United States of America: Implemented U.S. Department of Commerce Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain Rule

The U.S. Department of Commerce promulgated the interim final rule to implement the provision of Executive Order 13873, Executive Order on Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chains (see related state act). These regulations create the processes and procedures that the Secretary of Commerce will use to identify, assess, and address certain transactions in the area of information and communications technology or services (ICTS) between U.S. persons and foreign adversaries. These regulations allow the Commerce Secretary broad discretion to block or mitigate ICTS transactions involving a foreign adversary if the Commerce Secretary deems that transaction poses an unacceptable risk. The rule lists six foreign governments or non-government persons as foreign adversaries. These are the People`s Republic of China, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China), Cuba, the Islamic Republic of Iran, North Korea, the Russian Federation, and the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.