supp. No. 1 to part 774
of the EAR (CCL) (e.g., in the case of most semi-automatic firearms).
As an illustrative example, BIS does not propose to regulate the
brokering of semi-automatic firearms by ``U.S. persons,'' an activity
that is subject to ITAR licensing requirements (22 CFR 129.1(b)). An
explicit statement referring to this exclusion from coverage under the
EAR of ITAR-related activities is proposed to be added to Sec.
744.6(a)(1)(ii), and a related note is proposed to be added to Sec.
744.6(a) to advise ``U.S. persons'' to review ITAR licensing
requirements and submit a commodity jurisdiction determination request
if any doubt exists as to whether specific activities are subject to
control under the ITAR or the EAR.
Third, this rule would exclude from regulation certain activities
of ``U.S. persons'' that do not extend beyond administrative services.
The proposed exclusion incorporates language used in an exclusion from
the ITAR's definition of brokering activities (22 CFR 129.2(b)(2)(iv))
that is already familiar to the regulated industry. BIS anticipates
that using existing regulatory terminology will facilitate compliance
by industry and will effectively and accurately describe the intended
scope of the exclusion under the EAR.
Fourth, also drawing on language from exclusions to the ITAR's
brokering registration requirements (22 CFR 129.3(b)(2)), BIS proposes
excluding commercial activities related to the movement of goods by
common carriers from the EAR's definition of `support' solely with
respect to the expanded controls proposed in this rule to implement new
ECRA authority (i.e., the restrictions in Sec. 744.6(b)(5) through
(7)). The purpose of this exclusion is to permit ``U.S. persons''
continued involvement in transportation, shipping, and/or transferring
items as part of routine business activities of companies such as
freight forwarders and shipping lines. This proposed exclusion is
intended to ensure that the EAR's ``U.S persons' '' `support' controls
do not adversely impact the basic business operations of shipping lines
and air carriers, companies that are generally not involved in
arranging underlying transactions involving the sale of the items at
issue. However, to the extent a ``U.S. person'' undertakes shipping,
transmitting, and transferring activities involving items not subject
to the EAR with ``knowledge'' that such items will support certain
military end users, military-production activities, military-support
end users, and intelligence end users remain controlled activities
under Sec. 744.6 of the EAR. BIS intends that these controls apply to
``U.S. persons'' involved in the sale or supply of items not subject to
the EAR with ``knowledge'' that such items will be used by the
military- and intelligence-related end uses and end users described
above, such as ``U.S. persons'' abroad who procure or sell such items
for such end uses or end users. Moreover, BIS is excluding the routine
business activities of common carriers only with respect to the new
military- and intelligence-related activity controls proposed in this
rule pursuant to ECRA for consistency with a similar exclusion in
complementary ITAR defense services controls proposed in a separate
rule in this issue of the Federal Register. In 1991, when BIS
implemented restrictions on specific activities of ``U.S. persons'' as
part of the Enhanced Proliferation Control Initiative (EPCI), BIS
specifically restricted activities, including transportation, in
connection with the proliferation of nuclear weapons, missiles, and
chemical or biological weapons (56 FR 40500, August 15, 1991). Because
restrictions on transportation, including by common carriers, applied
to the activity controls related to the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction and their means of delivery implemented under E.O.
12938, BIS does not propose to eliminate those longstanding controls.
Fifth, BIS would exclude certain activities that are conducted for,
on behalf of, or in connection with the U.S. Government, including
specified programs or agreements executed by a U.S. Government
department or agency. Specifically, this exclusion draws upon and
references three paragraphs of EAR License Exception GOV (Section
740.11(b)(2)), which authorize exports, reexports, and transfers (in-
country) made for or on behalf of a department or agency of the U.S.
Government to
[[Page 60988]]
agencies of the U.S. Government and certain shipments by the Department
of Defense (15 CFR 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(B), (C) and (D)). This new
exclusion exempts from the licensing requirements of Sec. 744.6 those
activities that would meet the conditions for the use of these three
provisions of License Exception GOV if conducted with respect to items
subject to the EAR.
This rule also proposes several revisions to the end uses and end
users set forth in Sec. 744.6(b), with respect to which ``U.S.
persons'' activities are restricted. First, this rule proposes to
remove the existing restrictions in Sec. 744.6(b)(5) on military-
intelligence end uses and end users in connection with a related
proposed change (explained further in section IV of this preamble),
that would characterize military-intelligence end users as a subset of
a new, broader category of defined intelligence end users proposed to
be subject to EAR controls. In place of these military-intelligence end
use and end user restrictions, this rule proposes to set forth in Sec.
744.6(b)(5) new controls on `military end users,' which are defined in
Sec. 744.21(f)(2) of the EAR, as described further in section II of
this preamble.
Sixth, this rule proposes to add paragraph (b)(6) to Sec. 744.6 to
control ``U.S. persons'' `support' of `military-production activity,'
and sets forth a section-specific definition of this term distinct from
`military end use,' as defined in Sec. 744.21(f)(1) of the EAR, for
the reasons described further in section II. of this preamble.
Seventh, this rule proposes to add paragraph (b)(7) to Sec. 744.6
to control ``U.S. person'' `support' of `intelligence end users,' as
described further in section IV of this preamble.
As conforming changes, BIS proposes to ensure that references to
``U.S. persons'' controls throughout the EAR reflect the expanded scope
of such controls, including by making necessary revisions to the
following sections of the EAR to ensure that they reference not only
proliferation-related controls implemented under E.O. 12938, but also
broader ``U.S. persons'' activity controls implemented under expanded
ECRA authority (section 4812(a)(2)(F) of ECRA): Sec. Sec. 730.5(d),
732.1(d)(1)(viii) and (d)(3), 732.3(j)(1), 734.4(a)(7), 734.5, and
736.2(b)(7).
Consistent with the current version of Sec. 744.6, paragraph (c)
would continue to set forth additional prohibitions on ``U.S. persons''
informed by BIS that their activities could involve support to the end
uses or end users described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7). BIS
proposes to add a note to paragraph (b) that explains that General
Order 6 of supplement no. 1 to part 736 authorizes the activities
described in paragraph (b) when such activities are required for the
performance of defense services subject to control under the ITAR that
have been authorized by DDTC. This new General Order 6 is intended to
ensure ``U.S. persons'' who have received a DDTC authorization to
engage in defense services are not required to seek additional
authorization from BIS to perform services subject to the license
requirements of Sec. 744.6 of the EAR, if such services are required
in furtherance of the DDTC-authorized defense services. As an
illustrative example, if a ``U.S. person'' is authorized by DDTC to
assist a foreign defense contractor in integrating a foreign-origin
thermal imaging camera that is not subject to the EAR but meets the
parameters of ECCN 6A003 into a USML Category VII(a)(2) combat vehicle
destined to the armed forces of a D:5 country, that ``U.S. person'' may
rely on General Order 6 to satisfy the BIS licensing requirement that
would otherwise apply pursuant to Sec. 744.6(b)(6) of the EAR to the
facilitation of the sale of that foreign-origin 6A003-equivalent
thermal camera to the same foreign defense contractor to be installed
on the Category VII(a)(2) vehicle, as authorized by DDTC.
Finally, paragraph (e) specifies that applications for licenses
submitted pursuant to Sec. 744.6(b)(5) through (7) will be reviewed in
accordance with the license review policies set forth in the
corresponding end-use and end-user controls set forth in Sec. Sec.
744.21, 744.22, and 744.24, respectively.
II. Military End Users and End Uses
A. End-Use and End-User Controls
BIS proposes amending Sec. 744.21 (Restrictions on certain
`military end uses' or `military end users') to expand and clarify
which military end uses and end users are subject to this control. This
rule proposes to update the definition of `military end user'; expand
the provision's end-use and end-user controls to apply to all items
subject to the EAR (rather than only the items specified in supplement
no. 2 to part 744, which this rule proposes to remove and reserve); and
expand the country scope of these end-use and end-user controls to
apply to all countries identified in Country Group D:5, as well as
Macau. Additionally, this rule proposes a new licensing policy under
which license applications would be reviewed. No other changes to Sec.
744.21 are being proposed at this time, although BIS welcomes comment
on all requirements set forth in Sec. 744.21 to assess their
effectiveness.
In paragraph (a), BIS would revise the current general prohibition
set forth in (a)(1) to apply to the export, reexport, and in-country
transfer of all items subject to the EAR (currently only items
specified in supplement number 2 to part 744 and in connection with
only six countries) if at the time of such action a person has
``knowledge'' as defined in the EAR that the item is intended for (1) a
`military end use' that occurs in Macau or a D:5 country or the product
of which is destined to Macau or a country listed specified in Country
Group D:5 in supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the EAR, or (2) a
`military end user' wherever located, of Macau or a D:5 country.
Through this proposed rule, BIS is expanding the prohibition's
scope to cover countries or destinations subject to a policy of denial
for exports of defense articles and defense services, as identified by
the Department of State. These countries or destinations are listed in
22 CFR 126.1(d) of the ITAR and incorporated by reference in the
footnote of Country Group D:5. This grouping includes, but is broader
than, the six countries currently subject to MEU controls. BIS believes
that using a Country Group reference instead of a specific list of
countries or destinations promotes ease of regulatory compliance and
reduces regulatory complexity. BIS is also including Macau, which is
not listed in Country Group D:5 but is a Special Administrative Region
of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which is listed in Country
Group D:5. As a general matter, BIS has ensured that all new controls
under the EAR applicable to the PRC apply equally to Macau (88 FR 2821
(Jan. 17, 2023); 88 FR 54875 (Aug. 11, 2023)).
BIS also proposes to streamline the text in paragraph (b) and
render it consistent with the standard text for additional prohibitions
that apply to persons informed by BIS that is found in other end use/
user sections in part 744.
As a result of this rule's proposed revisions, all of the end users
on the Military End-User List in supplement no. 7 to part 744 would be
moved to the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part 744 with a license
requirement that applies to all items subject to the EAR. The removal
of entities from supplement no. 7 to part 744 and their corresponding
addition to supplement no. 4 to part 744 would be implemented in a
separate, final rule published in the Federal Register, which would
also remove and reserve supplement no. 7 to part 744. Should the
revisions to
[[Page 60989]]
Sec. 744.21 proposed in this rule be implemented in final form, this
action will be a necessary conforming change, as the Military End-User
List differs primarily from the Entity List in that the Military End-
User List's license requirements apply only to items specified in
supplement no. 2 to part 744. In addition, the license review policy
column of the Entity List will point to Sec. 744.21(e), which will be
an indicator that the entity is considered a military end user. If the
license requirement for `military end users' is expanded to all items
subject to the EAR, as proposed in this rule, `military end users' will
be more appropriately listed on the Entity List, which generally
provides for a broader license requirement.
The license review standards currently set forth in paragraphs
(e)(1) through (3) are proposed to be combined and consolidated in one
paragraph (e). Applications to export, reexport, or transfer (in-
country) items for a `military end use' or to a `military end user' as
described in revised and expanded paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) in
connection with Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, Macau, North Korea, Syria,
and Venezuela, will be reviewed with a presumption of denial.
Applications for Russia and Belarus will be reviewed with a policy of
denial consistent with Sec. 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other
applications, including those involving Cambodia (currently listed in
Sec. 744.21 of the EAR) will be reviewed under a case-by-case review
policy, consistent with United States policies set forth in Sec. 126.1
of the ITAR.
BIS also proposes to merge the definitions of military end use and
military end user currently located in paragraphs (f) and (g),
respectively, into a revised paragraph (f). In addition, a general
statement about the purpose and use of the definitions in paragraph (f)
would be added to the introduction text of paragraph (f). This rule
does not propose to amend the definition of `military end use.' It only
makes a technical correction by removing the phrase ``or items
classified under ECCNs ending in `A018' '' in two places, because these
ECCNs do not currently control items and are only used to point to
``600 series'' ECCNs.
The definition of `military end user' is proposed for revision by
removing from its scope the ``national police, government intelligence
or reconnaissance organizations (excluding those described in Sec.
744.22(f)(2)), or any person or entity whose actions or functions are
intended to support `military end uses' as defined in paragraph (f) of
this section.'' These categories of entities are instead proposed as
new types of end users in this rule, i.e., `military-support end
users,' and `intelligence end users,' or, in the case of national
police previously included in the definition of `military end user,'
are expected to be proposed as `security end users' in a separate rule.
Lastly, this rule proposes to expand the scope of this provision's
definition of `military end user' by adding ``any person or entity
performing the functions of a `military end user,' including
mercenaries, paramilitary, or irregular forces.'' This expansion is
intended to capture private companies, non-state actors, or parastatal
entities that engage in combat or other activities akin to those of
traditional armed forces, other than the kinds of activities described
below in connection with `military-support end users,' which generally
involves the design, development, production, installation,
maintenance, repair, overhaul, or refurbishing of military items. The
term `military end users' would include entities designated with a
footnote 3 (Russian or Belarusian military end users) or 5 (Military
End Users (other than Russia or Belarus and not subject to the foreign
direct product rule set forth in Sec. 734.(g))) on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 to this part.
B. ``U.S. Persons'' Activity Control
Consistent with the proposed revisions to the military end-use
controls in Sec. 744.21 of the EAR, BIS also proposes to control
specific activities of ``U.S. persons'' that assist defined military
end users (as proposed for revision, as described above). In paragraph
(b)(5) of Section 744.6, BIS proposes restrictions on ``U.S. persons''
supporting military end users as defined in proposed Sec.
744.21(f)(2), including military end users listed on the Entity List
with a footnote 3 or 5 designation. As noted above, this restriction
(along with the other restrictions set forth in Section 744.6) applies
only to the extent the underlying activities are not regulated by DDTC
as defense services (see a complementary rule published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register in which DDTC proposes to regulate
as ITAR defense services assistance that creates, supports, or improves
the organization or formation of military or paramilitary forces or
operations). Illustrative examples of activities that, depending upon
the specific facts of each case, may be subject to this proposed ``U.S.
persons'' activity control include:
(1) Facilitating a military end user's acquisition or procurement
of foreign-origin items, which if located in the United States would be
subject to the EAR (i.e., not USML defense articles) and also not
enumerated on the USMIL.
(2) Performing basic repair or maintenance services with respect to
items owned or employed by a military end user, which if located in the
United States would be subject to the EAR.
Note: BIS does not propose to regulate ``U.S. persons'' engaging in
combat or other military operations as a member of, or on behalf of, a
foreign military force or paramilitary organization. BIS notes that
such activities may be subject to licensing requirements by other U.S.
government agencies, or to prohibitions under U.S. criminal statutes.
In addition to the proposed ``U.S. persons'' activity controls with
respect to military end users, BIS proposes to add to Sec. 744.6(b)(6)
controls on ``U.S. persons'' support to `military-production
activities.' BIS is proposing a new section-specific definition of
`military-production activities,' (distinct from the Sec. 744.21(f)(1)
definition of `military end use') to provide greater clarity for the
regulated public and avoid creating a misimpression that the agency is
regulating under the EAR services regulated by DDTC under the ITAR.
Specifically, the proposed definition of `military-production
activities' differs from Section 744.21(f)(1)'s definition of `military
end use' in two key aspects. First, the `military-production
activities' definition excludes activities directly related to USML
defense articles, as such activities are defense services subject to
the ITAR. While BIS controls the export, reexport, or transfer (in-
country) of items subject to the EAR that will be incorporated abroad
into defense articles (see, inter alia, Sec. 744.21 of the EAR), BIS
does not control services directly related to the underlying
incorporation of such items subject to the EAR into defense articles.
DDTC regulates activities related to ``600 series'' items to the extent
these activities are ITAR defense services regulated by the ITAR.
Second, the new `military- production activities' definition includes
activities related to dual-use items which if located in the United
States would be subject to the EAR. Consequently, ``U.S. persons''
developing or producing such items for `military end users' in targeted
countries must receive authorization from BIS. Illustrative examples of
activities that, depending upon the specific facts of each case, may be
subject to this proposed ``U.S. persons'' activity control include:
(1) Assisting a defense contractor in a targeted country in
producing an ECCN 0A606.a armored vehicle;
[[Page 60990]]
(2) Assisting a defense contractor in a targeted country in
installing an ECCN 8A002.g light system in an ECCN 8A620.a submersible
vessel; and
(3) Assisting an electronics company in a targeted country in
developing ECCN 3A001 integrated circuits that have been ordered by the
armed services of a targeted country.
III. `Military-Support End Users'
A. End-User Control
BIS proposes moving the contents of current Sec. 744.22
``Restrictions on certain military-intelligence end user(s)'' to Sec.
744.24, and adding a new section, ``Restrictions on certain military-
support end users,'' to Sec. 744.22, directly following Sec. 744.21
``Restrictions on certain military end uses and end users.'' Since the
establishment of the military end-use and end-user controls in the EAR,
BIS has received numerous questions about the applicability of these
controls to persons or entities that provide assistance to military end
users and end uses. These `military-support end users' warrant a
separate section in part 744, to clarify that BIS seeks to control
exports, reexports, and in-country transfers to these entities by
subjecting them to a narrower license requirement, as described below.
Separate controls are warranted for these entities in recognition of
the various types and roles of end users that fall into this category.
Under this proposed new control, a license would be required only
to export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) to `military-support end
users' items subject to the EAR that are specified on the CCL. This
license requirement would apply when a person has ``knowledge,'' as
defined in part 772 of the EAR, that the item is intended, entirely or
in part, for a `military-support end user,' as defined in Sec.
744.22(f), in Macau or a D:5 country, or wherever located when
identified on the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part 744 of the
EAR and identified with a footnote 6 designation.
As in Sec. 744.21, there would also be a license requirement when
BIS informs a person either individually by specific notice or through
a notice published in the Federal Register that a license is required
for specific exports, reexport, or transfers (in-country) of any item
because there is an unacceptable risk of use in or diversion to a
`military-support end user.' Only License Exception GOV (specifically,
the paragraph authorizing certain exports, reexports, or transfers (in-
country) by or involving agencies or departments of the U.S.
Government) of the EAR (Sec. 740.11(b)(2)) would overcome the license
requirements in Sec. 744.22 of the EAR.
The license review policy for applications submitted pursuant to
this section would be the same as under Sec. 744.21. Specifically,
applications to export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) items for a
`military-support end user' in connection with Burma, China, Cuba,
Iran, Macau, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela, will be reviewed with a
presumption of denial. Applications for Russia and Belarus will be
reviewed with a policy of denial consistent with Sec. 746.8(b)(1) of
the EAR. All other applications, including those involving Cambodia
(currently listed in Sec. 744.21) will be reviewed under a case-by-
case review policy, consistent with United States policies set forth in
Sec. 126.1 of the ITAR.
The definition of `military-support end user' would be set forth in
Sec. 744.22(f) of the EAR and is proposed to mean any person or entity
whose actions or functions support `military end uses,' as defined in
Sec. 744.21(f). In addition, the term would include entities
designated with a footnote 6 on the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to
this part, as BIS will add these types of entities to the Entity List.
B. ``U.S. Persons'' Activity Control
With this rule, BIS does not propose to add a ``U.S. persons''
activity control that corresponds directly to the proposed new control
on certain exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) involving
`military support end users.' However, in Sec. 744.6(b)(5), BIS
proposes that controls on ``U.S. persons'' support to `military end
users' will extend to entities listed on the Entity List and designated
with a footnote 6, which is applicable to certain `military support end
users.' As a result, while ``U.S. persons'' need to exercise due
diligence to ensure they are not providing `support' without a BIS
license to certain `military end users,' as defined in Sec.
744.21(f)(2) regardless of whether such `military end users' are
designated with a footnote 3 or 5 on the Entity List, for purposes of
the activity controls in Sec. 744.6(b)(5), ``U.S. persons'' do not
need to determine whether their `support' activities assist a
`military-support end user' as defined in Sec. 744.22(f) of the EAR.
Instead, ``U.S. persons'' only need to identify whether contemplated
`support' assists a `military-support end user' that is specifically
identified on the Entity List with a footnote 6 designation. However,
``U.S. persons'' still need to exercise due diligence to ensure their
activities do not involve `support' for `military-production
activities' described in Sec. 744.6(b)(6), regardless of whether the
foreign party the ``U.S. person'' is supporting is listed on the Entity
List with a footnote 6 designation. Because the license requirement for
footnote 6 entities may be limited to CCL items as specified in Sec.
744.22, or as provided in such entities' entries on the Entity List,
BIS also proposes to add a note to Sec. 744.6(b) to clarify that,
unlike for other footnote-designated entities subject to a broader
restriction on ``U.S. persons'' `support' activities, for footnote 6
entities, ``U.S. persons'' should consult the license requirement of
such entities' entries on the Entity List. Restrictions on ``U.S.
persons'' `support' to `military-support end users' are limited to
activities with respect to items described in the footnote 6 entity's
license requirement column on the Entity List, or their foreign-origin
equivalents.
IV. `Intelligence End User'
A. End-User Control
To harmonize with section 4812(a)(2)(F) of ECRA, this rule would
revise the term `military-intelligence end user' by dropping the
qualifier ``military,'' resulting in the term `intelligence end user.'
This revision would expand the scope of controls to all intelligence
end users of the covered countries, instead of only intelligence end
users that are part of the armed services or national guard of the
covered countries. As a result of this revision, an `intelligence end
user' would encompass not only military, but also other governmental
(e.g., civilian) intelligence and reconnaissance organizations. As
noted above, BIS proposes to move current Sec. 744.22 ``Restrictions
on export, reexports, and transfers (in-country) to certain military-
intelligence end uses or end users'' to Sec. 744.24 and rename the
section to reflect the new term, `intelligence end user'. Within new
Sec. 744.24, BIS proposes to revise definitions, license requirements,
and license review policy. In particular, as detailed below, BIS
proposes the following revisions:
(1) Updating the definition of `intelligence end users';
(2) Establishing that the control applies to all items subject to
the EAR and to the countries identified in Country Groups D and E that
are not also listed in Country Groups A:5 and A:6; and
(3) Establishing a new license application review policy.
The country scope of the license requirement would be revised from
the current language, which reads as follows: ``Belarus, Burma,
Cambodia,
[[Page 60991]]
the People's Republic of China (China), Russia, or Venezuela; or a
country specified in Country Groups E:1 or E:2 (see supplement no. 1 to
part 740 of the EAR)'' and expanded to include all countries or
destinations specified in Country Groups D or E that are not also
identified in Country Group A:5 or A:6 of supplement no. 1 to part 740
of the EAR. Country Group D comprises countries of national security,
nuclear, chemical and biological, and missile technology concerns,
along with those subject to U.S. arms embargoes. Country Group E
identifies countries that are terrorist-supporting (E:1) or subject to
a unilateral embargo (E:2). Country Groups A:5 and A:6 are composed of
countries that maintain strong export controls cooperation with the
United States. The 45 Country Group D and E countries that are not also
identified in Country Group A:5 or A:6 are as follows: Afghanistan,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, Central African
Republic, People's Republic of China (China), Democratic Republic of
Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Georgia, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya,
Macau, Moldova, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United
Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. BIS
assesses that the imposition of a license requirement on exports,
reexports, and transfers (in-country) for `intelligence end users' in
these covered countries would enhance U.S. national security by
allowing prior U.S. government review of contemplated transactions
involving intelligence or reconnaissance organizations located in these
countries.
As in Sec. Sec. 744.21 and 744.22, there would also be a license
requirement when BIS informs a person either individually by specific
notice, or through a notice published in the Federal Register, that a
license is required for specific exports, reexports, or transfers (in-
country) of any item because there is an unacceptable risk of diversion
to a `foreign-intelligence end user.' Only License Exception GOV set
forth in Sec. 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR would overcome the license
requirements in Sec. 744.24 of the EAR.
The license review policy for applications submitted pursuant to
this section would be the same as under Sec. Sec. 744.21 and 744.22 of
the EAR. Specifically, applications to export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) items for a `intelligence end user' in connection with
Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, Macau, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela,
will be reviewed with a presumption of denial. Applications for Russia
and Belarus will be reviewed with a policy of denial consistent with
Sec. 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other applications will be reviewed
under a case-by-case review policy, consistent with United States
policies set forth in Sec. 126.1 of the ITAR.
Finally, as noted above, the definition of an `intelligence end
user' set forth in paragraph (f) would cover ``any government
intelligence or reconnaissance organization and other entities
performing functions on behalf of such entities.'' BIS intends that
this would include entities performing intelligence functions such as
planning and directing, processing and exploiting, analyzing and
producing, disseminating and integrating, surveilling, and evaluating
and providing feedback. This definition is intended to cover
traditional espionage and economic espionage activities. Also included
in the definition of `intelligence end users' would be Entity List
entities designated with footnote 7. Consistent with the separation of
the terms military and intelligence in ECRA as a consequence of the
amendment to ECRA in the NDAA for FY 2023, BIS is proposing to remove
the term `military-intelligence end use' and the related definition of
this term from this provision. Moreover, as a policy matter, with the
expansion of `military end use' controls to apply to all items subject
to the EAR and in light of the expansion of the definition of
`intelligence end user' to include not only civilian government
intelligence and reconnaissance organizations, but also private sector
entities that perform certain functions on behalf of such entities, BIS
does not believe that controls on `military-intelligence end uses'
continue to be warranted. Transactions previously subject to `military-
intelligence end use' controls will now be subject to either `military
end use' controls in Sec. 744.21 of the EAR, or controls on entities
performing functions on behalf of government intelligence or
reconnaissance organizations in Sec. 744.24 of the EAR.
B. ``U.S. Persons'' Activity Control
Consistent with the proposed revisions to the end-user control in
Sec. 744.24 described above, BIS proposes to add new paragraph (b)(7)
to Sec. 744.6 to impose controls on ``U.S. persons'' `support' for
`intelligence end users' of the 45 Country Group D and E countries not
also listed in Country Groups A:5 or A:6. As with all Sec. 744.6
controls on specific activities of ``U.S. persons,'' such controls only
apply to the extent the underlying activities are not subject to a
license requirement or general prohibition administered by another
Federal department or agency. In a complementary rule published
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, DDTC proposes to
revise the definition of defense services under the ITAR (22 CFR parts
120--through 130) and to create a specific USML defense service entry
to control certain assistance that creates, supports, or improves
intelligence activities, regardless of whether such assistance involves
the use of a defense article. DDTC proposes several exclusions to the
scope of its controls, many of which align with exclusions in proposed
Sec. 744.6(a)(1)(ii) of the EAR, which would also not be subject to
BIS control.
However, BIS does propose to regulate, with respect to D and E
countries not also listed in A:5 or A:6 the types of ``U.S. person''
`support' for `intelligence end users,' which DDTC proposes to exclude
from the scope of defense services controls and which BIS does not
exclude from control under Sec. 744.6(a)(1)(ii). Accordingly, as
illustrative examples, ``U.S. persons'' will need to seek authorization
from BIS prior to performing the following types of activities with
respect to `intelligence end users' of the targeted countries or
destinations:
(1) Maintenance, repair, overhaul, or refurbishing of items which
if located in the United States would be subject to the EAR that are
owned by or will be used by or to support `intelligence end users'; and
(2) Information technology services to support ordinary business
activities that are not specific to a particular business field.
V. Entity List and Section 744.11
Consistent with to the proposed revisions to Sec. Sec. 744.6,
744.21, 744.22, and 744.24, BIS proposes amending Sec. 744.11
``License requirements that apply to entities acting or at significant
risk of acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy
interests of the United States'' by adding entities that are `military
end users,' `military-support end users,' and `intelligence end users'
to the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part 744, designating them by
specific footnote, and adding license requirements for these entities
to Sec. 744.11 of the EAR. Changes to the Entity List would be made in
a separate final rule.
BIS proposes amending Sec. 744.11 by revising the heading for
paragraph (a)(2) from ``Entity List foreign-direct product'' (FDP)
license requirements, review policy, and license exceptions''
[[Page 60992]]
to ``Entities designated by specified footnotes,'' because not all
Entity List entities or footnote designated entities have license
requirements that include foreign-produced items subject to the EAR
pursuant to a foreign-direct product rule in Sec. 734.9 of the EAR.
This rule also proposes to redesignate paragraph (a)(2)(ii) as
(a)(2)(iii) and to set forth license requirements for footnote 3
entities--Russian and Belarusian `military end users' in paragraph
(a)(2)(ii). To set forth license requirements in Sec. 744.11 for
footnote designated entities, this rule proposes to add paragraph
(a)(2)(iv) footnote 5 entities--`military-end users'; paragraph
(a)(2)(v) footnote 6 entities--`military-support end users'; and
paragraph (a)(2)(vi) footnote 7 entities--`intelligence end users.'
This rule also proposes to add introductory text to paragraph
(a)(2) to clarify that the ``standards-related activities'' exclusion
to the license requirements set forth in paragraph (a)(1) applies to
all the footnote designated entities described in paragraph (a)(2).
VI. Conforming Changes
BIS proposes revising Sec. 744.1(a)(1) to update the descriptions
of sections in part 744.
Request for Comments on This Proposed Rule
This rule is being issued in proposed form because while it is in
the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States
to impose these new end-use and end-user controls with the earliest
possible effective date, BIS also seeks to provide the interested
public with an opportunity to submit comments in order to avoid any
unnecessary disruption to supply chains, ensure that the controls are
drafted to be as effective as possible, and that the provisions of the
controls are clear and unambiguous for ease of compliance by exporters,
reexporters, and transferors. BIS continues to evaluate the scope of
items subject to this rule, the scope of the end users covered by this
rule, and the potential for complementary end-use controls and welcomes
comments on these issues.
Therefore, as part of this rule BIS is soliciting public comment on
the proposed revisions and additions to the proposed revisions to the
military end-use and end-user controls in Sec. 744.21 and the foreign-
intelligence end-user controls in Sec. 744.24; the proposed additions
of new Sec. 744.22 (Restrictions on certain foreign-military-support
end users); and any of the other revisions in this rule. Comments may
be submitted in accordance with the DATES and ADDRESSES sections of
this rule. BIS will review and, if appropriate, address such comments
through a related rulemaking process.
Export Control Reform Act of 2018
On August 13, 2018, the President signed into law the John S.
McCain National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2019, which included
the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA) (50 U.S.C. 4801-4852). On
December 23, 2022, the President signed into law the National Defense
Authorization Act for FY 2023 (NDAA, Pub. L. 117-263) section 5589(b)
of which amended section 4812(a)(2)(F) of ECRA. ECRA provides the legal
basis for BIS's principal authorities and serves as the authority under
which BIS issues this rule.
Rulemaking Requirements
1. Executive Order 12866, as amended by Executive Orders 13563 and
14094, directs agencies to assess all costs and benefits of available
regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select
regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health and safety effects, distributed
impacts, and equity). This rule has been designated a ``significant
regulatory action'' by the Office and Information and Regulatory
Affairs under Executive Order 12866.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is
required to respond to or be subject to a penalty for failure to comply
with a collection of information, subject to the requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (PRA), unless
that collection of information displays a currently valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number. This regulation involves
collections previously approved by OMB under control number 0694-0088,
Simplified Network Application Processing System, which includes, among
other things, license applications and commodity classifications, and
carries a burden estimate of 29.4 minutes for a manual or electronic
submission for a total burden estimate of 33,133 hours. This rule
increases the estimated number of submissions by 150 which is not
expected to exceed the current approved estimates.
3. This rule does not contain policies with federalism implications
as that term is defined in Executive Order 13132.
4. Pursuant to section 1762 of the Export Control Reform Act of
2018, this action is exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. 553) (APA) requirements for notice of proposed rulemaking,
opportunity for public participation, and delay in effective date.
While section 1762 of ECRA provides sufficient authority for such an
exemption, this action is independently exempt from those APA
requirements because it involves a military or foreign affairs function
of the United States (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1)). Notwithstanding this
determination, for the policy reasons set forth in Section VI. above,
BIS is seeking public comment on this proposed rule.
5. Because a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for
public comment are not required to be given for this rule by 5 U.S.C.
553, or by any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., are not applicable.
Accordingly, no regulatory flexibility analysis is required and none
has been prepared.
List of Subjects
15 CFR Part 730
Administrative practice and procedure, Advisory committees,
Exports, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Strategic and
critical materials.
15 CFR Part 732
Administrative practice and procedure, Exports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
15 CFR Part 734
Administrative practice and procedure, Exports, Inventions and
patents, Research, Science and technology.
15 CFR Part 736
Exports.
15 CFR Part 740
Administrative practice and procedure, Exports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
15 CFR Part 744
Exports, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Terrorism.
Accordingly, parts 730, 732, 734, 736, 740, and 744 of the Export
Administration Regulations (15 CFR parts 730-774) are proposed to be
amended as follows:
PART 730--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for 15 CFR part 730 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801-4852; 50 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; 50
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; 10 U.S.C.
[[Page 60993]]
8720; 10 U.S.C. 8730(e); 22 U.S.C. 287c; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note; 22
U.S.C. 3201 et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6004; 42 U.S.C. 2139a; 15 U.S.C.
1824; 50 U.S.C. 4305; 22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 7210; E.O.
11912, 41 FR 15825, 3 CFR, 1976 Comp., p. 114; E.O. 12002, 42 FR
35623, 3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 133; E.O. 12058, 43 FR 20947, 3 CFR,
1978 Comp., p. 179; E.O. 12214, 45 FR 29783, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p.
256; E.O. 12851, 58 FR 33181, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 608; E.O. 12854,
58 FR 36587, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 179; E.O. 12918, 59 FR 28205, 3
CFR, 1994 Comp., p. 899; E.O. 12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp.,
p. 950; E.O. 12981, 60 FR 62981, 3 CFR, 1995 Comp., p. 419; E.O.
13020, 61 FR 54079, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 219; E.O. 13026, 61 FR
58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025, 3 CFR,
2001 Comp., p. 783; E.O. 13224, 66 FR 49079, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p.
786; E.O. 13338, 69 FR 26751, 3 CFR, 2004 Comp., p 168; E.O. 13637,
78 FR 16129, 3 CFR, 2014 Comp., p. 223; Notice of September 7, 2023,
88 FR 62439 (September 11, 2023); Notice of November 1, 2023, 88 FR
75475 (November 3, 2023); Notice of May 8, 2024, 89 FR 40355 (May 9,
2024).
0
2. Section 730.5 is amended by revising paragraph (d) to read as
follows:
Sec. 730.5 Coverage of more than exports.
* * * * *
(d) ``U.S. person'' activities. The EAR restrict specific
activities of ``U.S. persons,'' wherever located, as described in Sec.
744.6 of the EAR.
PART 732--[AMENDED]
0
3. The authority citation for 15 CFR part 732 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801-4852; 50 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; 50
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; E.O. 13026, 61 FR 58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p.
228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 783.
0
4. Section 732.1 is amended by revising paragraphs (d)(1)(vii) and
(d)(3), to read as follows:
Sec. 732.1 Steps overview.
* * * * *
(d) * * *
(1) * * *
(vii) General Prohibition Seven (Support of proliferation
activities and certain military end users, military-production
activities, and intelligence end users (``U.S. person'' activities)).
* * * * *
(3) Controls on activities. Steps 12 through 18 refer to General
Prohibitions Four through Ten. Those general prohibitions apply to all
items subject to the EAR, not merely those items listed on the CCL in
part 774 of the EAR. For example, they refer to the general
prohibitions for persons denied export privileges, prohibited end uses
and end users, countries subject to a comprehensive embargo (e.g.,
Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria), prohibited activities of ``U.S.
persons'' in support of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
and certain military and intelligence end users and military-production
activities, prohibited unlading of shipments, compliance with orders,
terms, and conditions, and activities when a violation has occurred or
is about to occur.
* * * * *
0
5. Section 732.3 is amended by revising paragraph (j)(1) to read as
follows:
Sec. 732.3 Steps regarding the ten general prohibitions.
* * * * *
(j) * * *
(1) Review the scope of activity prohibited by General Prohibition
Seven (``U.S. person'' activities) (Sec. 736.2(b)(7) of the EAR) as
that activity is described in Sec. 744.6 of the EAR. Keep in mind that
such activity is not limited to exports, reexports, or transfers (in-
country). ``U.S. persons'' activities extend to services and shipping
or transmitting certain wholly foreign-origin items, or facilitating
such shipments or transmissions, in `support' of the specified weapons
of mass destruction and military and intelligence end users and
military-production activities and are not limited to items subject to
the EAR. See Sec. 744.6(a)(1) of the EAR for the full definition of
`support,' which includes, inter alia, ordering, storing, using,
selling, loaning, disposing, servicing, financing, transporting,
freight forwarding, or conducting negotiations to facilitate such
activities.
* * * * *
PART 734--[AMENDED]
0
6. The authority citation for 15 CFR part 734 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801-4852; 50 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; 50
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; E.O. 12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p.
950; E.O. 13020, 61 FR 54079, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 219; E.O. 13026,
61 FR 58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025, 3
CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 783; E.O. 13637, 78 FR 16129, 3 CFR, 2014 Comp.,
p. 223; Notice of November 1, 2023, 88 FR 75475 (November 3, 2023).
0
7. Section 734.4 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(7) to read as
follows:
Sec. 734.4 De minimis U.S. content.
(a) * * *
(7) Under certain rules issued by the Office of Foreign Assets
Control, certain exports from abroad by U.S.-owned or controlled
entities may be prohibited notwithstanding the de minimis provisions of
the EAR. In addition, the de minimis rules do not relieve ``U.S.
persons'' of the obligation to refrain from supporting the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery,
military and intelligence end uses, and military-production activities
as provided in Sec. 744.6 of the EAR.
* * * * *
0
8. Section 734.5 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as
follows:
Sec. 734.5 Activities of U.S. and foreign persons subject to the EAR.
* * * * *
(a) Specific activities of ``U.S. persons,'' wherever located,
related to the proliferation of nuclear explosive devices,
``missiles,'' chemical or biological weapons, and whole plants for
chemical weapons precursors; and to certain military and intelligence
end users and military-production activities described in Sec. 744.6
of the EAR.
* * * * *
PART 736--[AMENDED]
0
9. The authority citation for 15 CFR part 736 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801-4852; 50 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; 50
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; E.O. 12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p.
950; E.O. 13020, 61 FR 54079, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 219; E.O. 13026,
61 FR 58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025, 3
CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 783; E.O. 13338, 69 FR 26751, 3 CFR, 2004 Comp.,
p. 168; Notice of November 1, 2023, 88 FR 75475 (November 3, 2023);
Notice of May 8, 2024, 89 FR 40355 (May 9, 2024).
0
10. Section 736.2 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(7) introductory
text to read as follows:
Sec. 736.2 General prohibitions and determination of applicability.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(7) General Prohibition Seven--Support of proliferation activities
and certain military and intelligence end uses and end users (``U.S.
person'' activities). A ``U.S. person,'' with ``knowledge'' and
wherever located, may not without a license `support,' as defined in
Sec. 744.6(a), proliferation activities specified in Sec. 744.6,
e.g., nuclear explosive or unsafeguarded activities; rocket systems
(including ballistic missiles, space launch vehicles and sounding
rockets); unmanned aerial vehicle (including cruise missiles, target
drones and reconnaissance drones) end uses; chemical (including
chemical precursors) or biological weapons end uses; a `military end
user' or `military-production activity,' as defined in Sec.
744.6(b)(6) of the EAR; or an
[[Page 60994]]
`intelligence end user,' as defined in Sec. 744.24(f) of the EAR.
* * * * *
0
11. Supplement no. 1 to part 736 is amended by adding paragraph f to
read as follows:
Supplement No. 1 to Part 736--General Orders
* * * * *
(f) General Order No. 6:
General Order No. 6 of [DATE EFFECTIVE] authorizes ``U.S.
persons'' to perform services that require a license pursuant to
Sec. 744.6(b) of the EAR if required for the performance of defense
services subject to control under the ITAR and authorized by the
Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC).
* * * * *
PART 740--[AMENDED]
0
12. The authority citation for 15 CFR part 740 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801-4852; 50 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; 50
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.; E.O. 13026, 61 FR
58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025, 3 CFR,
2001 Comp., p. 783.
0
13. Section 740.11 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(2)(ii) to read
as follows:
Sec. 740.11 Governments, international organizations, international
inspections under the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the
International Space Station (GOV).
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(2) * * *
(ii) Exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) made by or
consigned to a department or agency of the U.S. Government. This
paragraph authorizes exports, reexports, and transfers of items when
made by or consigned to a department or agency of the U.S. Government,
solely for its official use, including for use in any lawfully
authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law
enforcement or intelligence agency of the United States or of a
territory, possession, State, or District of the United States,
including political subdivisions thereof, or for carrying out any U.S.
Government program with foreign governments or international
organizations that is authorized by law and subject to control by the
President by other means. This paragraph does not authorize a
department or agency of the U.S. Government to make any export,
reexport, or transfer that is otherwise prohibited by other
administrative provisions or by statute. Contractor support personnel
of a department or agency of the U.S. Government are eligible for this
authorization when in the performance of their duties pursuant to the
applicable contract or other official duties. `Contractor support
personnel' for the purpose of this provision means those persons who
provide administrative, managerial, scientific or technical support
under contract to a U.S. Government department or agency (e.g.,
contractor employees of Federally Funded Research Facilities or Systems
Engineering and Technical Assistance contractors). The term `contractor
support personnel' for purposes of this paragraph (b)(2)(ii) is limited
to those individuals who are providing such support within a U.S.
Government owned or operated facility or under the direct supervision
of a U.S. government employee (i.e., an individual directly employed by
the U.S. Government). Private security contractors are not `contractor
support personnel' for purposes of this paragraph (b)(2)(ii) because
although they may work within a U.S. Government owned or operated
facility, such contractors do not provide administrative, managerial,
scientific or technical support under contract to the U.S. Government.
This authorization is not available when a department or agency of the
U.S. Government acts as a transmittal agent on behalf of a non-U.S.
Government person, either as a convenience or in satisfaction of
security requirements.
* * * * *
PART 744--[AMENDED]
0
14. The authority citation for 15 CFR part 744 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 50 U.S.C. 4801-4852; 50 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; 50
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 2139a; 22
U.S.C. 7201 et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 7210; E.O. 12058, 43 FR 20947, 3 CFR,
1978 Comp., p. 179; E.O. 12851, 58 FR 33181, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p.
608; E.O. 12938, 59 FR 59099, 3 CFR, 1994 Comp., p. 950; E.O. 13026,
61 FR 58767, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 228; E.O. 13099, 63 FR 45167, 3
CFR, 1998 Comp., p. 208; E.O. 13222, 66 FR 44025, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp.,
p. 783; E.O. 13224, 66 FR 49079, 3 CFR, 2001 Comp., p. 786; Notice
of September 7, 2023, 88 FR 62439 (September 11, 2023); Notice of
November 1, 2023, 88 FR 75475 (November 3, 2023).
0
15. Section 744.1 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(1) to read as
follows:
Sec. 744.1 General provisions.
(a)(1) Introduction. In this part, references to the EAR are
references to 15 CFR chapter VII, subchapter C. This part contains
prohibitions against exports, reexports, and selected transfers (in-
country) to certain end users and end uses, as well as certain ``U.S.
person'' activities, as described in General Prohibitions Five (End
use/End users), Seven (``U.S. person'' activities), and Nine (Orders,
Terms, and Conditions), unless authorized by BIS. It should also be
noted that part 764 of the EAR prohibits exports, reexports and certain
transfers (in-country) of items subject to the EAR to denied parties.
* * * * *
0
16. Section 744.6 is amended by:
0
a. Revising paragraph (a);
0
b. Revising paragraphs (b)(4) through (6);
0
c. Adding paragraph (b)(7);
0
d. Revising paragraph (c)(1);
0
e. Revising paragraphs (d) introductory text and (d)(2); and
0
f. Revising paragraph (e)(2).
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Sec. 744.6 Restrictions on specific activities of ``U.S. persons.''
(a) Scope and order of review. The general prohibitions in this
section apply only to the extent that the underlying activities are not
subject to a license requirement or general prohibition administered by
another federal department or agency, see, for example, Assistance to
Foreign Atomic Energy Activities regulations (10 CFR part 810),
administered by the Department of Energy; International Traffic in Arms
Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR parts 120 through 130), administered by the
Department of State; and certain sanctions regulations (to include, but
not limited to, 31 CFR parts 500 through 599), administered by the
Department of the Treasury. Accordingly, ``U.S. persons'' are required
to seek a license from BIS only for the activities described in this
section that are not subject to a license requirement or general
prohibition administered by the Department of Energy, Department of
State, Department of the Treasury, or other Federal department or
agency. The issuance of a license by BIS, or any other Federal
department or agency, does not authorize ``U.S. persons'' to engage in
any activity that is otherwise prohibited by law, including criminal
statutes.
(1) Definition of support--(i) Support means:
(A) Shipping or transmitting from one foreign country to another
foreign country any item not subject to the EAR you know will be used
in or by any of the end uses or end users described in paragraphs
(b)(1) through (7) of this section, including the sending or taking of
such item to or from foreign countries in any manner;
[[Page 60995]]
(B) Transferring (in-country) any item not subject to the EAR you
know will be used in or by any of the end uses or end users described
in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) of this section;
(C) Facilitating such shipment, transmission, or transfer (in-
country); or
(D) Performing any contract, service, or employment you know may
assist or benefit any of the end uses or end users described in
paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) of this section, including, but not
limited to: ordering, buying, removing, concealing, storing, using,
selling, loaning, disposing, servicing, financing, transporting,
freight forwarding, or conducting negotiations to facilitate such
activities.
(ii) Exclusions. Support does not include:
(A) Activities related to items described in Sec. 734.3(b) of the
EAR;
(B) Activities related to items enumerated on the USML or on the
United States Munitions Import List (USMIL) (27 CFR 447.21), to the
extent such activities are subject to control under the ITAR.
(C) Activities limited to administrative services, such as
providing or arranging office space and equipment, hospitality,
advertising, or clerical, visa, or translation services, collecting
product and pricing information to prepare a response to a request for
proposal, generally promoting company goodwill at trade shows, or
activities by an attorney that are limited to the provision of legal
advice;
(D) With respect to the end uses and end users in paragraphs (b)(5)
through (7) only, commercial activities related to the movement of
goods by common carriers; or
(E) Activities conducted for, on behalf of, or in connection with:
(1) A department or agency of the U.S. Government, including any
lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity
of a law enforcement or intelligence agency of the United States or of
a territory, possession, State, or District of the United States,
including political subdivisions thereof;
(2) Any U.S. Government cooperative program, project, agreement, or
arrangement with a foreign government or international organization or
agency that is authorized by law and subject to control by the
President, as further described in Sec. 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(B) of the
EAR;
(3) Any U.S. Government foreign assistance or sales program
authorized by law and subject to the control of the President as
further described in Sec. 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(C) of the EAR; or
(4) An Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) that is
executed at the direction of the U.S. Department of Defense as further
described in Sec. 740.11(b)(2)(iii)(D).
(2) [Reserved]
Note 1 to paragraph (a): Activities subject to ITAR licensing
requirements, including as defense services (see 22 CFR 120.32 and
the United States Munitions List (USML) (22 CFR 121.1)) or brokering
(see 22 CFR part 129) are not subject to EAR licensing requirements
pursuant to Sec. 744.6(a) of the EAR. Particularly in the case of
``support'' to `military end users,' `military-production
activities,' and `intelligence end users,' ``U.S. persons'' should
be aware that their activities may be subject to ITAR licensing
requirements and conduct their review accordingly. For a formal
determination as to whether a specific ``U.S. person'' activity is
subject to the ITAR or the EAR, you may submit a commodity
jurisdiction request to the Department of State, consistent with the
procedures in 22 CFR 120.12.
(b) * * *
(4) The design, ``development,'' ``production,'' operation,
installation (including on-site installation), maintenance (checking),
repair, overhaul, refurbishing, shipment, or transfer (in-country) of a
whole plant to make chemical weapons precursors identified in ECCN
1C350, in or by countries other than those listed in Country Group A:3
(Australia Group);
(5) A `military end user,' as defined in Sec. 744.21(f)(2), in or
from a destination specified in Country Group D:5 or Macau, including,
but not limited to, `military end users' designated with a footnote 3
or 5 on the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to this part, and only
those `military-support end users' designated with a footnote 6 on the
Entity List in supplement no. 4 to this part;
(6) A `military-production activity,' when such activity occurs in
or the product of such activity is destined to a country listed in
Country Group D:5 or Macau. The term `military-production activity'
means incorporation into the following types of items or any other
activity that supports or contributes to the operation, installation,
maintenance, repair, overhaul, refurbishing, ``development,'' or
``production'' of the following types of items:
(i) ``600 series'' items, including foreign-origin items not
subject to the EAR; or
(ii) Any other item that is either described on the Commerce
Control List in other than a ``600 series'' ECCN, or designated EAR99,
including foreign-origin items not subject to the EAR, that you
``know'' is ultimately destined to or for use by a `military end user,'
as defined in Sec. 744.21(f)(2); or
(7) An `intelligence end user,' as defined in Sec. 744.24(f),
wherever located, from a destination specified in Country Group D or E,
but not also listed in Country Group A:5 or A:6 (see supplement no. 1
to part 740 of the EAR for Country Groups), including, but not limited
to, `intelligence end users' designated with a footnote 7 on the Entity
List in supplement no. 4 of this part.
Note 2 to paragraph (b): General Order No. 6 authorizes ``U.S.
persons'' to perform activities subject to the license requirements
of paragraph (b) of this section, when required for the performance
of defense services subject to control under the ITAR and authorized
by the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
(see supplement no. 1 to part 736 of the EAR).
Note 3 to paragraph (b): Restrictions on `support' to entities
designated with a footnote 6 on the Entity List in supplement no. 4
of this part only apply when the support activities relate to items
described in the license requirement column of the entity's entry in
supplement no. 4 of this part, or their foreign-origin equivalents.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(1) BIS may inform ``U.S. persons,'' either individually by
specific notice, through amendment to the EAR published in the Federal
Register, or through a separate notice published in the Federal
Register, that a license is required because an activity could involve
the types of `support' (as defined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section)
to the end uses or end users described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7)
of this section. Specific notice is to be given only by, or at the
direction of, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic
Trade and Technology Security or the Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Strategic Trade. When such notice is provided orally, it will be
followed by a written notice within two working days signed by the
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary or
their designee. However, the absence of any such notification does not
excuse the ``U.S. person'' from compliance with the license
requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.
* * * * *
(d) Exceptions and exclusions. No license exceptions apply to the
prohibitions described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) or paragraph
(c)(2) of this section.
* * * * *
(2) Exclusion to paragraphs (b)(5) through (7) and (c)(2)(iii) of
this section. Notwithstanding the prohibitions in paragraphs (b)(5)
through (7) and
[[Page 60996]]
(c)(2)(iii) of this section, ``U.S. persons'' who are employees of a
department or agency of the U.S. Government may `support' a `military-
production activity,' `military end user,' a 'military support end
user,' or an `intelligence end user,' as described in paragraphs (b)(5)
through (7) and (c)(2)(iii) of this section, if the `support' is
provided in the performance of official duties in furtherance of a U.S.
Government program that is authorized by law and subject to control by
the President by other means. This paragraph (d)(2) does not authorize
a department or agency of the U.S. Government to provide `support' that
is otherwise prohibited by other administrative provisions or by
statute. `Contractor support personnel' of a department or agency of
the U.S. Government are eligible for this authorization when in the
performance of their duties pursuant to the applicable contract or
other official duties. `Contractor support personnel' for the purposes
of this paragraph (d)(2) has the same meaning given to that term in
Sec. 740.11(b)(2)(ii) of the EAR. This authorization is not available
when a department or agency of the U.S. Government acts as an agent on
behalf of a non-U.S. Government person.
* * * * *
(e) * * *
(2) Applications for a ``U.S. person'' to `support' an end use or
end user as described in paragraphs (b)(5) through (7) of this section
will be reviewed consistent with the applicable policies described in
Sec. Sec. 744.21, 744.22, and 744.24.
* * * * *
0
17. Section 744.11 is amended by:
0
a. Revising the heading of paragraph (a)(2) and adding introductory
text;
0
b. Redesignating paragraph (a)(2)(ii) as paragraph (iii); and
0
c. Adding paragraphs (a)(2)(ii) and (iv) through (vi).
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Sec. 744.11 License requirements that apply to entities acting or at
significant risk of acting contrary to the national security or foreign
policy interests of the United States.
* * * * *
(a) * * *
(2) Entities designated by specified footnotes. With the exception
of ``standards-related activities'' described in paragraph (a)(1) of
this section, license requirements are set forth for footnote
designated entities as described in this paragraph (a)(2) .
* * * * *
(ii) Footnote 3 entities. You may not export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) any item subject to the EAR, including foreign-produced
items that are subject to the EAR under Sec. 734.9(g) of the EAR,
without a license from BIS if, at the time of the export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country), you have ``knowledge'' that the item is
intended, entirely or in part, for a Russian or Belarusian `military
end user,' as defined in Sec. 744.21(f)(2), wherever located that is
listed on the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to this part with a
footnote 3 designation. See Sec. Sec. 744.21 and 746.8 of the EAR for
license review policy, and restrictions on license exceptions. See
Sec. 744.6(b)(5) for restrictions on specific activities of ``U.S.
persons'' related to such entities.
* * * * *
(iv) Footnote 5 entities. You may not export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) any item subject to the EAR without a license from BIS if,
at the time of the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country), you have
``knowledge'' that the item is intended, entirely or in part, for a
`military end user,' wherever located, that is listed on the Entity
List in supplement no. 4 to this part with a footnote 5 designation.
See Sec. 744.21. See also Sec. 744.6(b)(5) for restrictions on
specific activities of ``U.S. persons'' related to such entities.
(v) Footnote 6 entities. You may not export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) any item subject to the EAR specified in the license
requirement column of the corresponding entry in supplement no. 4 to
this part without a license from BIS if, at the time of the export,
reexport, or transfer (in-country), you have ``knowledge'' that the
item is intended, entirely or in part, for a `military-support end
user,' wherever located, that is listed on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 to this part with a footnote 6 designation. See Sec.
744.22. See also Sec. 744.6(b)(5) for restrictions on specific
activities of ``U.S. persons'' related to such entities.
(vi) Footnote 7 entities. You may not export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) any item subject to the EAR without a license from BIS if,
at the time of the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country), you have
``knowledge'' that the item is intended, entirely or in part, for an
`intelligence end user,' wherever located, that is listed on the Entity
List in supplement no. 4 to this part with a footnote 7 designation.
See Sec. 744.24. See also Sec. 744.6(b)(7) for restrictions on
specific activities of ``U.S. persons'' related to such entities.
* * * * *
0
18. Section 744.21 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 744.21 Restrictions on certain `military end uses' and `military
end users.'
(a) General prohibition. In addition to the license requirements
for items specified on the Commerce Control List (CCL) (supplement no.
1 to part 774), you may not export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
any item subject to the EAR without a license if, at the time of the
export, reexport, or transfer (in-country), you have ``knowledge,'' as
defined in Sec. 772.1 of the EAR, that the item is intended, entirely
or in part, for:
(1) A `military end use,' as defined in paragraph (f)(1) of this
section, when the `military end use' occurs in, or the product of the
`military end use' is destined to Macau or a country specified in
Country Group D:5 in supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the EAR; or
(2) A `military end user,' as defined in paragraph (f)(2) of this
section, wherever located, of Macau or a country specified in Country
Group D:5 in supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the EAR.
(b) Additional prohibition on those informed by BIS. BIS may inform
persons, either individually by specific notice or through amendment to
the EAR published in the Federal Register, or through a separate
notification published in the Federal Register, that a license is
required for a specific export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
because there is an unacceptable risk of use in, or diversion to a
`military end use,' or `military end user,' from or in Macau or a
country specified in Country Group D:5. Specific notice is to be given
only by, or at the direction of, the Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Strategic Trade and Technology Security or the Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Strategic Trade. When such notice is provided
orally, it will be followed by a written notice within two working days
signed by the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant
Secretary or their designee. However, the absence of any such
notification does not excuse persons from compliance with the license
requirements in paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) License exception. Despite the prohibitions described in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, you may export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items subject to the EAR under the provisions of
License Exception GOV set forth in Sec. 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR.
(d) License application procedure. When submitting a license
application pursuant to this section, you must state in the
``additional information'' block of the application that ``this
application is submitted because of the license requirement in Sec.
744.21 (``Restrictions
[[Page 60997]]
on certain `military end uses' and `military end users'.'') In
addition, either in the additional information block of the application
or in an attachment to the application, you must include all known
information concerning the `military end use(r)(s)' of the item(s). If
you submit an attachment with your license application, you must
reference the attachment in the ``additional information'' block of the
application.
(e) License review policy. Applications to export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
section will be reviewed with a presumption of denial for Burma, China,
Cuba, Iran, Macau, Nicaragua, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela.
Applications for Russia and Belarus will be reviewed with a policy of
denial consistent with Sec. 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All other
applications will be reviewed under a case-by-case review policy,
consistent with United States policies articulated in Sec. 126.1 of
the ITAR.
(f) Definitions. For purposes of this section or references to this
section, the following definitions apply:
(1) Military end use means incorporation occurring outside the
United States into a defense article described on the U.S. Munitions
List (USML) (22 CFR 121.1, International Traffic in Arms Regulations);
incorporation into items classified under Export Control Classification
Numbers (ECCNs) under ``600 series'' ECCNs; or any item that supports
or contributes to the operation, installation, maintenance, repair,
overhaul, refurbishing, ``development,'' or ``production,'' of defense
articles described on the USML, or items classified under ECCNs under
``600 series'' ECCNs.
(2) Military end user (MEU) means the national armed services
(army, navy, marine, air force, or coast guard), the national guard, or
any person or entity performing the functions of a `military end user,'
including mercenaries, paramilitary, or irregular forces. MEU also
includes entities designated with a footnote 3 or 5 on the Entity List
in supplement no. 4 of this part.
0
19. Section 744.22 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 744.22 Restrictions on certain `military-support end users.'
(a) General prohibition. In addition to the license requirements
for items specified on the Commerce Control List (CCL) (supplement no.
1 to part 774), you may not export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)
any item subject to the EAR specified in any ECCN on the CCL without a
license if, at the time of the export, reexport, or transfer (in-
country), you have ``knowledge,'' as defined in Sec. 772.1 of the EAR,
that the item is intended, entirely or in part, for a `military-support
end user,' as defined in paragraph (f) of this section, in Macau or a
country specified in Country Group D:5 in supplement no. 1 to part 740
of the EAR, or wherever located if identified on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 of this part 744 with a footnote 6 designation.
(b) Additional prohibition on those informed by BIS. BIS may inform
persons, either individually by specific notice or through amendment to
the EAR, that a license is required for a specific export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country), or for the export, reexport, or transfer (in-
country) of any item subject to the EAR to a certain end user, because
there is an unacceptable risk of use in, or diversion to, the
activities specified in paragraph (a) of this section. Specific notice
is to be given only by, or at the direction of, the Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Strategic Trade and Technology Security or the
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Trade or their designee. When
such notice is provided orally, it will be followed by a written notice
within two working days signed by the Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary. However, the absence of any
such notification does not excuse persons from compliance with the
license requirements in paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) License exception. Notwithstanding the prohibitions described
in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, you may export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items subject to the EAR under the provisions of
License Exception GOV set forth in Sec. 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR.
(d) License application procedure. When submitting a license
application pursuant to this section, you must state in the
``additional information'' block of the application that ``this
application is submitted because of the license requirement in Sec.
744.22 (Restrictions on certain `military-support end users').'' In
addition, either in the additional information block of the application
or in an attachment to the application, you must include all known
information concerning the `military-support end users' of the item(s).
If you submit an attachment with your license application, you must
reference the attachment in the ``additional information'' block of the
application.
(e) License review policy. Applications to export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
section will be reviewed with a presumption of denial for Macau and
countries described in in ITAR Sec. 126.1(d)(1), with the exception of
Russia and Belarus. Applications involving Belarus and Russia will be
reviewed with a policy of denial consistent with Sec. 746.8(b)(1) of
the EAR. All other applications will be reviewed under a case-by-case
review policy, consistent with United States policies articulated in
Sec. 126.1 of the ITAR.
(f) Definition. For purposes of this section, references to this
section, or references to the terms in this paragraph, the following
definitions apply:
Military-support end user (MSEU) means any person or entity whose
actions or functions support `military end uses,' as defined in Sec.
744.21(f) of this section. MSEU also includes entities designated with
a footnote 6 on the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to this part.
0
20. Add Sec. 744.24 to read as follows:
Sec. 744.24 Restrictions on certain intelligence end users.
(a) General prohibitions. In addition to the license requirements
for items specified on the Commerce Control List (CCL) (supplement no.
1 to part 774 of the EAR), you may not export, reexport, or transfer
(in-country) any item subject to the EAR without a license from BIS if,
at the time of the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country), you have
``knowledge'' that the item is intended, entirely or in part, for an
`intelligence end user,' wherever located, that is from a country or
destination specified in Country Group D or E, but not also listed in
A:5 or A:6 in supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the EAR.
(b) Additional prohibition for those informed by BIS. BIS may
inform persons, either individually by specific notice, through
amendment to the EAR published in the Federal Register, or through a
separate notification published in the Federal Register, that a license
is required for a specific export, reexport, or transfer (in-country),
including to a certain end user, because there is an unacceptable risk
of use in, or diversion to, the activities specified in paragraph (a)
of this section. Specific notice is to be given only by, or at the
direction of, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic
Trade and Technology Security or the Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Strategic Trade. When such notice is provided orally, it will be
followed by a written notice within two working days signed by the
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary or
their
[[Page 60998]]
designee. However, the absence of any such notification does not excuse
persons from compliance with the license requirements in paragraph (a)
of this section.
(c) License exception. Notwithstanding the prohibitions described
in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, you may export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items subject to the EAR under the provision of
License Exception GOV set forth in Sec. 740.11(b)(2) of the EAR.
(d) License application procedure. When submitting a license
application pursuant to this section, you must state in the
``additional information'' block of the application that ``this
application is submitted because of the license requirement in Sec.
744.24 (Restrictions on exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country)
to certain intelligence end users).'' In addition, either in the
additional information block of the application or in an attachment to
the application, you must include all known information concerning the
intelligence end user(s) of the item(s). If you submit an attachment
with your license application, you must reference the attachment in the
``additional information'' block of the application.
(e) License review policy. Applications to export, reexport, or
transfer (in-country) items described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
section will be reviewed with a presumption of denial for Macau and
countries in ITAR Sec. 126.1(d)(1), with the exception of Russia and
Belarus. Applications for Russia and Belarus will be reviewed with a
policy of denial consistent with Sec. 746.8(b)(1) of the EAR. All
other applications will be reviewed under a case-by-case review policy,
consistent with United States policies articulated in Sec. 126.1 of
the ITAR.
(f) Definition. For the purposes of this section, references to
this section, or references to the term in this paragraph, the
following definition applies:
Intelligence end user (IEU) means any foreign government
intelligence, surveillance, or reconnaissance organizations or other
entities performing functions on behalf of such organizations. IEU
includes entities designated with a footnote 7 on the Entity List in
supplement no. 4 of this part.
Supplement No. 2 to Part 744 [Removed and Reserved]
0
21. Supplement No. 2 to part 744 is removed and reserved.
0
22. Supplement No. 4 to part 744 is amended by adding Footnotes 5
through 7, to read as follows:
Supplement No. 4 to Part 744--Entity List
* * * * *
\5\ For this `military end user,' (MEU) as defined in Sec.
744.21(f) of this part, entity, see Sec. Sec. 744.6,
744.11(a)(2)(iv), and 744.21 for related license requirements and
license review policy.
\6\ For this `military-support end user,' (MSEU) as defined in
Sec. 744.22(f) of the EAR, entity, see Sec. Sec. 744.6,
744.11(a)(2)(v), and 744.22 for related license requirements and
license review policy.
\7\ For this `intelligence end user,' (IEU) as defined in Sec.
744.24(f) of the EAR, entity, see Sec. Sec. 744.6,
744.11(a)(2)(vi), and 744.24 for related license requirements and
license review policy.
* * * * *
Thea D. Rozman Kendler,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-16496 Filed 7-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P