Author Topic: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?  (Read 7498 times)

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Offline shadewindTopic starter

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Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« on: March 11, 2011, 01:20:56 pm »
I was looking a around on mouser.com for ordering some stuff. I noticed that not all items can be shipped over to Sweden where I live such as soldering flux (understandable since it might be flammable and whatnot), mains powered devices and things like that. But then I also noticed that I cannot order FPGA chips!

Every FPGA device has a little [EAR] icon on its table row. When looking at the product page, it says "This product may require a licence to export from the United States".

What kind of idiocy is this?
 

Offline the_raptor

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2011, 01:34:37 pm »
The US has export restrictions* to stop Teh Turrists!!1111 from building baby seeking anti-patriot croooz missiles.

Now excuse me while I get back to building my autonomous quad-rotor using low tech uC's.

* Most famously there was talk about this meaning it was illegal to ship Sony PS2's from the US. Also encryption software was once considered a "munition" and fell under these restrictions until it was pointed out that significant development and research on them was happening outside the US.
 

Offline tinhead

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2011, 02:04:46 pm »
"This product may require a licence to export from the United States".
this didn't means you will not get them, it is common for all US products.

In case your project is on the "export restriction" list, try another distributor
or a simple trick (depeds of course on volume/cost)

Rent a P.O. box in NA for few bucks, send it over there
and forward to your country, all you need is e.g. a ups customer number.


What kind of idiocy is this?
United States Bushdiocy, some ppl over there already on "idiocracy" level.
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Offline shadewindTopic starter

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2011, 02:38:51 pm »
Well of course I can order from another distributor (i.e. Farnell or RS) so I don't really care... but it simply makes no sense.

And export restrictions on cryptography... it's not like there are any crytographic methods in use where the mathematics aren't widely known to everybody (who would ever use a crypto that cannot be mathematically demonstrated to be scure?). Has the legislators making these laws never heard of the internet?
 

Offline tweek

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2011, 04:59:12 pm »
Has the legislators making these laws never heard of the internet?

Have our legislators ever heard of the Internet?  You should listen to this and make your own decision :)

The late Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK):

 

Offline the_raptor

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2011, 05:24:02 pm »
And export restrictions on cryptography... it's not like there are any crytographic methods in use where the mathematics aren't widely known to everybody (who would ever use a crypto that cannot be mathematically demonstrated to be scure?).

That was why the restrictions on crypto got removed late in Clinton's era. There was a geek famous shirt with some crypto code and a notice saying "according to US code blah blah this shirt is a restricted munition".
 

Offline tweek

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2011, 05:47:40 pm »
And export restrictions on cryptography... it's not like there are any crytographic methods in use where the mathematics aren't widely known to everybody (who would ever use a crypto that cannot be mathematically demonstrated to be scure?).

That was why the restrictions on crypto got removed late in Clinton's era. There was a geek famous shirt with some crypto code and a notice saying "according to US code blah blah this shirt is a restricted munition".

There are still restrictions in place on crypto here in the US.  That is why you will still see notices about export on anything that contains any useful level of crypto capability.  Most consumers don't even pay attention to the stuff though because the existing restrictions are largely irrelevant to them.

http://www.bis.doc.gov/encryption/default.htm

Looks like a ton of fun.  Glad I don't have to ship stuff.  I used to work for a reasonably-sized multi-national corporation where we shipped IT gear sometimes, and the paperwork was not fun for the folks who had to do it.
 

Offline Bored@Work

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2011, 06:01:34 pm »
Mouser is almost famous for such things. I remember they had a plug the size of maybe 10 mm x 10 mm x 20 mm and a total weight of maybe 50 g marked as "BIG", not to be shipped to the EU.

It is probably the intern adding the marks to products.

It could be that they only got a distribution agreement for the US. E.g. they won't ship several brands of measurement equipment to the EU.
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Offline shadewindTopic starter

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2011, 07:02:35 pm »
Mouser is almost famous for such things. I remember they had a plug the size of maybe 10 mm x 10 mm x 20 mm and a total weight of maybe 50 g marked as "BIG", not to be shipped to the EU.

It is probably the intern adding the marks to products.

It could be that they only got a distribution agreement for the US. E.g. they won't ship several brands of measurement equipment to the EU.
I thought about about distribution agreements too but then why would it say that a license required?
 

Offline glossywhite

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2011, 10:49:39 am »
It's a crazy world. Everything is supressed through sheer paranoia.
 

Online mikeselectricstuff

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2011, 10:57:30 am »
Best bet is to talk to a distributor in your country, and hope they are amenable to supplying the quantities you're after.
Quite apart from all the export control BS, you often find pricing can be way lower than general distributors once you get over prototyping quantities- FPGAs in particular seem to have  this wierd system called 'supported pricing', which AFAICS appears to be a process whereby you submit your project details, and the manufacturer approves the distributor to sell much cheaper (can be 50% off digikey/Mouser prices).
I'm sure someone here knows what this is all about....
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Offline shadewindTopic starter

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Re: Why can't I order FPGAs from Mouser to Sweden?
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2011, 01:13:19 pm »
I just wanted to let people know that there is actually nothing stopping me from ordering FPGAs from Mouser, it was me misunderstanding what the icon meant. A Mouser representative contacted me after seeing this thread and this is what she wrote:

Quote
Dear Shadewind:
 
I’m sorry that you misunderstood the ICON of EAR on the Mouser Electronics website.  I saw you blog at https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=2763.0 and wanted to explain our process to you. 
 
This ICON is to let buyers know that shipments MAY be denied due to export restrictions that are placed on the technology.  Sweden is not on the list of countries that are restricted from purchasing EAR product.  We may ask for an end use certificate on some products depending on the manufacturer requests or to clear any concerns that we may have about the purchase.  If you have never been denied export privileges your order would have been approved.  In the future just please understand that the EAR is only for restricted countries and denied parties, which is set by various U.S. Government Agencies.
 
As for the comment, from another blogger, about sending to a PO box and forwarding the goods, UPS/FE do not deliver to PO boxes.  If there is a valid street address and the product is illegally exported the sender would be bound to the same U.S. restrictions as Mouser.  If a party knowingly makes an illegal transaction as this the U.S. Customs Service will work with the Customs Officials in the receiving countries and action may be taken that way.
 
In the future should you have any questions regarding any restricted materials that you might be interested in feel free to contact me.  Mouser looks forward to working with you in the future.
Regards,
Lisa Garland
Manager Export Compliance
Mouser Electronics
A TTI Company
P - (817) 804-3739 F - (817) 459-5168
lisa.garland@mouser.com
 


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