State to Temporarily Relax ITAR Restrictions on Cyprus

The State Department will implement a temporary waiver “of the policy of denial on the export, reexport, retransfer, and temporary import of non-lethal defense articles and defense services destined for or originating in the Republic of Cyprus,” the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls said in a Sept. 2 notice. The DDTC will temporarily amend the International Traffic in Arms regulations on Oct. 1 to allow for the waiver, which is a result of a State Department determination under the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, it said. The U.S. policy won't change for “lethal defense articles and defense services destined for or originating” in Cyprus, it said.

The waiver will allow for commercial sales of the non-lethal defense goods and services included on the U.S. Munitions List to Cyprus, it said. “Potential exports to Cyprus will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for compliance with U.S. law and policy, the same practice we follow with all our partners.” That review will include determination of whether an item is “non-lethal,” which is not defined in the ITAR, it said. The waiver is limited to one year, as required under the NDAA, the DDTC said.