Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added 26 entities to the Entity List for activities contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy under the destinations of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (6), Egypt (1), Pakistan (16), and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (3). These additions are related to alleged violations of export controls, involvement in weapons programs of concern, and evasion of U.S. sanctions and export controls on Russia and Iran.  

Nine of the entities under the destination of Pakistan were added for acting as front companies and procurement agents for the Advanced Engineering Research Organization, a Pakistan-based company added to the Entity List in 2014. The remaining 7 Pakistani entities were added for contributions to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program.

Three entities under the destination of the UAE and one under the destination of Egypt were added for acquiring and attempting to acquire U.S.-origin parts to evade U.S. sanctions and export controls imposed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Six entities under the destination of the PRC were added for acquiring U.S.-origin items in support of the PRC’s military modernization, dilatory and evasive conduct during end-use checks, and procurement of U.S.-origin items for Iran’s weapons of mass destruction and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs.

This rule also removes two entities from the Entity List following new information received and reviewed by the interagency End-User Review Committee, chaired by BIS and in which the Departments of Defense, State, and Energy participate. Hefei Bitland, an entity listed under the destination of the PRC, has been removed following its dissolution. Sandvine Incorporated, an entity listed under the destinations of Canada, India, Japan, Malaysia, Sweden, and the UAE, has been removed following significant reforms to address and prevent the misuse of its technology in ways that undermine democracy and abuse human rights. More information on the removal of Sandvine may be found here.   

“We are vigilant in defending U.S. national security from bad actors who seek to evade U.S. sanctions and export controls,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan F. Estevez. “Our actions today send a message to malicious actors that if they violate our controls, they will pay a price.”

“We will continue to cut off entities that seek to evade our controls and act contrary to U.S. national security,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration Thea D. Rozman Kendler. “Programs such as Iran’s WMD program, their unmanned aerial vehicle program, and Pakistan’s ballistic missile program pose significant threats to the national security of the United States and will not be aided by U.S. technologies.”

“When, as here, we identify parties that have transshipped U.S. items to support WMD and UAV programs in countries like Pakistan and Iran, or to enable Russia’s war efforts, we take action,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod. “Today’s listings also make clear that when foreign parties engage in dilatory or evasive conduct with respect to our end-use checks, they will face consequences.”

The text of the rule, which includes the list of entities, is available on the Federal Register’s website here.

Additional Background on the Entity List Process

These BIS actions were taken under the authority of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and its implementing regulations, the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

The Entity List (supplement no. 4 to part 744 of the EAR) identifies entities and addresses for which there is reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable facts, that the entities—including businesses, research institutions, government and private organizations, individuals, and other types of legal persons—or parties that are operating at an address that presents a high diversion risk, have been involved, are involved, or pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. Parties on the Entity List are subject to individual licensing requirements and policies supplemental to those found elsewhere in the EAR.

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

Additional information on the Entity List is available on BIS’s website at: https://www.bis.gov/entity-list.

For more information, visit www.bis.gov.

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