The White House said Wednesday (Jan. 10) that it has concluded there are "no meaningful or effective control measures for computer hardware." The conclusion was based on a government review of U.S. export restrictions that found controls on computer hardware are becoming "ineffective."

"Given these conclusions about the inability to effectively control computer hardware, the administration would prefer to remove most controls on computer hardware exports, including the existing controls on exports to Tier 3 countries," the White House said. Tier 3 countries are India, Pakistan, most of the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, China, Vietnam and Central Europe.

The proposal would also drop the metric currently used to measure computer performance, millions of theoretical operations per second, or Mtops. Based on an earlier decision, computer exports will be permitted under a general license up to 28,000 Mtops beginning on Feb. 26. While calling for an end to the Mtops-based control regime, the administration said it would also implement a new level, 85,000 Mtops. Above that level, exporters would be required to obtain individual licenses for computer exports to Tier 3 countries.

Meanwhile, the White House is calling for repeal of provisions of the 1998 National Defense Authoriziation Act that among other things requires continued use of the Mtops gauge to control computer exports to restricted countries. The White House proposal would also eliminate required notification of some proposed hardware exports, waiting periods and post-shipment visits to importers.

Industry groups have been lobbying for several years to end export restrictions on Pentium-based machines that have become widely available. So far, the Bush camp has said little about its position on high-tech export controls.