Firearms Export Control Pause & Review

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) is pausing for approximately 90 days the issuance of  new export licenses involving certain firearms, related components, and  ammunition under its jurisdiction and the provision of new export  assistance activities for such products to all non-governmental end  users worldwide, apart from those in certain destinations.

During this “pause” period, the Department will further assess  current firearm export control review policies to determine whether any  changes are warranted to advance U.S. national security and foreign  policy interests.

The review will be conducted with urgency and will enable the  Department to more effectively assess and mitigate risk of firearms  being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional  instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities. ITA  simultaneously will review its export assistance policy to ensure that  ITA export assistance is consistent with applicable export controls and  does not undermine U.S. policy interests.

This pause applies to the Bureau of Industry and Security’s  (BIS) issuance of new licenses involving certain firearms, related  components, and ammunition controlled on the Commerce Control List,  Supp. No. 1 to part 774 of the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR  parts 730-774 (EAR), specifically, the following four Export Control  Classification Numbers (ECCNs): ECCN 0A501, ECCN 0A502, ECCN 0A504, and  ECCN 0A505, that are destined for non-governmental end users worldwide  apart from those located in Ukraine, Israel, or a country in Country  Group A:1 (Wassenaar Arrangement Participating States), Supp. No. 1 to  part 740 of the EAR.

Consistent with the above, the Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA), Global Markets and U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service is  pausing acceptance of new requests for export assistance (fee or  non-fee-based) for firearms and ammunition to non-governmental end users  worldwide, apart from those located in Ukraine, Israel, and Country  Group A:1. The ITA pause applies to semi-automatic and non-automatic  firearms, shotguns, and receivers (frames) and ammunition. Additional  information may be found at (https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/documents/policyguidance/3374-2023-10-27-bis-faqs-firearms-pause-and-review/file).

firearms|firearms export control pause|international trade|US Commercial Service

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