Articles Tagged with FIRRMA

Roya Motazedi

Zachary C. Rozen

On January 13, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued two final rules for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) implementing the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), which was enacted on August 13, 2018. The final rules largely adopt the proposed rules published on September 17, 2019, with several key clarifications and modifications. As discussed previously, FIRRMA has resulted in two separate rulemakings that expand CFIUS’ jurisdiction to include (i) certain non-controlling investments in U.S. businesses engaged in critical technology, critical infrastructure, and sensitive personal data, and (ii) certain real estate transactions. The final rules will be published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2020 and will go into effect February 13, 2020 (Effective Date), with one exception described below. We anticipate that the Treasury Department will publish a separate rule concerning filing fees soon.

Published on: September 23, 2019

New Proposed CFIUS Regulations Implementing FIRRMA

By Christopher R. Wall, Nancy A. Fischer, Aaron R. Hutman, Matthew R. Rabinowitz and Roya Motazedi

Aaron R. Hutman

Roya Motazedi

On September 17, 2019, the U.S. Department of Treasury issued two new proposed rules for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) implementing the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), which was enacted in August 2018. The first proposed rule covers, among other things, FIRRMA’s expansion of CFIUS’ jurisdiction to non-controlling investments in U.S. businesses engaged in critical technology, critical infrastructure and sensitive personal data. The second proposed rule addresses FIRRMA’s expansion of CFIUS’ jurisdiction over certain real estate transactions.

Published on: October 11, 2018

CFIUS Announces Pilot Program Requiring Mandatory Declarations for Certain Non-Controlling Investments in Specified Critical Technology Companies

By Christopher R. Wall, Nancy A. Fischer, Stephan E. Becker and Matthew R. Rabinowitz

Stephan E. Becker

The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued temporary regulations establishing a partial pilot program implementing two key changes to the jurisdiction and review of transactions by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The pilot program (1) expands the scope of transactions subject to review by CFIUS to include certain “other investments” involving foreign persons and critical technologies (though not critical infrastructure or companies with personal identifier information); and (2) makes effective a mandatory declaration provision for all transactions that fall within the specific scope of the pilot program. The pilot program will largely impact investments in companies involved in critical technologies pertaining to a specified list of industries by NAICS code, including the aircraft, semiconductor, nuclear, and telecommunications sectors. It also makes filing declarations a mandatory requirement for covered transactions involving these companies, which include acquisitions of control as well as non-controlling investments (including investments of less than 10%) that afford the foreign investor certain rights.

Importantly, the pilot program will commence on November 10, 2018 and will apply on a global basis (i.e., there is no country exemption at this time). The pilot program will not apply to transactions completed prior to November 10 or to transactions for which the parties have executed a binding written agreement or other document establishing the material terms of the transaction prior to October 11, 2018.

Published on: July 30, 2018

Congress Reaches Agreement on CFIUS Reform Legislation Broadening National Security Reviews and Addressing Emerging Technologies

By Christopher R. Wall, Nancy A. Fischer and Matthew R. Rabinowitz

House and Senate negotiators have agreed on proposed reforms to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) foreign investment review process, which has been added as Title XVII of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The final bill makes a number of changes intended to improve the efficiency of national security reviews and investigations, although a significant increase in staff and funding will be required in order to handle the increased caseload. Importantly, outbound technology transfers in the context of joint ventures and other collaborative arrangements will not be added to the “covered transaction” definition, but will instead be addressed by U.S. export controls.

Published on: June 26, 2018

Differing CFIUS Reform Bills Move Through U.S. House and Senate

By Nancy A. Fischer and Matthew R. Rabinowitz

Recently, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 5515 (NDAA). The Senate version contains several differences from the NDAA as passed by the House, and these discrepancies must now be resolved through a joint conference committee. Notably, the Senate attached to the NDAA its proposed Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), which would update and alter the CFIUS review process. The House had not attached its CFIUS reform bill, H.R. 5841, but recently passed this bill as a standalone piece of legislation. Both bills would expand CFIUS jurisdiction to include certain types of non-controlling investments, affecting foreign investors in U.S. businesses. However, impacts would vary depending on whether the investor is from a country of special concern or an allied nation.

While there are also commonalities, important differences between the Senate and House proposed CFIUS reform legislation are described below.