Arab States Step Up Boycott Activity Against Israel
The Jerusalem Post reports that "despite the public perception that the Arab trade embargo of Israel is on the wane, the number of boycott-related requests made to US companies this year by Arab states has registered a sharp increase." The article, which examines recent data issued by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), indicates that the number of boycott-related requests submitted to BIS in 2006 is "nearly 20 percent over the rate recorded last year." The article notes that the largest number of boycott requests came from the United Arab Emirates, followed by Syria.
The antiboycott provisions of the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR Part 760) prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in certain activity relating to restrictive trade practices and unsanctioned foreign boycotts, including implementing letters of credit containing prohibited boycott terms or conditions and entering into agreements containing prohibited boycott language. The antiboycott provisions also require U.S. persons to report quarterly requests they have received to take certain actions to comply with, further or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.
Labels: BIS, Boycotts, Export Controls