§740.20. License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA).

Limitations on Use of License Exception STA. The prohibitions and limits of this paragraph (b)(2) apply notwithstanding the authorizations in paragraph (c) of this section.

Controls of lesser sensitivity. Exports, reexports and transfers (in-country) in which the only applicable reason for control is national security (NS) and the item being exported, reexported or transferred (in-country) is not designated in the STA paragraph in the License Exception section of the ECCN that lists the item are authorized for destinations in or nationals of Country Group A:6 (See supplement no. 1 to this part).

Prior Consignee Statement. The requirements in this paragraph (d)(2) apply to each party using License Exception STA to export, reexport, or transfer (in-country), including reexporters and transferors of items previously received under License Exception STA. The exporter, reexporter, or transferor must obtain the following statement in writing from its consignee(s) prior to exporting, reexporting, or transferring (in-country) the item and must retain the statement in accordance with part 762 of the EAR. One statement may be used for multiple exports, reexports, or transfers (in-country) of the same items between the same parties so long as the party names, the description(s) of the item(s) and the ECCNs are correct. The exporter, reexporter, or transferor must maintain a log or other record (such as documents created in the ordinary course of business) that identifies each shipment made pursuant to this section and the specific consignee statement that is associated with each shipment. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(2), a log or other record is not required for intangible (i.e., electronic or in an otherwise intangible form) exports, reexports, or transfers (in-country) made under License Exception STA, but an exporter, reexporter, or transferor is required, prior to making any export, reexport, or transfer (in-country), to ensure that a prior consignee statement has been obtained pursuant to the requirements of this paragraph (d)(2). (See Note 1 to paragraph (d)(3) of this section for additional guidance on intangible exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country), including best practices). Paragraphs (d)(2)(i) through (vi) of this section are required for all transactions. In addition, paragraph (d)(2)(vii) is required for all transactions in “600 series” items and paragraph (viii) of this section is required for transactions in “600 series” items if the consignee is not the government of a country listed in Country Group A:5 (See supplement no. 1 to part 740 of the EAR). Paragraph (d)(2)(viii) is also required for transactions including 9x515 items.

Notification to consignee of STA shipment. With each shipment under License Exception STA, the exporter (or reexporter or transferor as applicable), must notify the consignee in writing that the shipment is made pursuant to License Exception STA. The notice must either specify which items are subject to License Exception STA or state that the entire shipment is made pursuant to License Exception STA. The notice must clearly identify the shipment to which it applies. The written notice may be conveyed by paper documents or by electronic methods such as facsimile or email.

Requirements for releases of software source code or technology within a single country. Instead of the requirement of paragraphs (d)(1) through (d)(3) of this section, the party releasing software source code or technology to a national of a country listed in Country Group A:5 or A:6 (See supplement no. 1 to this part) must notify the recipient of the software source code or technology of the restrictions upon further release of the software source code or technology. The notification must either expressly inform the recipient that the EAR impose limits on further disclosure or must be in the form of an agreement in which the recipient agrees to limits on further disclosure. Any such agreement must impose limits that are equivalent to or more restrictive than all limits on further disclosure that are imposed by the EAR. The notification must be in writing and a copy of it must be retained by the party making the release and the recipient of the release. The notification may be in a separate document or included in a document such as a contract or a nondisclosure agreement. If the document has an expiration date, it must provide that the restrictions on disclosure do not expire.

Applicability. Any person may request License Exception STA eligibility for end items described in ECCN 0A606.a, ECCN 8A609.a, ECCNs 8A620.a or .b, “spacecraft” in ECCNs 9A515.a.1, .a.2, .a.3, or .a.4, “sub-orbital craft,” or items in 9A515.g, 9A610.a, or technology ECCNs 9E515.b, .d, .e, or .f.

Required information and manner of requests. Requests for License Exception STA eligibility must be made via the BIS Simplified Network Application Process-Redesign(SNAP-R) system unless BIS authorizes submission via the paper BIS-748-P Multipurpose Application form. For situations in which BIS 748-P submissions may be authorized, see § 748.1(d)(1). For required information specific to License Exception STA eligibility requests, see supplement no. 1 to part 748, Blocks 5 and 6 and supplement no. 2 to part 748, paragraph (w). In SNAP-R the work type for these applications is “Export.”

Timeline for USG review. The Departments of Commerce, Defense and State will review License Exception STA eligibility requests in accordance with the timelines set forth in Executive Order 12981 and § 750.4. If the License Exception STA request is approved, the process outlined in paragraph (g)(5)(i) of this section is followed.

Review criteria. The Departments of Commerce, Defense and State will determine whether the “end item” is eligible for this license exception based on an assessment of whether it provides a critical military or intelligence advantage to the United States or is otherwise available in countries that are not regime partners or close allies. If the “end item” does not provide a critical military or intelligence advantage to the United States or is otherwise available in countries that are not regime partners or close allies, the Departments will determine that License Exception STA is available unless an overarching foreign policy rationale for restricting STA availability can be articulated. Consensus among the Departments is required in order for an “end item” to be eligible for License Exception STA. Such determinations are made by the departments' representatives to the Advisory Committee on Export Policy (ACEP), or their designees.