Strategic Export Controls

📖 The Scoop

This report by the Quadripartite Committee (the Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Development and Trade & Industry Select Committees) examines the Government's licensing decisions on strategic exports taken during 2002 and 2003. This includes military equipment, such as guns, tanks and missiles, other non-lethal military and police equipment such as anti-riot shields, de-mining devices and chemical weapon detection systems; as well as civilian goods and technology which has a potential military application (dual-use) such as chemical products, cryptographic software and space satellites. Issues discussed include the transparency of Government information provision; monitoring of end-use assurances; the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and EU enlargement; international arrangements for export controls; the complexity of the British export control system compared to other European countries; enforcement and prosecution of export control breaches by HM Customs & Excise. The Committee's report finds that export controls are a crucial part of efforts to limit the proliferation of weapons and military technology, from small arms to biological agents, but in order to be effective these need to be applied internationally. More information should be published about the end use of equipment and technology exported, for example to Indonesia, to ensure adequate scrutiny and accountability in the granting of export licenses.

Genre: Business & Economics / International / General (fancy, right?)