EAR? ITAR? FCPA?

What do they all mean?

If you are engaged in exporting or importing anything in and out of the United States these acronyms should be very familiar to you. Even if your company does not export physical products, but does distribute knowledge of sensitive technologies to foreign countries or foreign citizens, the US Export control laws apply to you. However, merely knowing the terminology is not enough to keep you in compliance with these national security-related laws. Avoiding the harsh penalties associated with violations requires an effective Export Control program that is stream lined and allows easy identification of exports that need government approval.

The penalties for failure to comply with U.S. Export Control laws are harsh. For example, an outdoor equipment and gun retailer had to pay $680,000 for violations of EAR when an order for night vision goggles ended up in China. A Physicist was arrested and charged with violations of the FCPA when some of his cryogenics work was used to assist the Chinese Space program. Those in Ivory Towers are not immune to the government's reach--Dr. John Reece Roth, a 72 year old University of Tennessee professor, was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to four (4) years in jail when his work to reduce drag on drones using plasma actuators was potentially leaked through a graduate student who was a foreign national.

From small businesses to multi-national corporations to colleges and universities with foreign students and faculty, US businesses operating in the global marketplace must remain up-to-date with export control laws. Violating these complex laws and regulations can cause severe financial penalties, criminal convictions, and irreparable harm to their business reputations. Whether you need to assess your compliance status, create an export control policy, or implement a review process, Edmond Murray stands ready to help you and your organization understand the ABC's of Export Control laws, and more importantly how to avoid violations that could cost your company dearly.

Call Edmond Murray at 1-602-842-2362 to learn how we can help.

EAR = Export Administration Regulations
ITAR = International Traffic in Arms Regulations
FCPA= Foreign Corrupt Practices Act