A relatively small percentage of exports and reexports subject to the EAR require an application to BIS for a license. Many items are not on the Commerce Control List (CCL) (supplement no. 1 to § 774.1 of the EAR), or, if on the CCL, require a license to only a limited number of countries. Other transactions may be covered by one or more of the License Exceptions in the EAR. In such cases no application need be made to BIS.

The export control provisions of the EAR are intended to serve the national security, foreign policy, nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other interests of the United States, which in many cases are reflected in international obligations or arrangements. Some controls are designed to restrict access to items subject to the EAR by countries or persons that might apply such items to uses inimical to U.S. interests.

The core of the export control provisions of the EAR concerns exports from the United States. You will find, however, that some provisions give broad meaning to the term “export”, apply to transactions outside of the United States, or apply to activities other than exports. (a) Reexports. Commodities, software, and technology that have been exported from the United States are generally subject to the EAR with respect to reexport. Many such reexports, however, may go to many destinations without a license or will qualify for an exception from licensing requirements. (b) Foreign products.

In addition to the departments and agencies mentioned in § 730.3 of this part, other departments and agencies have jurisdiction over certain narrower classes of exports and reexports. These include the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which administers controls against certain countries that are the object of sanctions affecting not only exports and reexports, but also imports and financial dealings. For your convenience, supplement no.

The term “dual use” is often used to describe the types of items subject to the EAR. A “dual-use” item is one that has civil applications as well as terrorism and military or weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-related applications. The precise description of what is “subject to the EAR” is in § 734.3, which does not limit the EAR to controlling only dual-use items. In essence, the EAR control any item warranting control that is not exclusively controlled for export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) by another agency of the U.S.

The EAR have been designed primarily to implement the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, 50 U.S.C. app. 2401-2420 (EAA). There are numerous other legal authorities underlying the EAR. These are listed in the Federal Register documents promulgating the EAR and at the beginning of each part of the EAR in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). From time to time, the President has exercised authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act with respect to the EAR (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706 (IEEPA)).

In this part, references to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) are references to 15 CFR chapter VII, subchapter C. The EAR are issued by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under laws relating to the control of certain exports, reexports, and activities. In addition, the EAR implement antiboycott law provisions requiring regulations to prohibit specified conduct by United States persons that has the effect of furthering or supporting boycotts fostered or imposed by a country against a country friendly to United States. Supplement no.

BIS may impose, as foreign policy controls, export, reexport, and transfer (in-country) license requirements and set licensing policy with respect to certain entities that have been sanctioned by the State Department. Such license requirements and policy are in addition to those imposed elsewhere in the EAR. License requirements and licensing policy may be imposed pursuant to this section even when the sanction and the legal authority under which the State Department imposed the sanction do not require or authorize the imposition of any license requirement or licensing policy.

Consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 13315 of August 28, 2003 (“Blocking Property of the Former Iraqi Regime, Its Senior Officials and Their Family Members, and Taking Certain Other Actions”), BIS maintains restrictions on exports, reexports, and transfers to persons designated in or pursuant to E.O. 13315. These persons include individuals and entities listed in the Annex to Executive Order 13315, as well as persons subsequently designated pursuant to criteria set forth in the order. OFAC includes the names of persons designated pursuant to E.O.

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