Addition of Certain Entities to the Entity List, Revision of an Entry on the Entity List and Removal of an Entity from the Entity List

September 26, 2018

Weapon Program: 

  • Missile

SUMMARY:

This final rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding fourteen entities to the Entity List. These fourteen entities have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States and will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Belarus, Iran, Russia, and Singapore. This rule also modifies one entry on the Entity List under the destination of the United Arab Emirates. Lastly, this rule removes one entity under the destination of Hong Kong from the Entity List. The removal is made in connection with a request for removal BIS received pursuant to the EAR and a review of information provided in that request.

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Background 

The Entity List (15 CFR, Subchapter C, part 744, Supplement No. 4) identifies entities reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. The Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR, Subchapter C, parts 730-774) imposes additional license requirements on, and limits the availability of most license exceptions for, exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) to listed entities. The license review policy for each listed entity is identified in the “License review policy” column on the Entity List, and the impact on the availability of license exceptions is described in the relevant Federal Register notice adding entities to the Entity List. BIS places entities on the Entity List pursuant to part 744 (Control Policy: End-User and End-Use Based) and part 746 (Embargoes and Other Special Controls) of the EAR. 

The End-User Review Committee (ERC), composed of representatives of the Departments of Commerce (Chair), State, Defense, Energy and, where appropriate, the Treasury, makes all decisions regarding additions to, removals from, or other modifications to the Entity List. The ERC makes all decisions to add an entry to the Entity List by majority vote, and makes all decisions to remove or modify an entry by unanimous vote.

ERC Entity List Decisions

Additions to the Entity List 

This rule implements the decision of the ERC to add fourteen entities to the Entity List. The addition of these fourteen entities involves sixteen Entity List entries, as one of the entities being added has locations in three destinations. The fourteen entities are being added based on § 744.11 (License requirements that apply to entities acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States) of the EAR. The sixteen entries consist of two entries located in Belarus, one entry located in Iran, twelve entries located in Russia and one entry located in Singapore. 

The ERC reviewed § 744.11(b) (Criteria for revising the Entity List) in making the determination to add these fourteen entities to the Entity List. Under that paragraph, persons for whom there is reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable facts, that they have been involved, are involved, or pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved in, activities that are contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States, along with those acting on behalf of such persons, may be added to the Entity List. Paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(5) of § 744.11 provide an illustrative list of activities that could be contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. For each of the fourteen entities described below, the ERC made the requisite determination under the standard set forth in § 744.11(b).

Pursuant to § 744.11(b) of the EAR, the ERC determined that Nilco Group, located in Belarus, Iran, and Russia, and Mohammad Najafi, located in Belarus, be added to the Entity List based on their involvement in providing material support to Iranian missile programs.

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Read the full notice below.

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