How New CFIUS Rules On Critical Technology Affect CFIUS Filing Strategy

The Department of Treasury's office that administers reviews of foreign investments in U.S. companies is changing how it identifies critical technology businesses and related technologies that require mandatory review during a foreign investment process.  The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS or the Committee) issued a final rule effective October 15, 2020 that updates its approach to identifying export controlled items and know-how ("technology") of concern to the Committee when reviewing potential national security issues with respect to foreign investments in the U.S.  The Committee had earlier issued its own new approach to identifying those critical technology national security areas of concern, but appears to have recognized that the U.S. government already has a well-established system for determining whether U.S. military, nuclear, and dual-use items/know-how are critical technologies that are sensitive from a national security