Background: Entity List

The legal framework

The U.S. Entity List identifies foreign parties that are prohibited from receiving some or all items subject to the EAR unless the exporter, reexporter, or transferor first receives a license from BIS. The U.S. Government has determined that persons and entities on the Entity List present a significant risk of diverting U.S. items to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, state sponsors of terrorism, or other activities contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.

The Entity List is an important policy tool to protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce - BIS - Annual Report to Congress for Fiscal Year 2020