President Barack Obama revealed two eagerly awaited reforms to U.S. export control regulations on March 11 and hinted that more reforms will be unveiled by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in the coming weeks.

Speaking at the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) conference in Washington, Obama stressed the need to reform export control regulations to boost U.S. exports without sacrificing national security. “What we want to do is concentrate our efforts on enforcing controls on the export of our most critical technologies, making American safer while enhancing the competitiveness of key American industries,” Obama said.

The rule changes were part of a larger export-promotion effort that the president announced. Obama named Boeing CEO James McNerney to lead the President’s Export Council, a national advisory committee on international trade. Xerox CEO Ursula Burns was named vice chair of the council.

The first change to export control regulations the president announced was to allow some companies to bypass the technical review period for sensitive technologies with a “one-time online process.” This will shorten the current 30- to 60-day review process for network encryption technologies used by mobile phones and network storage systems.

The second step is to simplify the regulations on exporting products to companies with dual-national and foreign employees. “Our exporters and foreign consumers of these goods have to comply with two different, conflicting sets of standards,” Obama said. “We’re moving toward harmonizing those standards and making it easier for American and foreign companies to comply with our requirements without diminishing our security.”

Obama noted that Gates will outline in greater detail further changes to export control regulations, and the president “looks forward to consulting with Congress on these reforms.”

The president’s National Export Initiative will include an Export Promotion Cabinet, led by the secretaries of State, Treasury, Agriculture, Commerce and Labor, along with the U.S. Trade Representative, the head of the Ex-Im Bank and other officials.

“For the first time, the United States of America is launching a single, comprehensive strategy to promote American exports,” Obama said.

Photo creidt: White House