The Glossary
Entity List
Commerce's export blacklist; listing cuts a firm off from U.S. technology without a license.
Definition
Administered by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security, the Entity List restricts exports, re-exports and transfers of items subject to U.S. jurisdiction to named foreign entities. Huawei's addition in May 2019 demonstrated its power: U.S. software and components could no longer flow to the world's largest telecom-equipment maker without licenses. Successive additions — semiconductors firms, supercomputing centers, and some 140 entities in December 2024 alone — have made it the preferred instrument for technology containment.
Why it matters
For supply-chain analysis, the Entity List matters more than tariff rates: a listed firm is not more expensive to supply — it is illegal to supply, absent a license, and the list grows faster than any tariff schedule.