Exporters face many controls

If you're a big exporter, you've no doubt got the compliance aspects of the endeavor covered. If you're a small company aiming to export, however, you'll likely be taken aback by the legal thicket you'll be forced to navigate.

A major challenge "is trying to keep up with federal export controls set by regulators in Washington," notes the Washington Post. "The controls are supposed to help the U.S. walk the tightrope between national security and business interests, but the exponential speed of technological progress and the inherent complexity of the manufacturing process make writing transparent and lasting regulations difficult."

For a highly interesting look at the issue, the Post offers the story of K&F Electronics, based in Frasier, Mich.

"It can be a slog to determine whether, where and under what conditions a company can sell its product overseas," a process made more complex by "the sophisticated cat-and-mouse games played by countries such as China and Iran can raise the risks to levels for which small manufactures are unprepared."

This issue has been confronted by all Presidents. To his credit, President Obama has answered the call. His reform initiative focuses on streamlining the Commerce Control List and the U.S. Munitions List. The idea "is to move items from the stringent munitions regulations to the commerce list. An oft-repeated phrase in the export control world is 'building a taller fence around a smaller yard.' "

For small companies, I can only wish for speedy success.

For more:
- here's the article