The State Department this week announced the debarment of U.S.-based telecommunications company VTA Telecom to settle allegations it violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The agency’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls imposed the three-year debarment, which prohibits VTA from participating in any activities subject to the ITAR, after it said VTA illegally exported defense goods to Vietnam and gave false statements on export documents.

The State Department is working on a new trade authorization that would expedite technology transfers among the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, said Jessica Lewis, assistant secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Lewis, testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee May 24, said she’s also open to legislation that could reduce export licensing burdens, especially as part of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls this week updated its guidance on authorization requests for U.S. persons providing defense services abroad. The document, which was last updated in January (see 2301060022), clarifies how to “identify” U.S. Munitions List defense service categories and commodity categories in the submission letter, states that “support documents” should be submitted as PDFs, notes applicants must address periods of U.S. residency even if they never lived in the U.S., and more.

Concern is “growing” within the U.S., Australia and the U.K. that “indiscriminate and extraterritorial application” of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations will hurt the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership and “slow-roll cooperation on existing technology transfer,” the Sydney-based U.S. Studies Centre said in a report released this month. The report warned that “another failure” to reform the ITAR could “carry significant consequences for the three countries’ shared defence technology advantages vis-a-vis China and, therefore, their ability to deter regional conflict.”

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is seeking public comments on an information collection involving requests for advisory opinions. Exporters can submit an advisory opinion request to DDTC to help determine whether the agency may grant or deny a particular export, to receive guidance on regulatory requirements and more. Comments are due July 24.

The Bureau of Industry and Security this week suspended the export privileges of one person for illegally exporting technology to Hong Kong, eight people for illegally exporting guns and ammunition to Mexico and two people for illegally sending firearms to the Dominican Republic.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls updated its online application with a new option for industry to make DDTC speaker requests, the agency announced this week. The Defense Export Controls and Compliance System now includes a “user-friendly form” for industry and others to request DDTC event speakers for “outreach engagements,” including conferences, public meetings, trade shows and “widely-attended workshops and events,” the agency said. “If your organization would benefit from having a DDTC subject matter expert speak at your next outreach event, be sure to use this form for all future requests.” Requesters must be enrolled in DECCS to access the forms.

The Bureau of Industry and Security needs much more funding to carry out its export control work, lawmakers and former officials said during a House hearing this week. Kevin Wolf, a former senior official at BIS, said Congress should consider doubling -- perhaps quadrupling -- the agency’s resources.

The Census Bureau is nixing plans to update its Automated Export System early with a new proposed export filing requirement for certain U.S. Munitions List exports, CBP said in a May 10 CSMS message. Census last week said it planned to update the AESDirect web application May 9 with the new data element (see 2305040024) even though it had just proposed the electronic export filing requirement one day earlier and was still soliciting public comments on the change, which are due July 3 (see 2305020007).

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls released guidance to help exporters comply with a proposal that could introduce new filing requirements for certain U.S. Munitions List items. The guidance -- which deals with a proposed rule by the Census Bureau that could require exporters to submit a new data element in the Automated Export System when shipping USML Category XXI items (see 2305020007) -- features a range of frequently asked questions, including about how exporters can determine whether their items are controlled under Category XXI, when exporters should use the data element and more.