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To many people, BIS sounds like many other government acronyms. BIS stands for Bureau of Industry and Security. The mandate of BIS is extremely important and worth taking a closer look at.
The BIS mission statement is to “Advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership.” That is quite a mission! Think of each of the key words in this mission statement and realize the impact this mandate has.
Exporting certain items from the U.S. to certain places in the world may present a national security risk. Items used for weapon production can be turned around and used against the U.S. both domestically and abroad. These concerns drive the creation and updating of the Entity Lists. It is worth re-iterating that the entity list exists because the BIS and other U.S. Government agencies have found cause to believe that somehow, those on the list may be a risk or related to something that poses a threat to our national security.
It is also important to note that just because a person/group/organization is on the entity list, it doesn’t necessarily prohibit trade with them. However, it does raise the flag and compel the trade professional to ensure that due diligence is exercised in vetting the person/group/organization and determining what regulatory steps should be taken and appropriate authorization obtained in order to legally proceed to trade with those on the entity list.
While things are constantly changing these days it is imperative that we remain vigilant and attuned to all the changes going on around the world. BIS is a key U.S. Government Agency charged with being an integral instrument of protecting the United States. The JAS USA Inc. Compliance Team understands the BIS mandate and are always willing to assist. Contact us and we will help!
A multinational organization based in Bangkok, Thailand, has agreed to pay $20,000,000 to settle potential civil liability for 467 apparent violations of OFAC sanctions on Iran. Between 2017 and 2018, the company facilitated $291 million in wire transfers through U.S. financial institutions for the sale of Iranian-origin high-density polyethylene resin (HDPE), manufactured by a joint venture involving the parent company in Iran. HDPE is a robust resin used in various plastic products such as food and beverage containers, shampoo bottles, and industrial items. Concurrently, the company initiated U.S. dollar wire transfer transactions to settle the joint venture’s debts to third-party vendors.
BIS has released the newest iteration of their guidance on export enforcement. The “Don’t Let This Happen to You” guidance document is dated March 2024 and is 76 pages of important guidance for the export community. The opening letter states “Export controls have never been more important to our collective security interests than they are today.” Follow the link below to check out more details!
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against work gloves manufactured in a Chinese company and its subsidiaries, based on evidence suggesting the use of convict labor. This action is part of the U.S. government's efforts to combat forced labor globally. With nearly 28 million workers suffering under such conditions worldwide, WROs are a means to deter companies from exploiting labor and to protect vulnerable populations. By enforcing laws prohibiting the importation of goods produced by forced labor, CBP aims to safeguard American workers, businesses, and consumers. Currently overseeing and enforcing numerous WROs and Findings, CBP emphasizes its commitment to eliminating forced labor from U.S. supply chains and encourages reporting of suspected violations.
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