Key Takeaways
- New outbound investment controls likely to focus on semiconductors, AI, and quantum computing.
- Biotechnology and battery technology investments overseas may not be subject to the upcoming proposed controls.
Potential Sanctions for Alleged Intellectual Property Theft on the Horizon?
Background
On January 5, 2023, President Biden signed into law S. 1294, the “Protecting American Intellectual Property Act of 2022”. The Act requires the president to report to Congress and impose sanctions on any foreign person or entity the president identifies that has committed or “provided significant financial, material, or technological support” for the significant theft of trade secrets that are “reasonably likely to result in or has materially contributed to a significant threat to the national security, foreign policy, or economic health or financial stability of the United States.”
Continue Reading Potential Sanctions for Alleged Intellectual Property Theft on the Horizon?
The New Containment: How the Semiconductor Industry Came to Be at the Heart of the Technological Cold War
As you may have heard here (and here and here), in October 2022, the United States issued sweeping measures aimed at the semiconductor industry in China. The new regulations restrict the export of semiconductors and related technology, manufacturing equipment, software, and even U.S.-person support, to China. The regulations are part of a high-stakes chess match between the United States and China, as they compete for technological and economic dominance. One important result of this struggle is that the global semiconductor industry is being squeezed by the regulatory and geopolitical pressure exerted by both sides.
Will We Ring in the New Year with Outbound Investment Restrictions?
As we close out a wild year for international trade regulation,[1] after hearing much talk about outbound investment review mechanisms, we may see a final dramatic change before the ball drops. Since the summer, we have talked here about potential outbound investment reviews (reverse CFIUS? SUIFC?). And while there have been reports of potential action by both Congress and the Biden Administration on outbound investment, it is all the more possible to see executive action before a new Congress takes seat.
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China Semiconductor Regulations, Episode II – The Curious Case of the American in a Chinese Chip Company
Key Takeaways
- U.S.-person personnel at Chinese chip manufacturers are in a precarious position.
- New rules limit what activities those persons may undertake with respect to their work.
- However, there are ways they can nevertheless contribute to their companies, maintain their citizenship status, and comply with applicable U.S. law.
Myanmar Sanctions – A Last Resort Against a Non-Cooperating Country
Today, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) officially moved Myanmar onto the agency’s blacklist, where it joins Iran and North Korea, the only other two listed countries. It is likely that the United States and other countries will take the FATF designation as grounds to impose financial sanctions on the country, likely focusing on its central bank and financial institutions.
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OFAC Issues Sanctions Compliance Guidance for Instant Payment Systems
On September 30, 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published compliance guidance for instant payment systems. The guide highlights the need for emerging payment technology companies to assess their sanctions risks and implement compliance programs that mitigate those risks. Specifically, the guidance: (i) reaffirms that financial institutions should take a risk-based approach to managing sanctions risks; (ii) highlights key factors that may be relevant in determining that risk-based approach; (iii) encourages the development and deployment of innovative sanctions compliance approaches and technologies to address identified risks; and (iv) encourages developers of instant payment systems to incorporate sanctions compliance considerations as they develop new payment technologies.
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China Semiconductor Export Regulations, Episode I – Counting Your Chips Carefully
The Announcement
On Friday, October 7, 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released for public inspection (available here) one hundred forty pages of regulations (which we’ll call “the Regulation” here). Nearly all of the changes in the Regulation restrict the export of semiconductors, as well as related technology, manufacturing equipment, software, and even U.S.-person support, to China.
Continue Reading China Semiconductor Export Regulations, Episode I – Counting Your Chips Carefully
Further Export Controls on Semiconductor Technology for China coming this Week
** Update: Announcement has been moved to Friday October 7, 2022 at 9:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time **
On Thursday, the Biden administration will announce new restrictions preventing China from accessing advanced U.S. semiconductor technology.
Continue Reading Further Export Controls on Semiconductor Technology for China coming this Week
Technology to Iran: OFAC Lifts Certain Iran Sanctions In Response to Protests in Iran
After Mahsa Amini was killed in the custody of “Gasht-e-Ershad” or Iran’s Guidance Patrol, commonly referred to as Iran’s morality police, following an arrest for placement of her hijab, protests have erupted throughout Iran over women’s rights and Iran’s authoritarian regime more generally. Iran’s police and other security forces are retaliating severely against protestors. In response to these human rights abuses, on September 22, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Iran’s morality police and senior leaders of Iran’s security organizations for the violence against protesters.
Commerce Department Adds Guardrails Against Stockpiling of Certain Solar Cells and Modules During Temporary Waiver of AD/CVD Duties
On September 16, 2022, the U.S. Commerce Department released its final rule regarding antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) circumvention inquiries on solar cells and modules from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The rule implements President Biden’s June 6, 2022, Proclamation 10414, (which we discuss here) declaring an emergency with respect to the U.S. energy market, and temporarily waives the collection of AD/CVD duties for certain cells and modules subject to the AD/CVD anticircumvention inquiry initiated by Commerce in April 2022.