On May 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that it will add 33 Chinese companies and institutions to the Entity List. The designations will prohibit the export, re-export, or in-country transfer of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The new…
Global Trade & Sanctions Law
CFIUS Proposes Mandatory Declaration Requirement Based on U.S. Export Control Criteria
On May 21, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury published a proposed rule that would revise the mandatory declaration requirement for foreign investments involving a U.S. business that produces, designs, tests, manufactures, fabricates, or develops one or more critical technologies. Currently, a key element of the mandatory declaration requirement…
BIS Amends Direct Product Rule To Target Huawei But Extends Huawei Temporary General License
On May 15, 2020 the Commerce Department announced an amendment to the direct product rule that further restricts the ability of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. and its affiliates on the Entity List, such as HiSilicon (collectively “Huawei”), to receive certain foreign-made semiconductor products. The Commerce Department also extended the temporary…
FinCEN Renews Geographic Targeting Orders for 12 Metropolitan Areas around the United States
On May 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reissued its Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs) for 12 metropolitan areas. These GTOs are identical to the November 2019 GTOs. The GTOs require title companies and their subsidiaries and agents to collect and report information about certain…
CFIUS and Critical Technologies: Implications for the Biotechnology and Life Sciences Sector
The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a renewed focus on biotechnology and life sciences companies. Non-U.S. investors need to be aware of the potential that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) may have jurisdiction to review, and possibly disallow certain investments in U.S. companies. In particular, new…
New Filing Fees for CFIUS Notices Enter into Effect
Beginning on May 1, 2020, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) will require a fee for any joint voluntary notice of a “covered transaction” or “covered real estate transaction.” This requirement also applies to (i) voluntary notices filed after CFIUS has completed its assessment of a…
USMCA Slated to Enter into Force on July 1: Recent Actions
The U.S. government has taken steps to allow the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) to enter into force on July 1, 2020, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). On April 24, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) notified Congress that Canada and Mexico had taken additional measures to…
New Export Control Rules Confront Integration of Civilian and Military Technology Development in China, Russia, and Venezuela
On April 28, 2020, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published two final rules that will eliminate the license exception for civil end users (CIV) in the People’s Republic of China, Russia, and Venezuela and expand military end use and end user restrictions on these countries.…
Treasury and CBP Temporary Rule on 90-Day Deferment for Payment of Certain Duties
On April 19, 2020, the Treasury Department in conjunction with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released a temporary interim final rule (“Rule”) to provide importers that meet the qualifying criteria with the option of a 90-day deferment period on the payment of duties, taxes, and fees for goods coming into…
Examining CFIUS Implications for the Real Estate Market in the Post COVID-19 World
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic turmoil have the potential to shake up the U.S. real estate market due to an anticipated influx of real estate investors looking to purchase heavily discounted, distressed assets and an expected increase in real estate foreclosures. Non-U.S. real estate lenders and investors need…