BIS Official Says STA Rule to be Narrower than Proposed, Expected in April

March 23, 2011 by Elizabeth Parker|Exports, OFAC and DoD

The Bureau of Industry and Security's Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC) held a partially open meeting on March 15, 2011 to discuss updates to proposed export control reform regulations, including a rulemaking on license exception STA.

(In December 2010, BIS issued a proposed rule to add a new License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA) to allow exports, reexports and transfers (in-country) of specified items to destinations that pose little risk of unauthorized use of those items. See ITT's Online Archives or 12/09/10 news, 10120921, for BP summary.)

BIS Giving Draft of STA Final Rule to Committee for Review

Assistant Commerce Secretary for Export Administration Kevin Wolf stated that the Commerce Department has reviewed the comments submitted on its STA proposed rule, and has a near final draft of the final rule for the TAC to review.

Wolf stated that the STA final rule was the department's top priority and that he was hopeful for a final rule to be published by April.

STA Product Coverage to be Narrower, Include Fewer Countries

Wolf stated that STA product coverage of licensable goods would be narrower and that only a few of the ECCNs that were identified in the proposed rule would be used in the final STA rule. Additionally, instead of including the 37 license-free destination countries in the proposed rule, the final STA rule will include a smaller list of countries.

Wolf noted that the department is also deciding whether it should create exclusions to the STA license exception for portions of items, different types of data, or items with certain characteristics.