Efforts to streamline process for Commerce Dept.-controlled satel...

Efforts to streamline process for Commerce Dept.-controlled satellite export licenses have hit snags, Commerce members said at Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) Advisory Committee meeting in Washington. Definition of “specially designed” equipment on export control list isn’t likely this year, said Tanya Mottley, BXA’s dir.-Strategic Trade Div. in Office of Strategic Trade & Foreign Policy Controls. “We have not had much success” trying to come up with acceptable definition for all countries in export control agreement, she said. “The more that we discuss it, the less likely we are” to reach agreement on definition this year, Mottley said. Committee didn’t discuss Berman-Rohrabacher bill that would return satellite export licensing controls to Commerce Dept. from State Dept. that Satellite Industry Assn. and Space Foundation endorsed (CD May 8 p7) or proposals to streamline export control process for U.S. allies. William Root, export control consultant, said export controls were “vestige of the Cold War.”