U.S. export control agency with responsibility for controlling the export of dual use goods and certain other categories of goods and (technical information), such as police (crime control) equipment, tools for espionage and encryption and items perceived to be potentially useful to terrorists. BIS administers the Export Administration Regulation (EAR).
Until 2002 BIS was known as the Bureau of Export Administration or BXA, and the acronym is still commonly used to refer to it. Trade in weapons and military goods is managed by a different agency, the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).