The State Department approved a $31.2 million potential military sale to the U.K., the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said April 28. The sale includes “Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II” and related equipment. The principal contractor will be BAE Systems.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls released its annual report to Congress on certain controlled defense exports. The report, released April 28, details the aggregate value and quantity of defense items and services authorized to each foreign country and international organization during FY 2022.
The Commerce Department announced the seven people who will represent the U.S. on the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council’s Talent for Growth Task Force, a group aiming to help both sides build a better work force for emerging and existing technologies. Task force members from the U.S. include a Commerce official as well as several industry and union representatives.
The State Department approved two potential military sales to Norway worth more than $1.1 billion combined, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said April 26. The first sale, worth about $1 billion, is for “MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems. The second sale, worth about $166 million, is for “sustainment and services for C-130J aircraft” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin.
Covington & Burling recently released a Chinese language version of DOJ’s revised Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs. The translated document, posted by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Blog, includes DOJ’s March update that introduced changes to how it assesses corporate compliance programs’ approach to communications platforms (see 2303030056, 2304050081 and 2304240019).
The Commerce Department launched a paper this week detailing its strategy for a National Semiconductor Technology Center, a “key component” of the Chips Act designed to support and improve American leadership and competitiveness in semiconductor research, design, engineering and advanced manufacturing. The paper outlines how the NSTC will “accelerate America’s ability to develop the chips and technologies of the future,” the agency said, including by creating “affiliated technical centers around the country.”
Users of the State Department’s Defense Export Controls and Compliance System are now limited to five attempts when responding to password recovery questions within the application, the agency said this week. “After the fifth attempt, the account will be locked,” the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls said. Users who are unable to access their DECCS account for this reason should contact the DDTC information technology help desk at ddtccustomerservice@state.gov.
Compliance departments are “well-poised to handle” DOJ’s recently revised policies for how it assesses corporate compliance programs’ approach to communications platforms (see 2303030056), and “it’s totally within their competency and wheelhouse to do so,” said Julie DiMauro, a compliance professional with Global Relay, which helps businesses supervise and report communications intelligence. DiMauro rebutted comments from a former DOJ official who said this month that the new policies are “virtually unenforceable” (see 2304050081).
Hogan Lovells recently published a “global legal guide” to help companies analyze the “increasing number and complexity” of foreign direct investment screening regimes around the world. The guide provides information on and comparisons of FDI screening regimes in more than 20 jurisdictions across the Americas, the Asia Pacific and Europe, including the types of transactions subject to mandatory or voluntary filings, the principal authorities, timelines for review and potential penalties.
South Korea-based SM Line Corp. failed to properly perform its transportation obligations to inland destinations, leading to unfair detention and demurrage charges, Samsung Electronics America said in an April 19 complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission. Samsung accused the global shipping company of "unjust and unreasonable" practices in handling property, providing invoices without "adequate information" and imposing unreasonable charges in violation of U.S. shipping regulations. Samsung asked the FMC to require SM Line to pay Samsung reparations for the "unlawful conduct" and order it to stop the conduct. Samsung also requested an oral hearing.