U.S. Department of Commerce Finalizes Connected Vehicles Supply Chain Restrictions

On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS) published a Final Rule formalizing prohibitions on certain connected vehicles (CVs) transactions involving hardware and software linked to the People’s Republic of China (China) and Russia.1 The Final Rule is scheduled to take effect on March 17, 2025.  However, given that the Final Rule is one of several new regulatory frameworks on trade issued in the final days of the Biden administration, it remains to be seen what will happen with these regulations after January 20.

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New U.S. Export Controls on Advanced Computing Items and Artificial Intelligence Model Weights: Seven Key Takeaways

On January 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published in the Federal Register updated export controls on advanced computing items (including advanced integrated circuits (ICs) and related equipment, software, and technology) and, for the first time, controls on artificial intelligence (AI) model weights under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). These new regulations were published as an interim final rule and took effect on January 13, 2025, although compliance is not required until May 15, 2025. BIS also published in the Federal Register a smaller companion rule on January 16, 2025, that expands licensing requirements on foundries and packaging companies seeking to export advanced computing equipment and requires compliance by January 31, 2025.

U.S. Commerce Department Issues First-of-Its-Kind Determination Banning Certain Software Products and Services

On June 20, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS) published a first-of-its-kind Final Determination against Kaspersky Lab, Inc., prohibiting the provision of its antivirus software and cybersecurity products in the United States or to U.S. persons. This Final Determination provides new insights into OICTS review of information and communications technology and services (ICTS) transactions and the prohibitions or restrictions that may result. The full text of the Final Determination is available here. OICTS also provides additional guidance on the new prohibition here.

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