The United States’ Critical and Emerging Technologies list is perhaps the most important list of capabilities in the U.S., and is used by nearly every major government agency and department.

The regularly updated CET list, published by the White House National Science and Technology Council and The Office of Science and Technology Policy, builds upon a 2020 National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies, and includes a list of 18 advanced capabilities that are critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

To give you a sense of how important and pervasive the list of CET is in the United States, please consider the following:

• Export Controls — The Bureau of Industry and Security at the Commerce Department uses the CET list in the development and implementation of all export controls.
• Foreign Investment — The Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States uses the CET list in regulation of both inbound and outbound foreign investment.
• Technology Cooperation — The U.S. State Department uses the CET list to guide diplomatic efforts related to technology cooperation and competition with allies and partners.
• Research Funding — The National Science Foundation uses the CET list to inform research funding priorities in critical technology areas.
• Technology Acquisition — The Department of Defense and the Pentagon use the CET list to guide defense technology development and acquisition priorities.
• Foreign Ownership and Control — The Department of Justice uses the CET list when assessing Foreign Ownership, Control and Influence (“FOCI”) risks in government contracts and security clearance procedures, and when addressing national security threats related to Americans’ sensitive personal data.
• Technical Leadership —  The Office of Critical and Emerging Technologies at the Department of Energy, as well as other U.S. government departments, uses the White House CET list to guide its efforts to “sustain and extend U.S. leadership in technology in support of DOE’s energy, science, and security mission.
• Immigration Policy — The Department of Homeland Security uses the White House CET list in its effort to streamline “processing times of petitions and applications for those seeking to work, study, or conduct research [on CETs] in the United States.”
• Overall Policy — The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy uses the CET list to coordinate science and technology policy across the federal government.