Effective August 3, 2018 the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to formally recognize and implement India as a new member of the Wassenaar Arrangement as well as move India from Country Group A:6 to A:5. This rule follows a series of rules with the intention of furthering reforms agreed upon by the United States and India to promote global nonproliferation, expand high technology cooperation and trade, and ultimately facilitate India’s full membership in the four multilateral export control regimes (Nuclear Suppliers Group, MTCR, WA, and AG).
Specific EAR Amendments Recognizing and Implementing India’s Membership in Wassenaar and Adding India to Country Group A:5
- PART 738 – BIS amends Supplement No. 1 to Part 738, Commerce Country Chart, by removing the license requirements for National Security Column 2 (NS2) reasons. Accordingly, this rule removes the “X” in NS Column 2 for India.
- PART 740 – BIS amends Supplement No. 1 to Part 740 to add India to Country Groups A:1 and A:5.
CONFORMING AMENDMENTS
- PART 738 – Consistent with India’s new multilateral export control regime status, this rule also removes the first sentence of footnote 7 to the Commerce Country Chart in Supplement No. 1 to Part 738, related to India. This amendment removes the requirement that exporters file in the Automated Export System when items controlled for Crime Control Columns 1 and 3 reasons, and Regional Stability Column 2 reasons were destined to India. As a conforming change, this rule removes the word “Also” from the second sentence of footnote 7 and capitalizes the “n” in “note” since it begins the sentence.
– Also, as a conforming change in Part 738, BIS amends paragraph (b)(3) of §738.4, related to a sample analysis using the Commerce Control List and Country Chart to determine when a license is required, to remove the name “India” and replace it with the name “Chad.” The sample analysis used India as an example of a country with NS Column 2 controls. That reason for control no longer applies to India but currently applies to Chad.
- PART 740 – In adding India to Country Group A:5, BIS removes India from Country Group A:6 to avoid creating conflicting eligibility criteria for STA provisions.
- PART 743 – As a member of Wassenaar, India now is subject to reporting requirements for items controlled under Wassenaar, as set forth in Part 743, Special Reporting and Notification. Specifically, India is added, in alphabetical order, to Supplement No. 1 to Part 743, Wassenaar Arrangement Participating States.
- PART 758 – Consistent with India’s achievements and status as a Major Defense Partner, BIS removes the requirement that exporters file certain Electronic Export Information in AES as set forth in §758.1(b)(9). Specifically, this removes the requirement that exporters file in AES when items controlled for CC Columns 1 and 3 reasons and RS Column 2 reasons are destined to India. This reporting requirement had been instituted when the license requirement for such items was removed (see U.S.-India Bilateral Understanding: Additional Revisions to the U.S. Export and Reexport Controls Under the Export Administration Regulations; January 23, 2015; 80 FR 3463). BIS has determined that this reporting requirement is no longer necessary.
- PART 772 – In this rule, BIS also adds India, in alphabetical order, to the list of countries under the term Australia Group in §772.1, Definitions of terms as used in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This updates the definition consistent with formal recognition of India’s membership in the AG in a BIS final rule, entitled “Implementation of the February 2017 Australia Group (AG) Intersessional Decisions and June 2017 Plenary Understandings; Addition of India to the AG” (83 FR 13849, April 2, 2018)
Richard E. Ashooh, Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
Source (Federal Register): http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-08-03/pdf/2018-16691.pdf