The Export Administration Act of 1979
EXPORT ADMINISTRATION ACT OF 1979
Public Law 96–72, as amended
The Export Administration Act of 1979
72
115–232
Statute Compilation
United States House of Representatives
Office of the Legislative Counsel
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EN
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Export Administration Act of 1979
3085
96
1979-09-29
The Export Administration Act of 1979
[Public Law 96–72; Enacted September 29, 1979]
[As Amended Through P.L. 115–232, Enacted August 13, 2018]
[Currency: This publication is a compilation of the text of Public Law 96–72. It was last amended by the public law listed in the As Amended Through note above and below at the bottom of each page of the pdf version and reflects current law through the date of the enactment of the public law listed at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/comps/]
[Note: While this publication does not represent an official version of any Federal statute, substantial efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents. The official version of Federal law is found in the United States Statutes at Large and in the United States Code. The legal effect to be given to the Statutes at Large and the United States Code is established by statute (1 U.S.C. 112, 204).]

AN ACT
To provide authority to regulate exports, to improve the efficiency of export regulation, and to minimize interference with the ability to engage in commerce.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[short title
Section 1.
[50 U.S.C. 4601 note]
This Act may be cited as the “Export Administration Act of 1979”1.]
^1
The Act was repealed in its entirety (except for sections 11A, 11B, and 11C) by section 1766(a) of division A of Public Law 115–232. The text of section 1766(b) of such Public Law provides: “The President shall implement the amendment made by subsection (a) by exercising the authorities of the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).”

multilateral export control violations
Sec. 11A.
[50 U.S.C. 4611]
(a)

Determination by the President.—
The President, subject to subsection (c), shall apply sanctions under subsection (b) for a period of not less than 2 years and not more than 5 years, if the President determines that—
(1)
a foreign person has violated any regulation issued by a country to control exports for national security purposes pursuant to the agreement of the group known as the Coordinating Committee, and
(2)
such violation has resulted in substantial enhancement of Soviet and East bloc capabilities in submarine or antisubmarine warfare, ballistic or antiballistic missile technology, strategic aircraft, command, control, communications and intelligence, or other critical technologies as determined by the President, on the advice of the National Security Council, to represent a serious adverse impact on the strategic balance of forces.
The President shall notify the Congress of each action taken under this section. This section, except subsections (h) and (j), applies only to violations that occur after the date of the enactment of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988.
(b)

Sanctions.—
The sanctions referred to in subsection (a) shall apply to the foreign person committing the violation, as well as to any parent, affiliate, subsidiary, and successor entity of the foreign person, and, except as provided in subsection (c), are as follows:
(1)
a prohibition on contracting with, and procurement of products and services from, a sanctioned person, by any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, and
(2)
a prohibition on importation into the United States of all products produced by a sanctioned person.
(c)

Exceptions.—
The President shall not apply sanctions under this section—
(1)
in the case of procurement of defense articles or defense services—
(A)
under existing contracts or subcontracts, including the exercise of options for production quantities to satisfy United States operational military requirements;
(B)
if the President determines that the foreign person or other entity to which the sanctions would otherwise be applied is a sole source supplier of essential defense articles or services and no alternative supplier can be identified; or
(C)
if the President determines that such articles or services are essential to the national security under defense coproduction agreements; or
(2)
to—
(A)
products or services provided under contracts or other binding agreements (as such terms are defined by the President in regulations) entered into before the date on which the President notifies the Congress of the intention to impose the sanctions;
(B)
spare parts;
(C)
component parts, but not finished products, essential to United States products or production;
(D)
routine servicing and maintenance of products; or
(E)
information and technology.
(d)

Exclusion.—
The President shall not apply sanctions under this section to a parent, affiliate, subsidiary, and successor entity of a foreign person if the President determines that—
(1)
the parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity (as the case may be) has not knowingly violated the export control regulation violated by the foreign person, and
(2)
the government of the country with jurisdiction over the parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity had in effect, at the time of the violation by the foreign person, an effective export control system consistent with principles agreed to in the Coordinating Committee, including the following:
(A)
national laws providing appropriate civil and criminal penalties and statutes of limitations sufficient to deter potential violations;
(B)
a program to evaluate export license applications that includes sufficient technical expertise to assess the licensing status of exports and ensure the reliability of end-users;
(C)
an enforcement mechanism that provides authority for trained enforcement officers to investigate and prevent illegal exports;
(D)
a system of export control documentation to verify the movement of goods and technology; and
(E)
procedures for the coordination and exchange of information concerning violations of the agreement of the Coordinating Committee.
(e)

Definitions.—
For purposes of this section—
(1)
the term “component part” means any article which is not usable for its intended functions without being imbedded in or integrated into any other product and which, if used in production of a finished product, would be substantially transformed in that process;
(2)
the term “finished product” means any article which is usable for its intended functions without being imbedded or integrated into any other product, but in no case shall such term be deemed to include an article produced by a person other than a sanctioned person that contains parts or components of the sanctioned person if the parts or components have been substantially transformed during production of the finished product; and
(3)
the term “sanctioned person” means a foreign person, and any parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity of the foreign person, upon whom sanctions have been imposed under this section.
(f)

Subsequent Modifications of Sanctions.—
The President may, after consultation with the Congress, limit the scope of sanctions applied to a parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity of the foreign person determined to have committed the violation on account of which the sanctions were imposed if the President determines that—
(1)
the parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity (as the case may be) has not, on the basis of available evidence, itself violated the export control regulation involved, either directly or through a course of conduct;
(2)
the government with jurisdiction over the parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity has improved its export control system as measured by the criteria set forth in subsection (d)(2);
(3)
the parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity, has instituted improvements in internal controls sufficient to detect and prevent violations of the export control regime implemented under paragraph (2); and
(4)
the impact of the sanctions imposed on the parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or successor entity is proportionate to the increased defense expenditures imposed on the United States.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the President may not limit the scope of the sanction referred to in subsection (b)(1) with respect to the parent of the foreign person determined to have committed the violation, until that sanction has been in effect for at least 2 years.
(g)

Reports to Congress.—
The President shall include in the annual report submitted under section 14, a report on the status of any sanctions imposed under this section, including any exceptions, exclusions, or modifications of sanctions that have been applied under subsection (c), (d), or (f).
(h)

Discretionary Imposition of Sanctions.—
If the President determines that a foreign person has violated a regulation issued by a country to control exports for national security purposes pursuant to the agreement of the group known as the Coordinating Committee, but in a case in which subsection (a)(2) may not apply, the President may apply the sanctions referred to in subsection (b) against that foreign person for a period of not more than 5 years.
(i)

Compensation for Diversion of Militarily Critical Technologies to Controlled Countries.—
(1)
In cases in which sanctions have been applied against a foreign person under subsection (a), the President shall initiate discussions with the foreign person and the government with jurisdiction over that foreign person regarding compensation on the part of the foreign person in an amount proportionate to the costs of research and development and procurement of new defensive systems by the United States and the allies of the United States to counteract the effect of the technological advance achieved by the Soviet Union as a result of the violation by that foreign person.
(2)
The President shall, at the time that discussions are initiated under paragraph (1), report to the Congress that such discussions are being undertaken, and shall report to the Congress the outcome of those discussions.
(j)

Other Actions by the President.—
Upon making a determination under subsection (a) or (h), the President shall—
(1)
initiate consultations with the foreign government with jurisdiction over the foreign person who committed the violation involved, in order to seek prompt remedial action by that government;
(2)
initiate discussions with the governments participating in the Coordinating Committee regarding the violation and means to ensure that similar violations do not occur; and
(3)
consult with and report to the Congress on the nature of the violation and the actions the President proposes to take, or has taken, to rectify the situation.
(k)

Damages for Certain Violations.—
(1)
In any case in which the President makes a determination under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall determine the costs of restoring the military preparedness of the United States on account of the violation involved. The Secretary of Defense shall notify the Attorney General of his determination, and the Attorney General may bring an action for damages, in any appropriate district court of the United States, to recover such costs against the person who committed the violation, any person that is owned or controlled by the person who committed the violation, and any person who owns and controls the person who committed the violation.
(3)3
The total amount awarded in any case brought under paragraph (2) shall be determined by the court in light of the facts and circumstances, but shall not exceed the amount of the net loss to the national security of the United States. An action under this subsection shall be commenced not later than 3 years after the violation occurs, or one year after the violation is discovered, whichever is later.
^3
So in law. Probably should be redesignated as (2).
(l)

Definition.—
For purposes of this section, the term “foreign person” means any person other than a United States person.

missile proliferation control violations
Sec. 11B.
[50 U.S.C. 4612]
(a)

Violations by United States Persons.—
(1)

Sanctions.—
(A)
If the President determines that a United States person knowingly—
(i)
exports, transfers, or otherwise engages in the trade of any item on the MTCR Annex, in violation of the provisions of section 38 (22 U.S.C. 2778) or chapter 7 of the Arms Export Control Act, section 5 or 6 of this Act, or any regulations or orders issued under any such provisions,
(ii)
conspires to or attempts to engage in such export, transfer, or trade, or
(iii)
facilitates such export, transfer, or trade by any other person,
then the President shall impose the applicable sanctions described in subparagraph (B).
(B)
The sanctions which apply to a United States person under subparagraph (A) are the following:
(i)
If the item on the MTCR Annex involved in the export, transfer, or trade is missile equipment or technology within category II of the MTCR Annex, then the President shall deny to such United States person, for a period of 2 years, licenses for the transfer of missile equipment or technology controlled under this Act.
(ii)
If the item on the MTCR Annex involved in the export, transfer, or trade is missile equipment or technology within category I of the MTCR Annex, then the President shall deny to such United States person, for a period of not less than 2 years, all licenses for items the export of which is controlled under this Act.
(2)

Discretionary sanctions.—
In the case of any determination referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary may pursue any other appropriate penalties under section 11 of this Act.
(3)

Waiver.—
The President may waive the imposition of sanctions under paragraph (1) on a person with respect to a product or service if the President certifies to the Congress that—
(A)
the product or service is essential to the national security of the United States; and
(B)
such person is a sole source supplier of the product or service, the product or service is not available from any alternative reliable supplier, and the need for the product or service cannot be met in a timely manner by improved manufacturing processes or technological developments.
(b)

Transfers of Missile Equipment or Technology by Foreign Persons.—
(1)

Sanctions.—
(A)
Subject to paragraphs (3) through (7), if the President determines that a foreign person, after the date of the enactment of this section, knowingly—
(i)
exports, transfers, or otherwise engages in the trade of any MTCR equipment or technology that contributes to the design, development, or production of missiles in a country that is not an MTCR adherent and would be, if it were United States-origin equipment or technology, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States under this Act,
(ii)
conspires to or attempts to engage in such export, transfer, or trade, or
(iii)
facilitates such export, transfer, or trade by any other person,
or if the President has made a determination with respect to a foreign person under section 73(a) of the Arms Export Control Act, then the President shall impose on that foreign person the applicable sanctions under subparagraph (B).
(B)
The sanctions which apply to a foreign person under subparagraph (A) are the following:
(i)
If the item involved in the export, transfer, or trade is within category II of the MTCR Annex, then the President shall deny, for a period of 2 years, licenses for the transfer to such foreign person of missile equipment or technology the export of which is controlled under this Act.
(ii)
If the item involved in the export, transfer, or trade is within category I of the MTCR Annex, then the President shall deny, for a period of not less than 2 years, licenses for the transfer to such foreign person of items the export of which is controlled under this Act.
(iii)
If, in addition to actions taken under clauses (i) and (ii), the President determines that the export, transfer, or trade has substantially contributed to the design, development, or production of missiles in a country that is not an MTCR adherent, then the President shall prohibit, for a period of not less than 2 years, the importation into the United States of products produced by that foreign person.
(2)

Inapplicability with respect to mtcr adherents.—
Paragraph (1) does not apply with respect to—
(A)
any export, transfer, or trading activity that is authorized by the laws of an MTCR adherent, if such authorization is not obtained by misrepresentation or fraud; or
(B)
any export, transfer, or trade of an item to an end user in a country that is an MTCR adherent.
(3)

Effect of enforcement actions by mtcr adherents.—
Sanctions set forth in paragraph (1) may not be imposed under this subsection on a person with respect to acts described in such paragraph or, if such sanctions are in effect against a person on account of such acts, such sanctions shall be terminated, if an MTCR adherent is taking judicial or other enforcement action against that person with respect to such acts, or that person has been found by the government of an MTCR adherent to be innocent of wrongdoing with respect to such acts.
(4)

Advisory opinions.—
The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, may, upon the request of any person, issue an advisory opinion to that person as to whether a proposed activity by that person would subject that person to sanctions under this subsection. Any person who relies in good faith on such an advisory opinion which states that the proposed activity would not subject a person to such sanctions, and any person who thereafter engages in such activity, may not be made subject to such sanctions on account of such activity.
(5)

Waiver and report to congress.—
(A)
In any case other than one in which an advisory opinion has been issued under paragraph (4) stating that a proposed activity would not subject a person to sanctions under this subsection, the President may waive the application of paragraph (1) to a foreign person if the President determines that such waiver is essential to the national security of the United States.
(B)
In the event that the President decides to apply the waiver described in subparagraph (A), the President shall so notify the Congress not less than 20 working days before issuing the waiver. Such notification shall include a report fully articulating the rationale and circumstances which led the President to apply the waiver.
(6)

Additional waiver.—
The President may waive the imposition of sanctions under paragraph (1) on a person with respect to a product or service if the President certifies to the Congress that—
(A)
the product or service is essential to the national security of the United States; and
(B)
such person is a sole source supplier of the product or service, the product or service is not available from any alternative reliable supplier, and the need for the product or service cannot be met in a timely manner by improved manufacturing processes or technological developments.
(7)

Exceptions.—
The President shall not apply the sanction under this subsection prohibiting the importation of the products of a foreign person—
(A)
in the case of procurement of defense articles or defense services—
(i)
under existing contracts or subcontracts, including the exercise of options for production quantities to satisfy requirements essential to the national security of the United States;
(ii)
if the President determines that the person to which the sanctions would be applied is a sole source supplier of the defense articles and services, that the defense articles or services are essential to the national security of the United States, and that alternative sources are not readily or reasonably available; or
(iii)
if the President determines that such articles or services are essential to the national security of the United States under defense coproduction agreements or NATO Programs of Cooperation;
(B)
to products or services provided under contracts entered into before the date on which the President publishes his intention to impose the sanctions; or
(C)
to—
(i)
spare parts,
(ii)
component parts, but not finished products, essential to United States products or production,
(iii)
routine services and maintenance of products, to the extent that alternative sources are not readily or reasonably available, or
(iv)
information and technology essential to United States products or production.
(c)

Definitions.—
For purposes of this section and subsection (k) and (l) of section 6—
(1)
the term “missile” means a category I system as defined in the MTCR Annex, and any other unmanned delivery system of similar capability, as well as the specially designed production facilities for these systems;
(2)
the term “Missile Technology Control Regime” or “MTCR” means the policy statement, between the United States, the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan, announced on April 16, 1987, to restrict sensitive missile-relevant transfers based on the MTCR Annex, and any amendments thereto;
(3)
the term “MTCR adherent” means a country that participates in the MTCR or that, pursuant to an international understanding to which the United States is a party, controls MTCR equipment or technology in accordance with the criteria and standards set forth in the MTCR;
(4)
the term “MTCR Annex” means the Guidelines and Equipment and Technology Annex of the MTCR, and any amendments thereto;
(5)
the terms “missile equipment or technology” and “MTCR equipment or technology” mean those items listed in category I or category II of the MTCR Annex;
(6)
the term “foreign person” means any person other than a United States person;
(7)
(A)
the term “person” means a natural person as well as a corporation, business association, partnership, society, trust, any other nongovernmental entity, organization, or group, and any governmental entity operating as a business enterprise, and any successor of any such entity; and
(B)
in the case of countries where it may be impossible to identify a specific governmental entity referred to in subparagraph (A), the term “person” means—
(i)
all activities of that government relating to the development or production of any missile equipment or technology; and
(ii)
all activities of that government affecting the development or production of aircraft, electronics, and space systems or equipment; and
(8)
the term “otherwise engaged in the trade of” means, with respect to a particular export or transfer, to be a freight forwarder or designated exporting agent, or a consignee or end user of the item to be exported or transferred.

chemical and biological weapons proliferation sanctions
Sec. 11C.
[50 U.S.C. 4613]
(a)

Imposition of Sanctions.—
(1)

Determination by the president.—
Except as provided in subsection (b)(2), the President shall impose both of the sanctions described in subsection (c) if the President determines that a foreign person, on or after the date of the enactment of this section, has knowingly and materially contributed—
(A)
through the export from the United States of any goods or technology that are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States under this Act, or
(B)
through the export from any other country of any goods or technology that would be, if they were United States goods or technology, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States under this Act,
to the efforts by any foreign country, project, or entity described in paragraph (2) to use, develop, produce, stockpile, or otherwise acquire chemical or biological weapons.
(2)

Countries, projects, or entities receiving assistance.—
Paragraph (1) applies in the case of—
(A)
any foreign country that the President determines has, at any time after January 1, 1980—
(i)
used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law;
(ii)
used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own nationals; or
(iii)
made substantial preparations to engage in the activities described in clause (i) or (ii);
(B)
any foreign country whose government is determined for purposes of section 6(j) of this Act to be a government that has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism; or
(C)
any other foreign country, project, or entity designated by the President for purposes of this section.
(3)

Persons against which sanctions are to be imposed.—
Sanctions shall be imposed pursuant to paragraph (1) on—
(A)
the foreign person with respect to which the President makes the determination described in that paragraph;
(B)
any successor entity to that foreign person;
(C)
any foreign person that is a parent or subsidiary of that foreign person if that parent or subsidiary knowingly assisted in the activities which were the basis of that determination; and
(D)
any foreign person that is an affiliate of that foreign person if that affiliate knowingly assisted in the activities which were the basis of that determination and if that affiliate is controlled in fact by that foreign person.
(b)

Consultations With and Actions by Foreign Government of Jurisdiction.—
(1)

Consultations.—
If the President makes the determinations described in subsection (a)(1) with respect to a foreign person, the Congress urges the President to initiate consultations immediately with the government with primary jurisdiction over that foreign person with respect to the imposition of sanctions pursuant to this section.
(2)

Actions by government of jurisdiction.—
In order to pursue such consultations with that government, the President may delay imposition of sanctions pursuant to this section for a period of up to 90 days. Following these consultations, the President shall impose sanctions unless the President determines and certifies to the Congress that that government has taken specific and effective actions, including appropriate penalties, to terminate the involvement of the foreign person in the activities described in subsection (a)(1). The President may delay imposition of sanctions for an additional period of up to 90 days if the President determines and certifies to the Congress that that government is in the process of taking the actions described in the preceding sentence.
(3)

Report to congress.—
The President shall report to the Congress, not later than 90 days after making a determination under subsection (a)(1), on the status of consultations with the appropriate government under this subsection, and the basis for any determination under paragraph (2) of this subsection that such government has taken specific corrective actions.
(c)

Sanctions.—
(1)

Description of sanctions.—
The sanctions to be imposed pursuant to subsection (a)(1) are, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the following:
(A)

Procurement sanction.—
The United States Government shall not procure, or enter into any contract for the procurement of, any goods or services from any person described in subsection (a)(3).
(B)

Import sanctions.—
The importation into the United States of products produced by any person described in subsection (a)(3) shall be prohibited.
(2)

Exceptions.—
The President shall not be required to apply or maintain sanctions under this section—
(A)
in the case of procurement of defense articles or defense services—
(i)
under existing contracts or subcontracts, including the exercise of options for production quantities to satisfy United States operational military requirements;
(ii)
if the President determines that the person or other entity to which the sanctions would otherwise be applied is a sole source supplier of the defense articles or services, that the defense articles or services are essential, and that alternative sources are not readily or reasonably available; or
(iii)
if the President determines that such articles or services are essential to the national security under defense coproduction agreements;
(B)
to products or services provided under contracts entered into before the date on which the President publishes his intention to impose sanctions;
(C)
to—
(i)
spare parts,
(ii)
component parts, but not finished products, essential to United States products or production, or
(iii)
routine servicing and maintenance of products, to the extent that alternative sources are not readily or reasonably available;
(D)
to information and technology essential to United States products or production; or
(E)
to medical or other humanitarian items.
(d)

Termination of Sanctions.—
The sanctions imposed pursuant to this section shall apply for a period of at least 12 months following the imposition of sanctions and shall cease to apply thereafter only if the President determines and certifies to the Congress that reliable information indicates that the foreign person with respect to which the determination was made under subsection (a)(1) has ceased to aid or abet any foreign government, project, or entity in its efforts to acquire chemical or biological weapons capability as described in that subsection.
(e)

Waiver.—
(1)

Criterion for waiver.—
The President may waive the application of any sanction imposed on any person pursuant to this section, after the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date on which that sanction was imposed on that person, if the President determines and certifies to the Congress that such waiver is important to the national security interests of the United States.
(2)

Notification of and report to congress.—
If the President decides to exercise the waiver authority provided in paragraph (1), the President shall so notify the Congress not less than 20 days before the waiver takes effect. Such notification shall include a report fully articulating the rationale and circumstances which led the President to exercise the waiver authority.
(f)

Definition of Foreign Person.—
For the purposes of this section, the term “foreign person” means—
(1)
an individual who is not a citizen of the United States or an alien admitted for permanent residence to the United States; or
(2)
a corporation, partnership, or other entity which is created or organized under the laws of a foreign country or which has its principal place of business outside the United States.