The New Frontier For Import Regulations: Restricting Technology Hardware And Software

In today's world, technology is everywhere, from our smartphones to our cars. In 2021, the Department of Commerce began a regulatory process to establish technology importing restrictions and address national security concerns from technology system exploits that could permit unauthorized access to sensitive data, disrupt critical infrastructure, or even manipulate technology. The goal of this new regulatory effort is to safeguard U.S. national security, critical infrastructure, and the digital economy from these threats.

The Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) sets up a framework for reviewing and regulating ICTS transactions, or the types of general commercial and business supply chain relationships that are outside of the scope of foreign investment reviews conducted by the Committee for Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The ICTS process may undergo review and expansion under the #AmericaFirst trade policies,