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On May 29, 2015, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) published in the Federal Register a final rule [Docket No. ATF-25F; AG Order No. 3531-2015] finalizing without change an amendment to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives regulations to remove those defense articles currently on the United States Munitions Import List that ATF by delegation has determined no longer warrant import control under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The interim final rule with a request for comments was published on March 27, 2014 (79 Fed. Reg. 17024-17029). To distinguish the regulatory list of defense articles and defense services controlled by the Attorney General for permanent import from the regulatory list of defense articles and defense services controlled by the Secretary of State for export and temporary import (U.S. Munitions List – USML), the list of defense articles and defense services controlled by the Attorney General for permanent import is designated as the United States Munitions Import List (USMIL). The regulations governing this list appear at 27 C.F.R. part 447. The Attorney General has delegated administration of the import provisions of the AECA to the Director of ATF, subject to the direction of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General. ATF administers the USMIL (27 C.F.R. 447.21) with guidance from the Department of State and concurrence from the Departments of State and Defense pursuant to Executive Order 13637. In effecting the President’s export control reform initiative, the export control reform interagency task force determined that removing unnecessary items from the USMIL would improve the United States import control system and enhance national security by focusing resources on imports that need to be protected. Accordingly, the task force requested ATF to identify those defense articles that no longer warrant control on the USMIL. The rule is effective June 29, 2015. |
