§ 734.10 - Patents and standards-related activity.

§ 734.10 Patents and standards-related activity.

(a) Patents. “Technology” is not subject to the EAR if it is contained in any of the following:

(1) A patent or an open (published) patent application available from or at any patent office;

(2) A published patent or patent application prepared wholly from foreign-origin “technology” where the application is being sent to the foreign inventor to be executed and returned to the United States for subsequent filing in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office;

(3) A patent application, or an amendment, modification, supplement or division of an application, and authorized for filing in a foreign country in accordance with the regulations of the Patent and Trademark Office, 37 CFR part 5; or

(4) A patent application when sent to a foreign country before or within six months after the filing of a United States patent application for the purpose of obtaining the signature of an inventor who was in the United States when the invention was made or who is a co-inventor with a person residing in the United States.

(b) Standards-related activity. A standards-related activity includes the development, adoption, or application of a standard (i.e., any document or other writing that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines, technical or other characteristics for products or related processes and production methods), including but not limited to conformity assessment procedures. A “standards-related activity” includes an action taken for the purpose of developing, promulgating, revising, amending, issuing or reissuing, interpreting, implementing or otherwise maintaining or applying such a standard. When released for a “standards-related activity,” “technology” or “software” is not subject to the EAR provided it meets at least one condition in both paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section:

(1) The “technology” or “software” is:

(i) Designated EAR99;

(ii) Controlled on the CCL for anti-terrorism reasons only; or

(iii) For the following ECCN “items” level paragraphs of “technology” or “software” specifically for the “development,” “production,” or “use” of cryptographic functionality once the release is for a “standards-related activity:” “software” that is classified under ECCN 5D002.b or 5D002.c.1 (for equipment specified in ECCN 5A002.a and 5A002.c only); “technology” that is classified under ECCN 5E002 (for equipment specified in ECCN 5A002.a, .b and .c); and “technology” for software controlled under ECCN 5D002.b or .c.1 (for equipment specified in ECCN 5A002.a and .c only) when the release is for a “standards-related activity;” or

(iv) “Software” that is classified under ECCN 9D515 (other than 9D515.d or .e); and “technology” classified under ECCN 9E515.a, .b, or .f (limited to technology for 9A515.a.4), when the release is for a “standards-related activity;” and

(2) The “standards-related activity:”

(i) Is for a “published” standard; or

(ii) Occurs with the intent that the resulting standard will be “published.”

[89 FR 58273, July 18, 2024, as amended at 89 FR 84777, Oct. 23, 2024]