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Export Licences: UK Government Licensing Performance Statistics 2007

The Export Control Organisation achieved strong performance against agreed targets in 2007.

Specific points of note are as follows:

• 79% of applications for Standard Individual Export and Trade Licences (SIELs and SITCLs) were completed across Government within 20 working days (against a 70% target). This is a slight decrease on 2006’s record breaking figure of 81% and matches ECO's previous highest figure of 79% achieved in 2004.
• The median processing time for all SIELs and SITCLs was 12 days.
• ECO completed 98% of SIELs within 60 working days (against a 95% target) and the number of long-outstanding SIELs (i.e. over 3 months old) on a monthly average remains low.
• Government performance on Open Individual Export and Trade Licences (OIELs and OITCLs) was 76% within 60 working days (against a target of 60% within 60 days). This is our highest figure ever.
• 65% of appeals were processed within 20 working days (against a target of 60%) and 100% processed within 60 working days (against a target of 95%). This performance is our highest ever and is the first time we have met our appeals targets.
• There was a fall in performance on ratings advice (informing exporters whether they need a licence) with 64% processed against a target of 90% processed within 10 days for non-circulated cases and 20 days for cases circulated for advice. Customs pager enquiries, where ECO's aim is to provide advice in 24 hours in 90% of cases also fell to 70%. This was due to a number of factors including the introduction of SPIRE and a significant increase in ratings enquiries. ECO is taking active steps to improve performance in this area.

The details for 2007 against our targets and previous years are as follows:

Annual Report Targets

Non-Annual Report Figures

* SIEL: Standard Individual Export Licence
  SITCL: Standard Individual Trade Control Licence
** OIELs: Open Individual Export Licence

Export Control Organisation

February 2008