The 2025 BIS Update Conference on Export Controls and Policy wrapped up last week. Here are three main takeaways:
1. China is the Priority: The top three U.S. export controls and enforcement priorities for the new...more
This is the final in our 2025 Year in Preview series examining important trends in white collar law and investigations in the coming year.
Throughout 2024, enforcement of international trade laws continued to gather pace...more
3/14/2025
/ Arms Export Control Act ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Compliance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
Export Controls ,
International Trade ,
Iran ,
National Security ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Penalties ,
Russia ,
Sanction Violations ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. Treasury ,
UK
This is the tenth in our 2024 Year in Preview series examining important trends in white collar law and investigations in the coming year. Our previous post, "Health Care Fraud Enforcement in 2024," can be found here....more
4/18/2024
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Compliance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Export Controls ,
International Trade ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Russia ,
US Trade Policies ,
White Collar Crimes
U.S. authorities have been active in November 2023, reinforcing and expanding sanctions targeting Russia's war effort in Ukraine. Multiple agencies added sanctions targeting entities involved in Russia's military supply...more
On July 26, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) National Security Division (“NSD”), the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of...more
8/3/2023
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Financial Crimes ,
FinCEN ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Self-Disclosure Requirements ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Voluntary Disclosure
On April 28, 2023, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Rachel Rollins, joined by national and local federal enforcement officials from the Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DTSF), described the DTSF mission and...more
On April 6, 2023, Microsoft Corporation (“Microsoft”) agreed to pay $3.3 million to the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) and the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control...more
The centrality of international trade laws in the development and execution of U.S. foreign policy has never been more evident than in 2022. Companies that have not invested in international trade compliance programs are...more
4/21/2023
/ Belarus ,
Biden Administration ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
EU ,
Export Controls ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreign Direct Investment ,
Human Rights ,
International Trade ,
Iran ,
National Security ,
Nicaragua ,
Russia ,
Trade Restrictions ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
UK ,
US Department of State ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) ,
Venezuela ,
Virtual Currency ,
Withhold Release Orders (WROs)
June 23, 2022 Key Takeaways: In two recent speeches, Matthew Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”), has signaled policy changes related to...more
6/23/2022
/ Antitrust Violations ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Sanctions ,
Self-Disclosure Requirements ,
U.S. Commerce Department
BIS Imposes New Export Controls on Certain Industrial EAR99 Items -
Currently, all items on the Export Administration Regulations’ (“EAR“) Commerce Control List (“CCL”) require a license for export, re-export or transfer...more
6/14/2022
/ Belarus ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Entity List ,
EU ,
Export Controls ,
General Licenses ,
Imports ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia ,
SDN List ,
UK ,
Ukraine
Key Takeaways:
• U.S. imposes additional sanctions on Russian elites, along with their family members, companies, and personal vehicles
• Actions targeting the defense sector and Russian government-affiliated media...more
3/8/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Controls ,
Financial Transactions ,
General Licenses ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia ,
SDN List ,
SWIFT ,
Ukraine
This is the fifth post in this year’s series examining important trends in white collar law and investigations. Our previous post discussed trends in State AG enforcement. Up next: SEC Enforcement in 2022: A Look Ahead. ...more
2/25/2022
/ Afghanistan ,
Belarus ,
Biden Administration ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Burma ,
Cambodia ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Cuba ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement ,
Ethiopia ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Human Rights ,
International Criminal Court ,
Iran Sanctions ,
ITAR ,
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ,
Myanmar ,
Nicaragua ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Russia ,
SDN List ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Sudan ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) ,
Venezuela ,
Virtual Currency ,
Withhold Release Orders (WROs)
On November 3, 2021, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) added two Israeli entities to the Entity List due to malicious cyber activities. In its press release, BIS stated that the...more
11/15/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Entity List ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Interim Final Rules (IFR) ,
Israel ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Sanctions ,
SDN List
In response to a request from the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) provided export license statistics related to Chinese firms Huawei...more
Effective October 5, 2021, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released a final rule applying export controls to software (a) designed for certain nucleic acid assemblers and synthesizers...more
Sales of your software are robust around the globe. You have a network of third-party resellers, distributors or implementation partners that are driving international growth. Your customers praise your efficient maintenance...more
5/20/2021
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Export Controls ,
Germany ,
Investigations ,
Iran ,
Iran Sanctions ,
Non-Prosecution Agreements ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Sanctions ,
SAP SE ,
Settlement ,
Software ,
Voluntary Disclosure