The United States announced on Thursday that it will tighten controls on exports of cutting-edge technologies, such as components for quantum computers, by extending them to the entire world, in an approach that is intended to be common with its allies. Concretely, the Commerce Department will control exports of these technologies, which also concern, for example, machines for manufacturing advanced semiconductors, and will be able to have a right of veto, if it considers that such a move would have consequences for American national security.
This new step is part of a common hardening since “several like-minded countries” and could be joined by other countries, the ministry said in its press release. “It’s about ensuring that our control tools adapt to rapidly changing technology and are more effective when we work in concert with our international partners.”stressed the American undersecretary in charge of the Bureau of Industry and Security, Alan Estevez, quoted in the press release. “The most effective approach is to coordinate and strengthen our actions with our like-minded partners”added the assistant secretary in charge of Exports, Thea Rozman KIendler.
A series of sanctions
The new rules concern components enabling the development of quantum computing and industrial equipment to produce state-of-the-art semiconductors in general, but also other types of industrial equipment or technologies related to field-effect transistors, which are useful for supercomputers.
This is a further step by Washington to limit access to high-tech equipment, particularly for China, Iran and Russia, all three of which are already subject to restrictions, sometimes significant, in this area. The new rules could notably make it possible to better control and limit the risk of circumvention of sanctions or export bans, circuitous circuits which often involve companies established in other countries and acquiring equipment prohibited from export to China or Russia and then reselling it in these countries.
In recent months, the United States has announced a series of sanctions targeting companies, mainly based in Turkey or the United Arab Emirates, but also in Europe, accused of having participated in circumventing these bans or sanctions put in place, particularly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
