Public Sector (Business To Government)

[reb]

This seems like a good idea. It also seems like something I've read for the past 20 years. Can it ever come about? What do you think?

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Industry groups push for easing export restrictions

http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/archives/190862.asp
A coalition of industry groups Tuesday released its recommendations for overhauling U.S. export controls.

"We believe changes must be made to the current system to make sure it is aligned with our current security needs and the realities of the global technological environment, and -- as a practical matter -- operates in a more predictable, transparent, and efficient manner," the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness said in a Monday letter to President Barack Obama.

The coalition said its recommendations, combined with a set of principles it released in October, "would create a 21st-century export control regime that protects critical technologies, safeguards our national security, spurs innovation, and promotes economic growth."

The Obama administration announced last August that an inter-agency task force would review U.S. export controls.

Not surprisingly, the coalition's recommendations include loosening the number of restricted items.

"Failure to keep up with rapidly changing technology means that many items are controlled at inappropriate levels even though they are widely available world-wide and are no longer state of the art," the coalition said in its recommendations. "In other cases, low-sensitivity but high commercial value technology only available from the United States is being held back by the export control system, thereby dulling U.S. companies' competitive edge and limiting their market share needlessly."

The coalition also recommended:

Drawing clear lines of agency responsibility, eliminating inter-agency conflict and confusion;
Completing the transition to a system based on looking at end users;
Working more closely with allies on common objectives, using common definitions and procedures for controlling exports;
Enhancing cooperation with the business community, particularly by helping small and medium-sized businesses with compliance.
"In the absence of support and clarity in how the lines are drawn, (small and medium-sized businesses) are reluctant to export and assume an inordinate amount of risk and liability," the coalition said. "All exporters periodically receive information from prospective buyers that could be of importance to U.S. enforcement and intelligence authorities. The adversarial nature of our system makes sharing that information difficult."

Aerospace-related members of the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness include the Aerospace Industries Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the National Defense Industrial Association, the Satellite Industry Association, the Space Enterprise Council and The Space Foundation.


- reb