US announces new restrictions on firearms exports

The Biden administration is imposing new restrictions on firearms exports and increasing oversight of transactions to limit weapons diversion to drug cartels, criminal groups, gangs and others, the Commerce Department said Friday.

“The days of exporting military-style weapons to civilians in unstable countries are over,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Reuters. “Under our new review process, it will be much more difficult to export these weapons to civilians in countries that pose national security risks.”

The department on Oct. 27 issued a pause on most firearms exports to assess the “risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activity.”

The department announced on Friday that it will lift the pause from May 30, when the new restrictions come into effect. They are being imposed because the department believes it needs to do more to prevent exported firearms from being diverted for malign purposes and harming U.S. national security.

The new interim final rule imposes export restrictions on non-governmental users in 36 countries where the State Department has determined they are at high risk of diversion or misuse. The department will apply a “presumption of refusal for commercial transactions” in these countries.

The Commerce Department expects the restrictions tied to the 36 countries to result in a reduction of about 7%, or $40 million, of the $600 million in average annual U.S. firearms exports. The Commerce Department expects restrictions tied to the 36 countries to result in a reduction of about 7%. The department will revoke some export licenses and cut some four-year licenses to one-year licenses, the Commerce Department said.

The 36 countries include some former Soviet republics, the Commerce Department official added, saying it is “increasing scrutiny on a transaction-by-transaction level to ensure firearms are not exported to destinations of concern.”

The October 27 pause on export licenses for firearms and ammunition sales to non-governmental users had some exemptions, including export licenses to Ukraine and Israel, and some other close allies.

In November, 46 Republican senators said they had “significant concerns” about the pause, saying it “puts U.S. trade and economic interests at risk, as well as U.S. national security and foreign policy.” A similar letter was sent by House Republicans.

Source: CNN Brasil

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