§ 126.18 Exemptions regarding intra-company, intra-organization, and intra-governmental transfers to employees who are dual nationals or third-country nationals. ( a ) Subject to the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section and notwithstanding any other provisions of this part, and where the exemption provided in paragraph (d) of this section cannot be implemented because of applicable domestic laws, no approval is needed from the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) for the transfer of unclassified defense articles, which includes technical data, to or within a foreign business entity, foreign governmental entity, or international organization that is an authorized end-user or consignee (including approved sub-licensees) for those defense articles, including the transfer to dual nationals or third-country nationals who are bona fide regular employees, directly employed by the foreign consignee or end-user. The transfer of defense articles pursuant to this section must take place completely within the physical territory of the country where the end-user is located, where the governmental entity or international organization conducts official business, or where the consignee operates, and be within the scope of an approved export license, other export authorization, or license exemption.
( b ) The provisions of § 127.1(b) of this subchapter are applicable to any transfer under this section. As a condition of transferring to foreign person employees described in paragraph (a) of this section any defense article under this provision, any foreign business entity, foreign governmental entity, or international organization, as a “foreign person” within the meaning of § 120.63 of this subchapter, that receives a defense article, must have effective procedures to prevent diversion to destinations, entities, or for purposes other than those authorized by the applicable export license or other authorization (e.g., written approval or exemption) in order to comply with the applicable provisions of the Arms Export Control Act and the ITAR.
( c ) The end-user or consignee may satisfy the condition in paragraph (b) of this section, prior to transferring defense articles, by requiring: ( 1 ) A security clearance approved by the host nation government for its employees, or
( 2 ) The end-user or consignee to have in place a process to screen its employees and to have executed a Non-Disclosure Agreement that provides assurances that the employee will not transfer any defense articles to persons or entities unless specifically authorized by the consignee or end-user. The end-user or consignee must screen its employees for substantive contacts with restricted or prohibited countries listed in § 126.1. Substantive contacts include regular travel to such countries, recent or continuing contact with agents, brokers, and nationals of such countries, continued demonstrated allegiance to such countries, maintenance of business relationships with persons from such countries, maintenance of a residence in such countries, receiving salary or other continuing monetary compensation from such countries, or acts otherwise indicating a risk of diversion. Although nationality does not, in and of itself, prohibit access to defense articles, an employee who has substantive contacts with persons from countries listed in § 126.1(d)(1) shall be presumed to raise a risk of diversion, unless DDTC determines otherwise. End-users and consignees must maintain a technology security/clearance plan that includes procedures for screening employees for such substantive contacts and maintain records of such screening for five years. The technology security/clearance plan and screening records shall be made available to DDTC or its agents for civil and criminal law enforcement purposes upon request.
( d ) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subchapter, no approval is needed from the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) for the reexport of unclassified defense articles or defense services to individuals who are dual national or third-country national employees of a foreign business entity, foreign governmental entity, or international organization, that is an authorized end-user, foreign signatory, or consignee (including approved sub-licensees) for those defense articles or defense services, when such individuals are: ( 1 ) Regular employees of the foreign business entity, foreign governmental entity, or international organization;
( 2 ) Nationals exclusively of countries that are members of NATO, the European Union, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, or Switzerland;
( 3 ) Within the physical territories of the countries listed in paragraph (d)(2) of this section or the United States during the reexport;
( 4 ) Signatory to a Non-Disclosure Agreement, unless their employer is a signatory or sublicensee to an agreement under § 124.1 authorizing those defense articles or defense services; and
( 5 ) Not the recipient of any permanent transfer of hardware.
( e ) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subchapter, no license is required for the retransfer or reexport of classified defense articles to citizens of Australia or the United Kingdom, provided such individuals: ( 1 ) Are dual nationals of another country;
( 2 ) Are authorized users or regular employees of an authorized user of the exemption in § 126.7;
( 3 ) Hold a security clearance approved by Australia, the United Kingdom, or the United States that is equivalent to the classification level of SECRET or above in the United States; and
( 4 ) Are either: ( i ) Within the physical territory of Australia, the United Kingdom, or the United States; or
( ii ) A member of the armed forces of Australia, the United Kingdom, or the United States acting in their official capacity.
[76 FR 28177, May 16, 2011, as amended at 81 FR 35617, June 3, 2016; 81 FR 62008, Sept. 8, 2016; 81 FR 66807, Sept. 29, 2016; 87 FR 16425, Mar. 23, 2022; 89 FR 67291, Aug. 20, 2024]