Details of the current UK export control legislation operated by BERR's Export Control Organisation with effect from 19 July 2007 which covers the following areas:
Click on the link in the right hand column for details of the Export Control Act 2002.
Non-ECO Export Controls
To find out about export controls not administered by ECO, and who you should contact about exporting goods like chemicals, prescription drugs, fauna and flora, antiques etc click on the link in the right hand column.
Military equipment, security and para-military goods, dual-use items and other items whose export is subject to control for strategic reasons
The Export of Goods, Transfer of Technology and Provision of Technical Assistance (Control) Order 2003 (S.I.2003/2764)("the Main Order"), as amended by
S.I. 2004/1050 | amends PL5001.c; |
S.I. 2004/2561 | amends Schedule 5; |
S.I. 2004/2741 | removes Libya from Article 11; |
S.I. 2005/232 | removes Iraq from Article 11 and adds Iraq and Ivory Coast to Schedule 3; |
S.I. 2005/468 | customs changes; |
S.I. 2005/3257 | adds Uzbekistan to Schedule 3; |
S.I. 2006/300 | removes Bosnia and Herzegovina from Schedule 3; |
S.I.2006/1331
| removes Iraq from entries PL9005, PL9008 and PL9009 in Schedule 2; replaces Schedule 1 (“the military list”) with a new Schedule 1; and adds a General Technology Note to Schedule 2. |
S.I. 2006/1696 | National exclusions from the relaxation on transhipment controls which are defined under Article 11 (11) (b) of the main Order are revised to reflect the new mix of national and Community controls; |
| A number of goods previously controlled at a national level under ML7, PL5001, and PL9001 have been deleted or reduced in scope to avoid any overlap with those applied directly by the Regulation for export from the Community; |
| A new Schedule 1A introduced to apply national controls to exports to EU destinations and transhipment for goods whose export from the Community is controlled directly by the Regulation | |
S.I. 2007/1863 | The amending Order makes a number of changes to Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 to the main Order. These are a consequence of the latest review of the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), as well as some national policy changes. |
S.I. 2005/443 | customs changes; |
S.I. 2006/1696 | trade controls are extended to all goods listed in Annexes II and III to the 2005 Regulation; and |
| Definitions of “Controlled Goods” and “Restricted Goods” are revised to reflect the additional trade controls. |
S.I. 2004/1049 | amends Article 8; |
S.I. 2004/2741 | removes Libya from the Schedule; |
S.I. 2005/232 | adds Ivory Coast to the Schedule; |
S.I. 2005/445 | customs changes; |
S.I. 2005/3257 | adds Uzbekistan to the Schedule; |
S.I. 2006/300 | removes Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Schedule. |
S.I. 2006/1696 | trade controls are extended to all goods listed in Annexes II and III to the 2005 Regulation; and |
| definitions of “Controlled Goods” are revised to reflect the additional trade controls. |
Council Regulation (EC) No.2432/2001 | amends Article 14; |
Council Regulation (EC) No. 394/2006 | replaces all Annexes. |
Provision is made in Article 8 and 9 of the Main Order to prohibit, without a licence, electronic and non-electronic transfer of software and technology either within the UK (where there is reason to believe that such software or technology may be used outside the EC) or outside the European Community where they have been informed by the Secretary of State or are aware that it is intended in its entirety or in part for any WMD use.
Provision is made under Article 10 of the Main Order to prohibit, without a licence, directly or indirectly to a person outside the EC any technical assistance related to the supply, delivery, manufacture, maintenance or use of anything where they have been informed by the Secretary of State or are aware that it is intended in its entirety or in part for any WMD use.
Military End Use
Provision is made in Article 4 of the EC Regulation to prohibit in certain circumstances the export without a licence of dual-use items not listed in Annex I of the EC Regulation if the exporter has been informed by the competent authorities of the Member State in which he is established that they are or may be intended, in their entirety or in part:
In addition if the exporter is aware that dual-use items not listed in Annex I of the EC Regulation, are intended in their entirety or in part, for any of the uses referred to in paragraph 2 and 3 above he must notify the competent authorities who will decide whether or not to make the export concerned subject to authorisation.
Provision is also made in Article 4(2)(c) to prohibit, in accordance with Article 4(1)(2)(3) or (4) of the EC Regulation, (paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 above), the export of dual-use items not listed in Annex I of the EC Regulation and not specified in Schedule 2 of the Main Order to another Member State where the exporter knows at the time of export that the final destination of those items is outside the European Community and no processing or working is to be performed on those items in the Member State to which they are to be exported.
Guidance on the "End-Use Control", is in the Licensing Policy section on this website or from the ECO Helpline (details below).
Trade Sanctions
Sanctions vary widely in scope, for example, with the exception of certain humanitarian goods they may prohibit all trade placing restrictions upon exports, imports, financial transactions, communications and transportation. But sanctions can be more limited, for example restricting the export of certain goods only. Further information about sanctions and licensing under sanctions legislation is available from:
Special Casework Licensing Unit
3rd Floor, Kingsgate House,
66-74 Victoria Street,
London SW1E 6SW
Tel 020 7215 4544
Fax 020 7215 4539
Arms Embargoes; Export Restrictions; Measures against Terrorists
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes a list of sanctions regimes, arms embargoes and restrictions on the export of strategic goods (on a country by country basis); a list of export control restrictions applying to all countries and a list of measures against terrorists (not territory specific). These lists can be accessed through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Internet website; and the ECO website also has a Sanctions and Embargoes section. Click on the relevant links in the right hand column.
Where to get information on changes to controls
You can obtain further guidance on export controls and Open General Licences issued by the ECO from:
3rd Floor, Kingsgate House,
66-74 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6SW
Fax 020 7215 0531
e-mail eco.help@dti.gsi.gov.uk;
July 2007
* For the purpose of the Regulation "military end-use" is defined as (i) incorporation into military items listed in the military list of Member States; (ii) use of production, test or analytical equipment and components therefore for development, production or maintenance of military items listed in (i); and (iii) use of any unfinished products in a plant for the production of military items listed in (i).
