Billing Code: 3510-33-P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security

15 CFR Parts 732, 736, 740, 742, 744, 746, 762 and 772

[Docket No.]

RIN 0694 - AD14

Revision of Export and Reexport Restrictions on Libya

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce

ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments

SUMMARY: In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement the President's April 23, 2004, decision to revise United States sanctions against Libya. This rule also implements the transfer to the Department of Commerce from the Department of Treasury of the licensing jurisdiction for exports to Libya of items subject to the EAR.

DATES: This rule is effective [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION]. Comments must be received on or before [INSERT 30 DAYS FROM DATE OF PUBLICATION].

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Sheila Quarterman, Regulatory Policy Division, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 273, Washington, DC 20044, or to E-mail: squarter@bis.doc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joan Roberts, Director, Foreign Policy Controls Division, Office of Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance, Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 273, Washington, DC 20044; Telephone: (202) 482- 4252, or E-mail: jroberts@bis.doc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On April 23, 2004, in response to Libya's continued effort to completely dismantle its weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and adhere to its renunciation of terrorism, the President announced the termination of the application of the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act with respect to Libya. Also, the Treasury Department modified sanctions imposed on U. S. firms and individuals under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to allow the resumption of most commercial activities, financial transactions, and investments. This rule sets forth the new export control policy for exports (and reexports) to Libya under the licensing responsibility of the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

Previous Licensing Regime

Since January 1986, in response to Libya's repeated use and support of terrorism against the United States, other countries, and innocent persons, the U.S. has maintained economic sanctions against Libya through the Libyan Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 550) and the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR Part 730 et seq.). The Department of the Treasury and the Department of Commerce shared licensing responsibility for proposed U.S. exports and reexports to Libya. The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had licensing jurisdiction for exports to Libya, including transshipments via third countries. Authorization granted by OFAC constituted authorization under the EAR. BIS had licensing jurisdiction for reexports of U.S.-origin items to Libya.

Overview: New Licensing Policy for Exports and Reexports to Libya

License Requirements for Exports and Reexports to Libya

Under the new policy established by this Rule, BIS will require a license for the export or reexport of most items on the Commerce Control List (CCL) to Libya. This requirement applies to the export or reexport of all items under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce that are on the multilateral export control regime lists: the Wassenaar Arrangement (reason for control: National Security - NS), the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (reason for control: Nuclear Nonproliferation - NP), the Australia Group (reasons for control: Chemical and Biological Weapons - CB) and the Missile Technology Control Regime (reason for control: Missile Technology - MT).

A license requirement also applies to items unilaterally controlled for crime control (CC) or regional stability (RS) reasons.

In addition, a license requirement applies to most U.S.-origin items unilaterally controlled for anti-terrorism (AT) reasons, as set forth specifically in new Section 742.20 of the EAR.

The license requirements described above are reflected in the relevant columns of the Country Chart in Supplement No. 1 to part 738 of the EAR. BIS also will require a license for certain categories of items that are controlled for reasons not included on the Country Chart: encryption (EI), short supply (SS), Chemical Weapons (CW), Computers (XP), and Significant Items (SI).

Items subject to the EAR but not specifically listed on the CCL - referred to as EAR99 items - do not require an export or reexport license to Libya. This rule, however, does not relieve exporters and others of their responsibility to comply with obligations under the end-user and end-use controls maintained under the Enhanced Proliferation Control Initiative (EPCI), as set forth in Part 744 of the EAR.

Licensing Policy

As set forth in new Section 742.20 of the EAR, a general policy of denial will apply to applications for exports or reexports of the following items to Libya: items controlled for chemical and biological weapons proliferation reasons; military-related items controlled for national security reasons; items that are controlled for missile proliferation reasons; cryptographic, cryptoanalytic, and cryptologic items controlled for national security reasons; explosives detection equipment controlled under Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 2A983; "Software" (ECCN 2D983) specially designed or modified for the "development", "production" or "use" of explosives detection equipment controlled by 2A983; "Technology" (ECCN 2E983) specially designed or modified for the "development", "production" or "use" of explosives detection equipment controlled by 2A983; commercial charges and devices controlled under ECCN 1C992; ammonium nitrate, including certain fertilizers containing ammonium nitrate, controlled under ECCN 1C997; and technology for the production of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Schedule 2 and 3 chemicals controlled under ECCN 1E355. All aircraft (powered and unpowered), helicopters, engines, and related spare parts and components will generally be denied, except that parts and components intended to ensure the safety of civil aviation and the safe operation of commercial passenger aircraft will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with a presumption of approval.

Also, BIS will generally deny all applications for export and reexport to Libya of items controlled for AT (Column 1) reasons, and not described above, if such items are destined to military, police or intelligence end-users in Libya.

BIS will review, on a case-by-case basis, all other applications for exports or reexports to Libya under the applicable licensing policy described in Part 742 of the EAR.

License Exceptions

Libya is presently listed in Country Groups D:2, D:3, D:4, E:1 and E:2, found in Supplement 1 to Part 740. This rule removes Libya from Country Group E:2. As a result, the following License Exceptions may be available, in whole or in part: TMP, RPL, GOV, GFT, TSU, BAG, and AVS. A specific transaction is eligible for a license exception only if it satisfies all of the terms and conditions of the relevant license exception and is not excluded by any of the restrictions that apply to all license exceptions, as set forth in the EAR (including, specifically, section 740.2 Restrictions on all License Exceptions).

Transition for Licenses Granted by OFAC

To facilitate a smooth transition of licensing responsibility from OFAC to BIS, this rule extends the validity of licenses issued by OFAC for exports to Libya. OFAC licenses in effect as of [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION] are hereby continued in accordance with their terms, except as modified by this Rule or by BIS, as if issued by the Department of Commerce. For those licenses with specified expiration dates, such dates will continue to apply. Licenses without specified expiration dates will be valid through May 1, 2005. Items licensed by OFAC and subsequently returned from Libya to the United States do not require further authorization from BIS. However, persons returning items that were previously exported to Libya under a specific license granted by OFAC to the United States are subject to a recordkeeping requirement set forth in Part 762 of the EAR.

In addition, items exported or reexported to Libya under a specific OFAC license may not be transferred within Libya to a new end-user without further authorization from BIS. Reexports of items to countries other than the United States from Libya including those previously authorized under OFAC licenses must conform with the relevant provisions of the EAR for the country to which the items are being reexported. In certain circumstances, such reexports may be eligible for a License Exception or may not require a license. Such reexports will also be subject to a recordkeeping requirement.

Although the Export Administration Act of 1979 (EAA), as amended, expired on August 20, 2001, Executive Order 13222 of August 17, 2001 (3 C.F.R., 2001 Comp., p. 783 (2002)) as extended by the Notice of August 7, 2003 (68 Fed. Reg. 47833, August 11, 2003), continues the EAR in effect under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. BIS amends the EAR in this rule under the provisions of the EAA as continued in effect under IEEPA and Executive Order 13222.

Rulemaking Requirements

1. This final rule has been determined to be significant for the purposes of

Executive Order 12866.

2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to nor be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information, subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (PRA), unless that collection of information displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number. This regulation involves collections previously approved by the OMB under control numbers 0694-0088, "Multi-Purpose Application," which carries a burden hour estimate of 58 minutes to prepare and submit form BIS-748 .

3. This rule does not contain policies with Federalism implications sufficient to warrant preparation of a Federalism assessment under Executive Order 13132.

4. The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requiring notice of proposed rulemaking, the opportunity for public participation, and a delay in effective date, are inapplicable because this regulation involves a military or foreign affairs function of the United States (see 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1)). Further, no other law requires that a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for public comment be given for this rule. Because a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for public comment are not required to be given for this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553, or by any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., are not applicable.

However, because of the importance of the issues raised by these regulations, this rule is being issued in interim form and BIS will consider comments in the development of the final regulations. Accordingly, the Department of Commerce (the Department) encourages interested persons who wish to comment to do so at the earliest possible time to permit the fullest consideration of their views.

The period for submission of comments will close (30 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION). The Department will consider all comments received before the close of the comment period in developing final regulations. Comments received after the end of the comment period will be considered if possible, but their consideration cannot be assured. The Department will not accept public comments accompanied by a request that a part or all of the material be treated confidentially because of its business proprietary nature or for any other reason. The Department will return such comments and materials to the persons submitting the comments and will not consider them in the development of final regulations. All public comments on these regulations will be a matter of public record and will be available for public inspection and copying. In the interest of accuracy and completeness, the Department requires comments in written form.

Oral comments must be followed by written memoranda, which will also be a matter of public record and will be available for public review and copying. Communications from agencies of the United States Government or foreign governments will not be available for public inspection.

The public record concerning this regulation will be maintained in the Bureau of Industry and Security Freedom of Information Records Inspection Facility, Room 6881, Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230. Records in this facility, including written public comments and memoranda summarizing the substance of oral communications, may be inspected and copied in accordance with regulations published in part 4 of Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Information about the inspection and copying of records at the facility may be obtained from the Bureau of Industry and Security Freedom of Information Officer, at the above address or by calling (202) 482-0500.

List of Subjects

15 CFR parts 732 and 740

Administrative practice and procedure, Exports, Foreign trade, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

15 CFR parts 736, 742 and 772

Exports, Foreign trade.

15 CFR part 744

Exports, Foreign trade, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

15 CFR part 746

Embargoes, Exports, Foreign trade, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

15CFR part 762

Administrative practice and procedure, Business and industry, Confidential business information, Exports, Foreign trade, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Accordingly, parts 732, 736, 740, 742, 744, 746, 762 and 772 of the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR parts 730-799) are amended as follows:

PART 732 - [AMENDED]