Home >Compliance And Enforcement

BIS is responsible for the regulation of exports for national security, foreign policy, and nonproliferation reasons and the enforcement of those regulations. BIS is also charged with administering and enforcing U.S. Antiboycott laws, the Fastener Quality Act, and the reporting provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention. BIS stands ready to help firms comply with its regulations while also maintaining a force of Export Enforcement Special Agents who investigate possible violations and assist the U.S. Department of Justice and Commerce Department's Office of General Counsel in prosecution of violators.

About Export Enforcement

The primary roles of BIS's Export Enforcement (EE) program are to prevent the illegal export of dual-use items before they occur; investigate and assist in the prosecution of violators of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the Fastener Quality Act (FQA); and inform and educate exporters, freight forwarders, and manufacturers of their enforcement responsibilities under the EAR and FQA.

Lists to Check

How Do I Avoid Dealing with Unauthorized Parties
Denied Persons List
Unverified List
Entity List
Specially Designated Nationals List
Debarred List

Submitting Information About
Possible Violations

This form for reporting possible export control or antiboycott violations should only be used to submit a lead or a tip on a possible export control or boycott related violation of the EAR. Because we want to protect you and any information you may wish to provide us, no email response will be sent to you as a result of submitting this form. In most cases you will be contacted by telephone by one of our special agents.

BEETs

Business Executives Enforcement Team Town Hall Meetings and schedule information.

Antiboycott Compliance

The Bureau is charged with administering and enforcing the Antiboycott laws under the Export Administration Act. Those laws discourage, and in some circumstances, prohibit U.S. companies from furthering or supporting the boycott of Israel sponsored by the Arab League, and certain Moslem countries, including complying with certain requests for information designed to verify compliance with the boycott. Compliance with such requests may be prohibited by the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and may be reportable to the Bureau.

Export Management Systems

An Export Management System (EMS) is a compliance program established to ensure that a company’s exports, deemed exports, reexports, transfers, and activities are transacted consistent with the Export Administration Regulations. Various departments may have a small or large role in processing orders at various stages of the process. An EMS describes all of the interconnecting procedures and creates a synergistic system helping to better manage the overall export activities. A vital part of an EMS is the establishment of mechanisms within the company’s daily operational procedures that provide checks and safeguards at vulnerable points of the system. Such checks and safeguards help to ensure that the right questions are being asked to preclude exporters from making shipments that are contrary to U.S. export controls and therefore, inconsistent with the company’s best interests.

An EMS soundly implemented, coupled with good judgment, can greatly reduce the risk of inadvertently exporting to an unauthorized party or for an unauthorized end-use.

E-Commerce

BIS provides E-Commerce compliance guidance to exporters through a newly organized BIS E-Commerce Working Group. Commerce transacted electronically may be subject to the Export Administration Regulations, the same as transactions that are not electronically facilitated.

                          

 
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