Changes to the Buy American Regulations
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Changes to the Buy American Regulations

Buy American Rules Update There have been fairly significant changes to the Buy American rules under both the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or FAR, and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, or DFARS. They relate to when a product qualifies as a domestic end product, and thereby is eligible for the Buy American bidding preference….

The FTC Can’t Take a Joke
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The FTC Can’t Take a Joke

The Federal Trade Commission’s Made in the USA Rules   A notice appeared in the May 19th Federal Register detailing a consent agreement reached with a company called Lions Not Sheep over what the Federal Trade Commission alleged were false and misleading statements regarding the origin of their products.     In the following transcript,…

The New Foreign-Direct Product Rule for Third-Country Exports to Russia
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The New Foreign-Direct Product Rule for Third-Country Exports to Russia

Sanctions imposed on Russia by the BIS The February 24 sanctions imposed on Russia by the BIS have put in place a vastly expanded definition of the foreign-direct product rule, which will pose significant compliance challenges.   In the following transcript George Thompson details which products are affected by the new rule and how…

The Unverified List: What it Means to Exporters, Re Exporters, and In-Country Transferors
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The Unverified List: What it Means to Exporters, Re Exporters, and In-Country Transferors

The Unverified List The Commerce Department’s listing of foreign companies subject to restrictions on all items included in the Export Administration Regulations, has received increased attention as a result of the recent addition of 33 Chinese industrial and technology companies to the list. The following transcript from George Thompson‘s video, explains what the Unverified…

Sentenced to Federal Prison – Smuggle Items Attempt Out of the U.S. Without the Required Export License
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Sentenced to Federal Prison – Smuggle Items Attempt Out of the U.S. Without the Required Export License

Owner of Maryland Export Business Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Items Out of the U.S. Without the Required Export License   Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Jorge Orencel, age 65, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to six months in federal prison, followed by one year…

Commercial and Private Aircraft Exported to Russia in Apparent Violation of U.S. Export Controls
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Commercial and Private Aircraft Exported to Russia in Apparent Violation of U.S. Export Controls

The U.S. Commerce Department, through its Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), publicly identified commercial and private aircraft that have flown into Russia in apparent violation of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).  In so doing, BIS is notifying the public that providing any form of service to these aircraft requires authorization. Absent such authorization,…

U.S. Department of Commerce Implements New Export Controls to Combat Malicious Cyber Activities
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U.S. Department of Commerce Implements New Export Controls to Combat Malicious Cyber Activities

Key Points On March 7, 2022, new U.S. export controls applicable to “cybersecurity items” took effect based on an interim final rule published by BIS on October 21, 2021 (the “Cyber Rule”). The controls under the Cyber Rule are complex because they restrict exports intended for malicious cyber activities and to certain countries and governments,…

Air Transportation of Lithium Metal and Lithium-Ion Batteries Revised for the 2022 Regulations
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Air Transportation of Lithium Metal and Lithium-Ion Batteries Revised for the 2022 Regulations

REGULATORY UPDATE The International Air Transport Association (IATA) now forbids shipping stand-alone lithium metal batteries, UN3090, and stand-alone lithium-ion batteries, UN3480, classified as  Section II shipments via air. Section II shipments are smaller shipments of lithium batteries that had previously been granted exceptions for many of the IATA’s dangerous air goods shipping rules. The…

Dumping on American Builders and Homebuyers
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Dumping on American Builders and Homebuyers

By Scott Lincicome // CATO Institute As we at Cato frequently explain, “trade remedies” tariffs — antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard actions — are one of U.S. trade policy’s dirty little secrets. They’re insanely (and intentionally) complex, buried in layers of regulatory mumbo‐​jumbo, and thus mostly ignored by politicians, media, and laypeople who often claim or believe…