Estonia gets better access

On Thursday, August 3, President Clinton announced an update of U.S. export controls. As a result of a U.S.Government review, Estonia was one of two countries (Argentina was the other) found to have taken critical steps to improve its export control system. This review of Estonia was strongly supported by the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn.

The U.S. will move Estonia from Tier 3 to Tier 2 in its system for controlling computer exports. There are four country groupings (Tiers) in total with Tier 1 being the highest and Tier 4 being the lowest.

As firms operating in a Tier 2 member country, Estonian companies will be able to purchase U.S. computers with speeds of up to 33,000 Million Theoretical Operations Per Second (MTOPS) without prior U.S.Government approval, and with speeds as high as 45,000 MTOPS with a USG-issued export license. In effect, with Tier 2 status Estonian companies will now have better access to the latest U.S. computer technology.

The move to Tier 2 will become effective at the end of a 120-day congressional notification period required by U.S. law.

The full text of a White House Fact Sheet is available on the U.S. Embassy Tallinn Internet home page: www.usemb.ee