Kevin Wolf Quoted in Law360 on Expansion of Human Rights Criteria for Export License Applications

Law360 has quoted Akin Gump international trade partner Kevin Wolf in the article “Commerce Expands Export License Human Rights Criteria,” which reports on an announcement by the Department of Commerce that it will consider human rights concerns when it reviews almost all export license applications. The department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the article says, cited threats posed by the abuse of telecommunication and information security goods as the basis for its decision.

While BIS said it had always considered human rights when reviewing licenses for the goods it restricts for “crime control” purposes, Law360 reports that BIS said its new policy will cover nearly every license application made to the agency.

Wolf, who previously served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration at BIS, said the bureau has usually considered human rights issues as a matter of policy, but that the new rule will make that approach “explicit” within its governing regulations.

“The change is nonetheless worthwhile considering the increasing role export controls are and will take in addressing human rights issues, particularly in China,” said Wolf.