BIS is transferring jurisdiction over certain sound suppressors from the State Department's U.S. Munitions List (USML) to the Commerce Control List (CCL) under the EAR. Sound suppressors will be added under new ECCN paragraphs 0A501.f (suppressors for rifles and pistols) and 0A502.f (suppressors for shotguns). License applications will be reviewed case-by-case. License exceptions available for firearms (LVS, BAG, TMP) will also be available for suppressors. License Exception TMP is revised to allow firearms and related items to be exported as 'tools of trade.' Partial provisions effective July 23, 2026; full rule effective November 20, 2026. Comments due August 24, 2026.
BIS reached a $36 million administrative enforcement settlement with Robert Bosch GmbH for violations pertaining to shipments of MEMS sensor products and automotive software to Huawei without required licenses. The violations involved Foreign Direct Product Rule violations. Bosch filed a Voluntary Self-Disclosure and cooperated with the investigation, which was considered in the penalty determination.
BIS issued guidance clarifying that a license is required to export advanced computing items (ECCNs 3A090.a/b, 4A090.a/b) to entities headquartered in Country Group D:5 or Macau, or with an ultimate parent company headquartered in those regions—even if the entities themselves are located elsewhere. The guidance confirms that this license requirement under § 742.6(a)(6)(iii)(A) predates the AI Diffusion Rule and remains in effect. Bona fide data center operators are not required to cease ongoing use or storage of advanced computing items pending further BIS notice.
BIS published a Federal Register notice announcing an Emerging Technology Technical Advisory Committee (ETTAC) meeting (including an open session and a closed session). While not an EAR text amendment, the notice is compliance-relevant as it indicates the committee will discuss potential revisions to export control policies and pre-decisional changes to the Commerce Control List/EAR. The notice invites submission of written statements for consideration (by the stated deadline for timely distribution). Compliance teams may wish to monitor outputs from ETTAC activity as an early indicator of possible future CCL/EAR changes affecting emerging technologies.
ATF updated regulations at 27 CFR Parts 447 and 479 to add conforming references to the Department of Commerce, acknowledging shared jurisdiction between Commerce and State over defense articles transferred from the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List under Export Control Reform. The rule closes a regulatory gap from the March 2020 transfer of USML Categories I-III (Firearms, Guns and Armament, Ammunition) to CCL jurisdiction. Items remain subject to ATF permanent import regulations while also being subject to EAR export controls. The direct final rule becomes effective July 6, 2026 unless significant adverse comments are received by June 5, 2026.
Coastal PVA Technology, Inc. agreed to pay $1,700,000 for eighteen violations of the EAR involving exports of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) brushes between May 2021 and May 2024 to Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation (SMIC Beijing) and Semiconductor Manufacturing North China (Beijing) Corporation (SMIC North), both of which were identified on the Entity List at the time of the exports.
BIS announced an administrative enforcement settlement with Coastal PVA Technology, Inc., reinforcing enforcement expectations under the EAR for transactions involving Entity List parties. The settlement underscores that EAR99 items can still require authorization when exported/reexported/transferred to restricted parties (e.g., Entity List), and highlights due diligence expectations around distributor/reseller transactions and end-user screening, as well as compliance program elements such as procedures, training, and audits that may be required as settlement terms.
BIS published a final rule (15 CFR part 774) titled "Extension of Authorized Integrated Circuit (IC) Designer Status and Application Deadline To Become an Approved IC Designer" extending the date tied to "authorized integrated circuit designer" status and the deadline for submitting applications to become an approved IC designer under Note 1 to ECCN 3A090.a. The rule extends the relevant triggering/application date to December 31, 2026 (replacing a prior April 2026 date referenced in the rule). This affects exporters, reexporters, and transferors involved in advanced computing/logic IC supply chains who rely on the approved/authorized IC designer pathways associated with ECCN 3A090 controls; compliance teams should update internal calendars, application planning, and customer/supplier qualification workflows accordingly.
BIS issued a final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by revising Note 1 to ECCN 3A090.a (Supplement No. 1 to 15 CFR Part 774) to replace the date “April 13, 2026” with “December 31, 2026” in paragraphs a.(2) and a.(3). This extends the trigger date for “authorized integrated circuit (IC) designer” status and the application deadline to become an “approved IC designer,” which affects how exporters can use/qualify for pathways intended to address presumptions and licensing posture for certain advanced logic integrated circuits controlled under ECCN 3A090.a. Compliance teams should update internal procedures, eligibility planning, and any supplier/customer communications keyed to the prior April 2026 deadline.
BIS issued a final rule extending the deadline for authorized IC designer status applications from April 13, 2026 to December 31, 2026. After December 31, 2026, applicants may be considered authorized IC designers for 180 days while their applications are processed. This affects ECCN 3A090.a and front-end fabricator due diligence requirements under the advanced computing integrated circuit controls.
BIS suspended the availability of License Exception SCP (Support for the Cuban People) under § 740.21(b)(1) for any export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) involving Cuban-owned banks. The determination is based on documented diversion concerns and the fact that Cuban banks form the financial infrastructure of the regime, with many designated on the Cuba Restricted List due to control by Cuban military, intelligence, or security services. Transactions using third-country banks to avoid deposit of funds into Cuban-owned banks remain eligible for License Exception SCP. Shipments already en route as of March 4, 2026 may proceed if completed by April 3, 2026.
BIS imposed a $252 million penalty on Applied Materials—the second-highest penalty ever assessed by BIS—for illegally exporting semiconductor manufacturing equipment to an Entity List company in China. The company routed shipments through Korea to evade license requirements. The case demonstrates BIS's aggressive enforcement posture toward semiconductor-related export violations and efforts to circumvent Entity List restrictions.
BIS removed Cambodia from Country Group D:5 (U.S. Arms Embargoed Countries) to conform with the State Department's November 7, 2025 removal of Cambodia from ITAR §126.1. Cambodia remains in Country Group D:1 (National Security concerns), and military end-user restrictions under §§744.21 and 744.22 remain in effect. This reflects renewed U.S.-Cambodia defense cooperation.
BIS issued an Interim Final Rule easing export restrictions for certain unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies. The rule allows specified drones and UAV-related items to be exported to U.S. partners and allies in Country Group A:5 under License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA), subject to notification and reporting requirements. This action implements Executive Order 14307 'Unleashing American Drone Dominance.' Comments on the IFR are due by February 19, 2026.
BIS issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR parts 740 and 774) to ease export/reexport/transfer requirements for certain civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Key changes include: (1) for ECCN 9A012.a.1 short-endurance civil UAVs, BIS revised the reason for control from NS Column 1 (NS1) to NS Column 2 (NS2), expanding no-license-required (NLR) eligibility to more destinations (as described in the rule); (2) BIS expanded License Exception STA by adding § 740.20(c)(1)(ii), allowing certain Missile Technology (MT)-controlled UAVs in ECCNs 9A012 and 9A120 to use STA for exports/reexports/transfers to or within Country Group A:5, while maintaining an exclusion for UAVs capable of delivering ≥500 kg payload to a range of ≥300 km; and (3) BIS made conforming/implementing text edits including to § 740.20(b)(2)(iii) and STA carve-outs in § 740.2(a)(5). The rule was effective January 20, 2026, and BIS requested public comments by February 19, 2026. Compliance teams exporting commercial/civil UAVs should reassess classification (ECCN), destination eligibility (Country Group A:1 vs A:5), STA eligibility conditions, and any internal screening/controls tied to MT parameters.
The BIS has issued an interim final rule to streamline export controls on certain civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This update reduces regulatory burden for low-risk commercial drone exports while maintaining national security safeguards.
BIS amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to revise the license review policy for exports of certain advanced computing commodities to China and Macau. The change shifts review from a “presumption of denial” to “case-by-case” for specified items when stated conditions are met (e.g., exporter certifications and supporting data/assurances referenced in the rule). Compliance teams should reassess licensing strategy, internal documentation/certification workflows, and transaction screening for applicable ECCNs/transactions involving China and Macau under the updated review policy.
BIS changed the license review policy from presumption of denial to case-by-case review for exports of certain advanced computing commodities to China and Macau. The policy applies to semiconductors including Nvidia H200 and AMD MI325X that are commercially available in the U.S. with Total Processing Performance (TPP) below 21,000 and total DRAM bandwidth below 6,500 GB/s. Exporters must certify sufficient U.S. supply, non-diversion of foundry capacity, recipient security procedures, and undergo independent third-party testing in the United States to verify performance specifications. Presumption of denial remains for exports to entities headquartered or with parent companies in Macau or Country Group D:5.
BIS suspended for one year the Affiliates Rule that extended EAR license requirements to entities owned 50% or more by parties on the Entity List, MEU List, or SDN List. The suspension is effective November 10, 2025 through November 9, 2026, after which all Affiliates Rule provisions automatically reimpose unless BIS extends the suspension. Companies should prepare for potential snap-back compliance obligations.
Effective November 10, 2025, BIS stayed the expansion of end-user controls for affiliates of certain listed entities for one year. The provisions will be reimposed on November 10, 2026. The rule applies to amendments to 15 CFR parts 732, 734, 736, 744, and 748.