As an exporter, you must be fully aware of the latest licenses, declarations, regulations and much more, with one of the most common misconceptions being the exportation process of dual-use goods. Without the correct understanding, not only will you risk having your goods seized by customs, but you could potentially risk having legal action taken against you. So that this doesn’t happen, we have created this guide on what exporters need to know about dual-use goods so that you don’t have any issues going forward.
What are dual-use goods?
As you can probably guess, dual-use goods are items that serve two different purposes, being for both civil and military uses. It’s worth noting, if it was solely for military use, then it would be classed as military goods, however, if they can also be used for civil reasoning, it might be referred to as strategic goods, which are also just as hard to regulate during exporting.
Technology is perhaps the most recognisable example of these goods, as they are often designed to be used for both purposes without modification, which determines it as strategic goods.
How do you know if your goods are dual use?
Before you ever consider exporting any goods, you must be certain whether they are dual use, but how is this done? One of the best approaches is always to check the consolidated list of strategic military goods and dual-use items, where you will have a clear list of the goods that fall under this category. For reference, 9 key control categories will need to be checked over, with a few obvious and less known categories such as nuclear materials, material processing, marine and computers.
Why is exporting controlled?
As you can imagine, the primary reason why this is controlled is to guarantee that the ‘wrong’ goods, such as military goods, aren’t exported and imported overseas without the correct licensing or authority.
Especially with dual-use goods, where it has the opportunity for military use, these goods mustn’t end up in the wrong hands upon the final destination. As a result, the export license that will allow the export to proceed will depend on several factors including the final destination, the purpose of export, the item’s technical characteristics and the activities of the end-user.
What you need to do
- Classify the goods
As mentioned above, the first step for exporters is to establish whether or not your goods are dual use. Of course, as the exporter, you should be fully aware of the goods that you are exporting, though you should always check and classify the assets in all categories that it applies within. - Apply for the appropriate license
The requirement for a license depends primarily on the goods that are being exported. Global licenses can be granted if needed for single exporters for multiple items regardless of the number of countries that are importing or the end-user. Single individual licenses might also be required by the national authorities once they have checked over all of the required parameters.
Considered consulting with an expert?
With offices based all around the world, Blackthorne has gained a glowing reputation for being one of the very best global supply chain logistic partners. Specialising specifically within the IT technology industry, we have the very best understanding of export guidelines, enabling us to aid with obtaining and maintaining the appropriate exporting licensing for your requirements.
By getting in touch with our team, you will have the opportunity to speak to one of our specialists about your planned overseas export activities so that we can determine your specific export licensing needs.
