U.S. Suspends Expansion of End-User Controls for One Year
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On November 12, 2025, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) at the Department of Commerce announced a one-year suspension of a rule called the “Expansion of End-User Controls to Cover Affiliates of Certain Listed Entities.” This new action was published in the Federal Register, Volume 90, Issue 216.
The suspension starts on November 10, 2025. It will last until November 9, 2026. Unless changed by another future rule, the suspension will end on that date, and the original rules will return.
What Was the Affiliates Rule?
The Affiliates Rule was first published on September 30, 2025. It stated that any company or group that is at least 50 percent owned—directly or indirectly—by one or more parties on the Entity List would also be treated as a listed entity. The Entity List is a U.S. government list of people, companies, or groups the U.S. places restrictions on for national security or foreign policy reasons.
Being on the Entity List means export restrictions apply. The Affiliates Rule would have extended those restrictions to affiliate companies, even if the affiliates were not directly named.
Details of the Suspension
With this new final rule, BIS has stopped the Affiliates Rule for one year. All changes made by the Affiliates Rule are paused during this time. Starting November 10, 2026, BIS plans to bring those changes back unless new actions are taken.
While the Affiliates Rule is suspended, BIS will study U.S. national security and foreign policy concerns about affiliates of listed entities.
Legal Authority
This rule is issued under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), as part of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. ECRA gives BIS the power to regulate exports, reexports, and related matters involving items under U.S. authority. The law lets BIS update rules without first asking for public comments, for certain urgent actions.
Impact on Businesses and Paperwork
BIS estimates that delaying the expansion of end-user controls for one year will mean about 245 fewer license applications need to be submitted to BIS during this period. This change was reviewed under several government requirements, including rules about paperwork, and is not considered a “significant regulatory action” under related Executive Orders.
After November 9, 2026, the changes will return, and license applications will return to earlier levels. The rule does not introduce new types of paperwork, just changes related to license requirements and record-keeping.
Other Procedural Notes
The rule does not affect federal and state government relationships, as explained under Executive Order 13132. The law also allows this kind of urgent suspension without notice or comments from the public. However, comments from the earlier announcement of the Affiliates Rule may be considered during future rulemaking.
Contact Information
Questions about the rule can be sent to the End-User Review Committee at the Bureau of Industry and Security. The contact phone number is (202) 482-5991.
Approved By
This rule was signed by Julia A. Khersonsky, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Trade, and officially filed for public notice on November 10, 2025.
Legal Disclaimer
This article includes content collected from the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content is not an official government publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.
