Transparency data

Israel export control licensing data: 6 December 2024

Updated 10 December 2024

Introduction

The UK’s arms export system is enshrined in law through the Export Control Act and implemented through our Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. Strategic export controls licensing statistics are regularly published on GOV.UK covering licensing decisions each quarter, including those issued, refused or revoked. No other international export control regime offers this level and frequency of transparency.

The next strategic export controls licensing statistics publication will cover export licensing decisions made between 1 January and 30 June 2024 and will be published on 12 December 2024. However, given the exceptional circumstances, and the significant Parliamentary and public interest, the Department for Business and Trade has chosen to publish an ad hoc management information release to provide more current information about Israel export licensing. This is the second ad hoc management information release for Israel, published on 10 December 2024, following a previous release on 11 June 2024.

This ad hoc management information release now provides data on:

• the number of extant licences where Israel was included as a destination as at 6 December 2024 (Table 1)

• the number of licences currently in progress where Israel was included as a destination as at 6 December 2024 (Table 2)

• the number of licensing decisions where Israel was included as a destination from 1 June to 1 September 2024 (Table 3A)

• the number of licensing decisions where Israel was included as a destination from 2 September to 6 December 2024 (Table 3B)

This ad hoc management information release should not be considered part of the strategic export controls licensing statistics publication as they have not been produced in the same manner – see Related statistics for further details.

Table 1: Israel export control licences extant as at 6 December 2024

Licence type	Number of licences	Of which; number of licences suspended
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	304	14
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	0	0
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	58	2
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	6	0
Total	368	16

Table 1 notes

1. Licences extant as at 6 December. These figures include licences extant that were issued prior to, and post, 7 October 2023. Upon a licence being issued, it remains extant until the licence is exhausted (i.e. the exporter uses the licence in full), the licence is surrendered (i.e. the exporter proactively gives up the licence as it is no longer required), the licence expires (e.g. SIEL licence types generally have a validity of 2 years), or the original decision to issue the licence is overturned (e.g. the licence is revoked) .

2. Of the 368 licences extant as at 6 December 2024, 16 are currently suspended from use and therefore may not be used by exporters. Examples of suspended licences include components for fighter aircraft (F-16s), parts for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), naval systems, and targeting equipment. The 2 September announcement by the Business and Trade Secretary on suspension of licences related to use in current military operations in Gaza also included 6 licences which have now expired, 2 licences that have now been amended to remove Israel as a potential ultimate end-user, and 5 Open General Export or Trade Control Licences (OGELs/OGTCLs) now amended to remove Israel as a permitted destination. 29 licences in total were covered by the scope of the suspension.

3. Figures for extant OIELs do not contain Cryptographic OIELs or Media OIELs given they authorise the export of specified items to a pre-determined list of multiple destination countries (which includes Israel by default). Cryptographic OIELs authorise the export of specified cryptography hardware or software and the transfer of specified cryptography technology. Media OIELs authorise the export of military helmets, body armour, non-military 4WD civilian vehicles with ballistic protection and specially designed components for any of these items, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists in areas of conflict. There were 99 Cryptographic OIELs and 2 Media OIELs extant as at 6 December 2024.

4. Extant licences cover both items classified as military, and items classed as non-military. Licences are categorised as military if any goods on the licence were rated as military. For example, if the licence included goods rated as both military and non-military, the overall description of goods on the licence is categorised as military. Of the 368 licences extant as at 6 December 2024, 177 were military and 191 were non-military.  Of the 352 non-suspended licences extant, 161 were military and 191 were non-military. Of the 16 suspended licences extant, 16 were military and none were non-military.

5. Examples of military equipment covered under non-suspended extant licences include military listed items used for civilian purposes (body armour for use by journalists and NGOs) and military listed items for re-export to third countries. A minority of non-suspended military extant licences relate to licences where IDF is listed as the end user or ultimate end user, which cover items not assessed as being used in the conflict in Gaza and not covered by the suspension announced on 2 September (e.g. components for trainer aircraft and for submarines), as well as licences related to the F-35 programme, which are not included in the scope of the suspension.

6. Examples of non-military equipment covered under non-suspended extant licences include technology for commercial aircraft, chemical manufacturing equipment, satellite and spacecraft components,  and components for scientific submersible equipment.

7. Figures include licences where Israel and/or Occupied Palestinian Territories are listed as the End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export), Third Party Destination country (e.g. an agent or broker) and/or Ultimate End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are being utilised in that country).

Table 2: Israel export control licence applications in progress as at 6 December 2024

Licence type	Number of applications
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	139
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	3
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	10
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	2
Total	154

Table 2 notes

1. Licence applications in progress as at 6 December 2024. These figures include some licence applications that were submitted prior to 7 October 2023. These figures also include applications that were made in relation to amending licences that were previously issued and may still be extant. Licence applications are submitted to and processed by Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) through SPIRE and LITE systems (the IT platforms used to process licence applications). Applications are considered to be in progress where the application is being assessed by ECJU with an outcome still to be determined. These figures are not broken down into military and non-military, as this assessment may not have taken place yet and/or can change as a licence progresses through the application stage. 

2. Figures for OIEL applications in progress do not contain Cryptographic OIELs or Media OIELs given they authorise the export of specified items to a pre-determined list of multiple destination countries (which includes Israel by default). Cryptographic OIELs authorise the export of specified cryptography hardware or software and the transfer of specified cryptography technology. Media OIELs authorise the export of military helmets, body armour, non-military 4WD civilian vehicles with ballistic protection and specially designed components for any of these items, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists in areas of conflict. There were no Cryptographic OIEL applications in progress as at 6 December. There were 10 Media OIEL applications in progress as at 6 December 2024.

3. Figures include licence applications where Israel and/or Occupied Palestinian Territories are listed as the End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export), Third Party Destination country (e.g. an agent or broker) and/or Ultimate End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are being utilised in that country).

Table 3A: Israel export control licensing decisions made between 1 June and 1 September 2024  

Licence type	Description of goods	Issued	Refused	Rejected	Revoked	NLR
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Military	39	0	N/A	0	N/A
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Non-military	33	0	N/A	0	N/A
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	NLR	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	6
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Total	72	0	N/A	0	6
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Total	0	0	N/A	0	0
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Military	2	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Non-military	4	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Total	6	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Military	1	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Non-military	0	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Total	1	N/A	0	0	N/A
Total	Total	79	0	0	0	6

Table 3B: Israel export control licensing decisions made between 2 September and 6 December 2024

Licence type	Description of goods	Issued	Refused	Rejected	Revoked	NLR
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Military	31	17	N/A	0	N/A
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Non-military	35	1	N/A	0	N/A
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	NLR	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	10
Standard individual export licence (SIEL)	Total	66	18	N/A	0	10
Standard individual trade control licence (SITCL)	Total	0	0	N/A	0	0
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Military	2	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Non-military	6	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual export licence (OIEL)	Total	8	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Military	1	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Non-military	0	N/A	0	0	N/A
Open individual trade control licence (OITCL)	Total	1	N/A	0	0	N/A
Total	Total	75	18	0	0	10

Table 3A/3B notes

1. Table 3A provides licensing decisions made between 1 June and 1 September 2024. Table 3B provides licensing decisions made between 2 September and 6 December 2024. Please see the ad hoc management information release published on 11 June 2024 for licensing decisions made between 7 October 2023 and 31 May 2024.

2. Licence decisions include the licences being issued, refused/rejected, revoked. Some licence applications are submitted for goods that do not require an export licence. Where this is determined, the applicant is informed that no licence is required and a decision of No Licence Required (NLR) is recorded.

3. Some licence applications are not suitable for OIELs and may need the scrutiny that a SIEL application provides to fully address and assess the risk. Where this is determined, the OIEL application is rejected and exporters are recommended to apply for a SIEL.

4. Figures for OIEL licensing decisions made between 1 June and 6 December 2024 do not contain Cryptographic OIELs or Media OIELs given they authorise the export of specified items to a pre-determined list of multiple destination countries (which include Israel by default). Cryptographic OIELs authorise the export of specified cryptography hardware or software and the transfer of specified cryptography technology. Media OIELs authorise the export of military helmets, body armour, non-military 4WD civilian vehicles with ballistic protection and specially designed components for any of these items, mainly for the protection of aid agency workers and journalists in areas of conflict. There were 4 Cryptographic OIEL licensing decisions made between 1 June 2024 and 6 December 2024, all of which were issued. There were no Media OIEL licensing decisions made between 1 June and 6 December 2024.

5. Licences are categorised as military if any goods on the licence were rated as military. For example. if the licence included goods rated as both military and non-military, the overall description of goods on the licence is categorised as military. 

6. Military equipment includes exports of military products for re-export to end users in third countries.  It also encompasses equipment for civilian use where it is on the military controlled schedule (e.g. body armour of military grade, for use by non-military users).

7. Examples of licence applications issued during this period include items for academic research, items for commercial aircraft, military equipment for re-export, and components for trainer aircraft, not assessed to be used in relation to current military operations in Gaza.

8. Examples of licence applications refused during this period include components for combat aircraft and naval vessels, as well as  components for targeting and radar equipment. 

9. Figures include licences where Israel and/or Occupied Palestinian Territories are listed as the End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export), Third Party Destination country (e.g. an agent or broker) and/or Ultimate End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are being utilised in that country).

Related statistics

The strategic export controls licensing statistics provides detailed data on licensing decisions each quarter.

The next strategic export controls licensing statistics publication will cover export licensing decisions made between 1 January and 30 June 2024, and will be published on 12 December 2024. 

This ad hoc management information release should not be considered part of the strategic export controls licensing statistics as they have not been produced in the same manner and there are several notable differences.

The strategic export controls licensing statistics provides detailed data on licensing decisions, whereas this ad hoc management information release provides data on extant licences, licence applications in progress and licensing decisions - please see accompanying table notes above for definitions of extant licences, licence applications in progress and licensing decisions.

The  strategic export controls licensing statistics provide data on licensing decisions for each quarter, whereas this ad hoc management information release provides data on extant licences as at 6 December 2024, licence applications in progress as at 6 December 2024, and licensing decisions for the period 1 June to 6 December 2024. Please note that there will be some overlap between licences extant as at 6 December 2024 and licensing decisions for the period 1 June to 6 December 2024. For example, if a SIEL was issued on 31 July 2024 and it remained extant as at 6 December 2024, it would be counted within Table 1 and Table 3A.

Where the strategic export controls licensing statistics are broken down by country this is determined by the End User Destination. Therefore, a licence is determined to be for Israel within the strategic export controls licensing statistics where Israel and/or Occupied Palestinian Territories are listed as the End User Destination country.  However, for this ad hoc management information release, a licence/application is determined to be for Israel where Israel and/or Occupied Palestinian Territories are listed as the End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are incorporated into a wider item for re-export), Third Party Destination country (e.g. an agent or broker) and/or Ultimate End User Destination country (e.g. where UK components are being utilised in that country).

The strategic export controls licensing statistics are usually published 4 to 6 months after the reference period they relate to, which allows for significant levels of quality assurance to be carried out, whereas this ad hoc management information release has been produced and released at pace to ensure timelier management information can be made available in an orderly, open, fair and transparent manner.  Therefore, whilst we have applied as much assurance and due diligence as possible in the time allowed, the same level of quality cannot be guaranteed and extra care should be taken when using data taken from the ad hoc management information release.

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) publish guidance on understanding the difference between Official Statistics and published Management Information.

Contact

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