BIS Archives

BIS Issues Interim Final Rule to Address National Security Risks Related to Biotechnology

January 22, 2025 By Kerry B. Contini (USA), Lise S. Test (USA) and Vivian Tse (USA) 3 Mins Read

On January 16, 2025, the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) published an interim final rule (the “IFR”) revising the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) to impose new controls on certain biotechnology equipment and related technology. As stated in the IFR, the new controls are necessary to protect against US national security and foreign policy interests “given the dual-use nature and relevance of specific biotechnology equipment to contribute to the research and development…

Trump Makes Quick Moves on Sanctions (and Export Control Policy)

January 21, 2025 By Kerry B. Contini (USA) and Alexandre (Alex) Lamy (USA) 3 Mins Read

Shortly after taking the oath of office today, newly inaugurated President Trump signed a flurry of Executive Orders (“EOs”) and other executive actions. This include several actions related to US sanctions and export controls. Authority to Designate Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations or Specially Designated Global Terrorists Trump signed an EO Designating Cartels and Other Organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. This EO creates a legal authority to designate certain international…

Annual Increase in Civil Monetary Penalties for OFAC, State, Commerce, and DOE

January 19, 2025 By Alexandre (Alex) Lamy (USA) 4 Mins Read

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the US Department of State (“State”), the US Department of Commerce (“Commerce”), and the US Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued rules adjusting maximum civil monetary penalties (“CMPs”) under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, as outlined below. (For additional years of CMPs, see our previous blog post available here.) OFAC CMP Adjustments Under OFAC’s final rule issued on January 15, 2025,…

BIS Issues Proposed Rule related to Unmanned Aircraft Systems

January 18, 2025 By Alison J. Stafford Powell (USA) and Vivian Tse (USA) 2 Mins Read

On January 2, 2025, the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (“ANPRM”) seeking public comments to inform the potential development of a rule to safeguard the information and communications technology and services (“ICTS”) supply chain for unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”), pursuant to the authority of Executive Order 13873. This follows other recent developments in the ICTS regime, including the December 6, 2024 Final Rule amending…