Entity List

The Entity List is a trade restriction list published by the United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), consisting of certain foreign persons, entities, or governments.^[1] It is published as Supplement 4 of Part 744 of the Code of Federal Regulations.^[2] Entities on the Entity List are subject to U.S. license requirements for the export or transfer of specified items, such as some U.S. technologies.^[1][3] However, U.S. persons or companies are not prohibited from purchasing items from a company on the Entity List.^[4] Being included on the Entity List is less severe than being designated a "denied person" and more severe than being placed on the Unverified List (UVL).^[5]

First published in 1997 to inform the public on entities involved in disseminating weapons of mass destruction, the list has since expanded to include entities that engaged in "activities sanctioned by the State Department and activities contrary to U.S. national security and/or foreign policy interests".^[6] It is published by the BIS at Supplement No. 4 to Part 744 of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).^[1]