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High priority items list subject to export controls

September 26, 2023

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States (collectively referred to as “the Export Enforcement Five” or “E5”) have put in place an unprecedented package of sanctions and export controls aimed at cutting off funding and support for Russia’s war machine, inflicting economic cost at scale and showing solidarity and support for Ukraine. The E5’s packages were implemented and are being administered in coordination with the sanctions and export controls specific to Russia implemented by all 39‑members of the Global Export Control Coalition (GECC)Footnote 1 partnership that has imposed substantially similar export controls on Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The E5s respective export controls and sanctions have hindered Russia’s ability to wage its illegal war in Ukraine and have severely weakened Russia’s economy.

Our coordinated efforts seek to deny Russia access to the items and revenue necessary to pursue its illegal war and contribute to the degradation of its military capabilities by restricting Western items critical to Russian weapons development.

The list

Together with international partners including the European Union and Japan, the E5 have agreed to prioritize items controlled in certain Harmonized System (HS) codes that Russia is using in its weapons systems. The E5 have all either implemented sanctions and export controls or have increased scrutiny of these items to prevent potential sanctions and export control evasion. These HS codes on the list include electronic components such as integrated circuits and radio frequency (RF) transceiver modules. The list, which is reproduced below, will be updated when required. It also includes items that are essential for the manufacturing and testing of electronic components and circuits retrieved from the battlefield.

The list of six-digit HS codes (HS6) is divided into four tiers, with tiers one and two containing particularly sensitive items:

Tier 1

HS CodeHS description and representative part

8542.31

Electronic integrated circuits: Processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, convertors, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits

8542.32

Electronic integrated circuits: Memories

8542.33

Electronic integrated circuits: Amplifiers

8542.39

Electronic integrated circuits: Other

Tier 2

HS CodeHS description and representative part

8517.62

Machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images, or other data, including switching and routing apparatus

8526.91

Radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus and radio remote control apparatus: Radio navigational aid apparatus

8532.21

Other fixed capacitors: Tantalum capacitors

8532.24

Other fixed capacitors: Ceramic dielectric, multilayer

8548.00

Electrical parts of machinery or apparatus, not specified or included elsewhere in chapter 85

Tier 3

HS CodeHS description and representative part

8471.50

Processing units other than those of subheading 8471.41 or 8471.49, whether or not containing in the same housing one or two of the following types of unit: storage units, input units, output units

8504.40

Electrical transformers, static convertors (for example, rectifiers) and inductors; part thereof: Static convertors

8517.69

Other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, including apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network

8525.89

Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders

8529.10

Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the apparatus of headings 8524 to 8528; Antennas and antenna reflectors of all kinds; parts suitable for use therewith

8529.90

Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the apparatus of headings 8524 to 8528: Other

8536.69

Coaxial connectors; cylindrical multicontact connectors; rack and panel connectors; printed circuit connectors; ribbon or flat cable connectors; other

8536.90

Electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical circuit, or for making connections to or in electrical circuits: Other apparatus

8541.10

Diodes, other than photosensitive or light-emitting diodes (LED)

8541.21

Transistors, other than photosensitive, with a dissipation rate of less than 1W

8541.29

Transistors, other than photosensitive not elsewhere specified

8541.30

Thyristors, diacs and triacs, excluding photosensitive semiconductor devices

8541.49

Photosensitive semiconductor devices, excluding photovoltaic generators and cells

8541.51

Semiconductor-based transducers

8541.59

Semiconductor devices not elsewhere specified

8541.60

Mounted piezo-electric crystals

8482.10

Ball bearings

8482.20

Tapered roller bearings, including cone and tapered roller assemblies

8482.30

Spherical roller bearings

8482.50

Other cylindrical roller bearings, including cage and roller assemblies

8807.30

Other parts of airplanes, helicopters or unmanned aircraft

9013.10

Telescopic sights for fitting to arms; periscopes; telescopes designed to form parts of machines, appliances, instruments or apparatus of this chapter or Section XVI

9013.80

Other optical devices, appliances and instruments not elsewhere specified

9014.20

Instruments and appliances for aeronautical or space navigation (other than compasses)

9014.80

Other navigational instruments and appliances

Tier 4

HS CodeHS description and representative part

8471.80

Units for automatic data-processing machines excluding processing units, input or output units and storage units

8486.10

Machines and apparatus for the manufacture of boules or wafers

8486.20

Machines and apparatus for the manufacture of semiconductor devices or of electronic integrated circuits

8486.40

Machines and apparatus for the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles; for assembling semiconductors devices; for lifting, handling, loading or unloading of semi-conductor devices

8534.00

Printed circuits

8543.20

Signal generators

9027.50

Other instruments and apparatus using optical radiations (ultraviolet, visible, infrared)

9030.20

Oscilloscopes and oscillographs

9030.32

Multimeters with recording device

9030.39

Instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking voltage, current, resistance or electrical power, with recording device

9030.82

Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers and other instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking electrical quantities, for measuring or checking semiconductor wafers or devices

Applying a risk-based approach to exporting

Exporters are strongly encouraged to conduct additional due diligence when encountering one of the listed HS codes to ensure end user legitimacy and mitigate attempts at evasion of the E5’s respective export controls and/or sanctions. HS codes can be found on trade documents including commercial invoices, packing slips, airway bills, sea or house bills, or other supporting trade documentation.

After reviewing export data related to the list’s tier one and tier two HS codes, the E5 have identified three patterns associated with importers in non-GECC countries that raise diversion concerns:

Accordingly, all the E5 are requesting that exporters conduct customer and transactional due diligence prior to export. Specifically, when opening accounts for new customers engaged in trade and located in non-GECC countries, exporters are urged to:

For existing customers, exporters should pay particular attention to anomalous increases in the volume or value of orders. Exporters should also request and review additional information about the end-use and end-user, as well as inconsistencies between the items ordered and the customer’s line of business.

Select red flag indicators of export control and sanctions evasion

The E5 are providing an additional select list of potential red flag indicators of export control and/or sanctions evasion that may be relevant to exporters. (Consult your country’s export controls and/or sanctions authority to know your obligations.) Consideration of these indicators, in conjunction with conducting appropriate risk-based customer and transactional due diligence, will assist in determining whether an activity may be connected to export control and/or sanctions evasion. As no single red flag is necessarily indicative of illicit or suspicious activity, all the surrounding facts and circumstances should be considered before determining whether a specific transaction is suspicious or associated with potential export control and/or sanctions evasion.

New transactional and behavioral red flags

  1. Transactions related to payments for defense or dual-use products (items that can be used for both civilian and military purposes) from a company incorporated after February 24, 2022, and based in a non-GECC country.
  2. A new customer whose line of business is in trade of products associated with the tier one and two HS codes, is based in a non-GECC country, and was incorporated after February 24, 2022.
  3. An existing customer who did not receive exports associated with the tier one and two HS codes prior to February 24, 2022, and is exporting or re-exporting such items now to known transshipment points.
  4. An existing customer, based outside the Export Five, received exports associated with one or more of the tier one and two HS codes prior to February 24, 2022, and requested or received a significant increase in exports with those same codes thereafter.
  5. A customer who lacks or refuses to provide details on banks, shippers, or third parties, including about end users, intended end-use, or company ownership.
  6. Transactions involving smaller-volume payments, all from the same end user’s foreign bank account, to multiple, similar suppliers of dual-use products.
  7. Parties to transactions listed as ultimate consignees or listed in the “consign to” field who do not typically engage in business consistent with consuming or otherwise using the subject commodities (e.g., other financial institutions, mail centers, or logistics companies).
  8. A customer that significantly overpays for a commodity, as determined by known market prices.
  9. A customer or address thereof that is similar to one of the parties on a proscribed party or sanctions list of one or all of the Export Five.

Responsibilities of the exporter

Failure to comply with these recommendations can result in reputational harm, future business relationship challenges, fines, and/or criminal charges. Know the laws and your obligations.

Considerations prior to export declaration

Many other items not captured by the HS codes listed above are subject to export controls and sanctions. It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure compliance with all applicable legislation. There are a number of screening tools available that could be used to assist with preliminary compliance and due diligence:

A number of other resources are available to exporters including:

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