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Decarbonizing the Global Shipping Industry: Is Hydrogen Fuel the Answer?

Decarbonization is coming to the global shipping industry. Accounting for nearly one- quarter of all carbon emissions from the world’s transportation sector and one billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, shipping stands at a critical juncture in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate its environmental impact. Among the emerging alternatives to traditional fossil … Continue Reading

CFIUS Clearance: Czechoslovak Group a.s. and Sporting Products business of Vista Outdoor Inc.

Status:       Clearance Acquirer:            Czechoslovak Group a.s. (Czech Republic) Acquired:            Sporting Products business of Vista Outdoor Inc. (U.S.) Value:                  $1.91 billion Industry Tags:    Firearms; Law Enforcement… Continue Reading

BIS Amends the EAR to Expand Sanctions Against Russia and Belarus and Over 300 New Sanctions Designations

On June 12, 2024, the US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) imposed additional export control measures against Russia and Belarus by expanding the scope of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) sectoral sanctions. The amendments to the EAR were issued in conjunction with the issuance of sanctions against over … Continue Reading

White House Issues Executive Order to Strengthen Cybersecurity at US Ports

On February 21, 2024, the White House issued an executive order implementing various measures to bolster the security of US ports by expanding the US Coast Guard’s authority to regulate maritime cybersecurity, requiring the reporting of cyber incidents and investing in the US port critical infrastructure. With the increasing use of connected systems in the … Continue Reading

US ITC Launches Global Rice Trade Investigation

On March 1, 2024, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) officially announced the initiation of a new factfinding investigation into the global rice market. The investigation, titled “Rice: Global Competitiveness and Impacts on Trade and the U.S. Industry” (Investigation No. 332-603), was requested by US House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means Chair Jason … Continue Reading

Upcoming/New CFIUS Filing: Cunova GmbH (Germany) and KME America Marine Tube & Fitting LLC (U.S.)

Status: Upcoming/New Filing Acquirer: Cunova GmbH (Germany); KME Group SpA (Italy); SDCL EDGE Acquisition Corporation (Cayman Islands) Acquired: KME America Marine Tube & Fitting LLC (U.S.) Value: $736 million Industry Tags: Specialty Metals; Metals; Aerospace        … Continue Reading

BIS Amends the EAR To Implement Additional Sanctions Against Russia and Belarus and To Revise Existing Export Controls on Russia, Belarus and Iran

On January 25, 2024, the US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published amendments to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) expanding the sanctions against Russia and Belarus through new and revised licensing requirements. The amendments also refined existing export controls on Russia, Belarus and Iran to enhance the effectiveness of, and better … Continue Reading

Forced Labor Legal Developments in Europe: EU Council and Parliament Negotiate Final Text for Proposed Regulation

While many have focused in recent months on the US enforcement of the forced labor import ban (19 U.S.C. 1307) and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) (Public Law No. 117-78), the EU is working on its own set of regulations prohibiting products made with forced labor from entering the EU market. A proposal … Continue Reading

US ITC to Investigate Global Rice Trade

In a February 5, 2024 letter to the US International Trade Commission (ITC), US House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (Republican-Missouri) requested that the ITC conduct a Section 332 investigation into the global rice market. The ITC will institute the investigation in the coming weeks, and it could be the first … Continue Reading

Deal Terminated: Yuhan Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd. and Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.

Status:  Unknown; Deal Terminated Acquirer: Yuhan Optoelectronic Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (China) Acquired: Manufacturing facilities located in the People’s Republic of China and certain assets related to the transceiver business and multi-channel optical sub-assembly products of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (United States) Value: $150 million Industry Tags: Telecommunications; Electronics Design & Manufacturing… Continue Reading

CFIUS Clearance: AGS Health LLC (U.S.); AGS Health Private Limited (India) and Mediscribes Solutions, Inc.

Status:        Clearance or No Action Acquirer:              AGS Health LLC (U.S.); AGS Health Private Limited (India) Acquired:             Mediscribes Solutions, Inc. (U.S.) Value:                   $56 million Industry Tags:    Software; Healthcare… Continue Reading

DDTC revises USML Category XI

On April 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of State published an Interim final rule and request for comments to amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to “remove from U.S. Munitions List (USML) Category XI certain high-energy storage capacitors and to clearly identify the high-energy storage capacitors that remain in USML Category XI.”… Continue Reading

BIS ISSUES FIRST FAQS FOR CHINESE SUPERCOMPUTERING AND SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EXPORT CONTROLS

On Friday, October 28, 2022, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued its first Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the Interim Final Rule, 87 Fed. Reg. 61286, entitled “Implementation of Additional Export Controls: Certain Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Manufacturing Items; Supercomputer and Semiconductor End Use; Entity List Modification.” These FAQs cover … Continue Reading

BIS Implements New Chinese Supercomputer and Semiconductor Manufacturing Export Controls

On Thursday, October 13, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published in the Federal Register an Interim Final Rule, 87 Fed. Reg. 62186, amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR parts 730-774) to impose new export controls on Chinese advanced computing integrated circuits (ICs), computer commodities containing such … Continue Reading

Executive Order on CFIUS Review Factors Provides Insights into Heightened CFIUS Risks Faced by Specific Activities

On September 15, 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order 14083 (the “Order”), titled “Ensuring Robust Consideration of Evolving National Security Risks by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States” (87 Fed. Reg. 57369). The Order does not expand the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ (“CFIUS” or the “Committee”) authority … Continue Reading

BIS Updates Policy Regarding Enforcement of Antiboycott Rules 

On October 7, 2022, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published in the Federal Register (87 Fed. Reg. 60890) a final rule updating its guidance regarding BIS’s penalty determinations in the settlement of administrative enforcement cases involving violations of the antiboycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The final rule … Continue Reading
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