A Step Towards Export Control Reform

President Obama signed an Executive Order on November 9, 2010, establishing the Export Enforcement Coordination Center (the Center). Some of the frustrations with current export control laws are that such laws are enforced through different government agencies, are overly complicated, and are often redundant. The Center was established to coordinate export enforcement activities and serve as a forum through which executive departments and agencies will enhance their export control enforcement efforts and identify and resolve conflicts between these agencies. Additionally, the Center will serve as a conduit between government enforcement agencies and U.S. intelligence agencies to exchange information relating to potential U.S. export control violations. Through this new Center, the President hopes to eliminate conflicting polices between the separate agencies and strengthen export control enforcement overall. –R. Ellen Coley