The Commerce Department announced on Monday restrictions on exports from the United States to China, Russia and Venezuela.

The restrictions include US technology that could be used in the development of weapons, military aircraft, or surveillance technology through civilian supply chains, or under pretenses of civilian use, for military end-uses and military end-users.

«It is important to consider the ramifications of doing business with countries that have a history of diverting goods purchased from US companies for military applications,» said Commerce Department Secretary Wilbur Ross.

«Certain entities in China, Russia and Venezuela have tried to circumvent US export controls and undermine American interests in general, so we will remain vigilant to ensure that American technology does not fall into the wrong hands,» he added.

Exports and militia

Specifically, rule changes include:

Expansion of Military End Use/User Controls (MEU)

Expands MEU license requirement controls in China, Russia, and Venezuela to cover military end users in all three countries, as well as items such as semiconductor equipment, sensors, and other technologies sought for military end use or for military end users in these countries .

Elimination of the civil end user license (CIV) exception

Eliminates a license exception for exports, re-exports, or transfers (in-country) to end-user civilians in countries of national security concern for items controlled by National Security (NS).

Elimination of the license exception Additional permissive re-export provisions (APR)

It proposes to remove certain provisions of a license exception for partner countries involving re-export of NS-controlled items to countries of national security concern to ensure consistent reviews of exports and re-exports of US items.

International deals

The Department of Commerce’s Office of Industry and Security (BIS) is responsible for overseeing these export control activities.

BIS’s mission is to advance the national security and foreign policy objectives of the United States by ensuring effective export control and a treaty compliance system and promoting the continued leadership of United States strategic technology.