Where Industry and Security Intersect
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WASHINGTON -- The Department of Commerce has published updated rules which implement the President's decision last week to immediately revise export controls on general-purpose microprocessors from the current control level of 1200 MTOPS (million theoretical operations per second) to 1900 MTOPS.
"These changes reflect a reality of the world marketplace -- microprocessors cannot be effectively controlled at lower levels because they are widely distributed, highly portable and are used in almost every personal and business computer," said Commerce Under Secretary for Export Administration William A. Reinsch.
The Department of Commerce will continue to maintain controls on higher performance microprocessors sold in small quantities for high-end computer and other applications. Controls on application-specific microprocessors that have military applications and are sold in relatively small quantities are unchanged.
The regulations were published in the Federal Register July 8, 1999, and take effect immediately. Additional regulatory changes related to high performance computers will be published at a later date.
The Department of Commerce, through its Bureau of Export Administration, administers and enforces export controls for reasons of national security, foreign policy, nonproliferation and short supply.
In April of 2002 the Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) changed its name to the Bureau of Industry and Security(BIS). For historical purposes we have not changed the references to BXA in the legacy documents found in the Archived Press and Public Information.