Restrictive Trade Practices or Boycotts

The Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) published a notice on February 1, 1995 (61 FR 3669) designed to clarify and update the foreign boycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). BXA is now issuing a final rule based on that notice. Specifically, this rule amends the EAR by adding a new Supplement No. 17 to the foreign boycott provisions of the EAR (part 769). This Supplement states that it is the Department's position that, given the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan's formal terminationof its participation in the Arab economic boycott of Israel on August 16, 1995, certain requests for information, action or agreement from Jordan which were considered boycott-related by implication now cannot be presumed boycott-related and thus would not be prohibited or reportable under the foreign boycott provisions of the EAR. In addition, Supplement No. 17 reminds U.S. persons that requests that are on their face boycott-related or that are for action obviously in furtherance or support of an unsanctioned foreign boycott are subject to the foreign boycott provisions of the EAR, irrespective of the country of origin.