Wassenaar Members Begin 'First Ever' Virtual Negotiations for 2020 Cycle, DOD Official Says

Wassenaar Arrangement members have begun virtual negotiations on export controls, in observance of mitigation measures recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Heidi Grant, the director of the Defense Department’s Defense Technology Security Administration. The virtual negotiations, which Grant believes have never been done before, started after the pandemic forced the group to cancel in-person meetings for the 2020 cycle, including an April Experts Group meeting (see 2004290044). Grant said the group has submitted 90 export control proposals for negotiations this year, although it remains unclear whether members will be able to vote remotely.

“I think this is the first-ever” virtual Wassenaar negotiations, Grant said during a May 28 conference call hosted by the Society for International Affairs. Of the 90 proposals being considered by the group, 21 were submitted by the U.S., Grant said, including 17 new controls and four “decontrols or clarifications.” Five of the U.S.’s submissions are related to emerging technologies, Grant said.

Grant said the remaining 69 proposals submitted by other countries include 14 new controls and 55 decontrols or clarifications. She stressed that the U.S. is working on proposing more decontrols. “I just wanted to emphasize that there is a significant effort, where we can, to decontrol or get clarifications,” Grant said. “We want to ensure we're protecting [the Defense Department’s] critical technologies while at the same time leveling the playing field within the industry.” The Commerce Department is currently preparing controls on six emerging technologies agreed to during the 2019 Wassenaar Arrangement cycle (see 2005190052).

Grant also praised DTSA’s effort to process dual-use and munitions licenses, saying the agency has processed a combined 900 to 1,000 of those licenses per week since beginning COVID-19 work restrictions. “I'm so proud of what we've been able to accomplish under these conditions,” Grant said. But because DTSA’s “first priority” has been dual-use licenses “due to the statutory time constraints,” that has resulted in a backlog in munitions-related licenses. She said “munitions licenses have seen an increase in weekly backlog of approximately 400 additional licenses.”

Companies with “urgent” U.S. Munitions List license applications should reach out to the “appropriate licensing officer” and indicate that they are operating under time constraints, Grant said. “We're taking a good look at that and trying to meet the urgent needs,” she said.