Notice

NTE 2024/18: update on AUKUS and publication of new open general licence

Published 16 August 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected].

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-to-exporters-202418-update-on-aukus-and-publication-of-new-open-general-licence/nte-202418-update-on-aukus-and-publication-of-new-open-general-licence

Introduction

This notice is to update exporters on progress with export control reforms between the AUKUS partner nations, providing for new export authorisations between and amongst AUKUS nations.

Update on AUKUS

  1. AUKUS is a trilateral defence partnership between Australia, the UK and the US which was announced in September 2021. It consists of 2 pillars and has been designed to allow the 3 nations to cooperate closely on defence capabilities. These capabilities include submarine technology and cutting-edge advanced features such as artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.
  2. To help deliver the AUKUS Partnership, the AUKUS nations have reformed their export controls to support, to the maximum extent possible licence free trade between and amongst the nations.
  3. On 16 August the US certified that the UK’s export controls were compatible with the US controls. This means the UK can benefit from an exemption from the ITAR regulations, for an agreed scope of goods and technology.
  4. To reciprocate the US exemption, the UK is publishing an AUKUS specific open general licence (OGL) that will cover the equivalent range of goods and technology on the US exemption.
  5. Certain goods and technology are not included in the exemption and are set out in an excluded technology list which forms part of the OGL. The excluded technology list includes certain items on which there are international obligations and items which the US, Australia or UK have asked to be excluded.

Open general licence

The OGL will be published on 16 August, but will not come into force until 1 September. This is to align with the date the US measures will come into force.

To be able to use the OGL, UK exporters must be on the AUKUS nations’ Authorised Users list. In addition, the export or transfer, or supply and delivery of controlled goods under the OGL must be to recipients who are also Authorised Users.

A guidance note has been prepared that provides links on how to become an Authorised User and on how to register on SPIRE and to use the OGL.

Read general licence

Read the OGL

Read the AUKUS OGL guidance note

Read the AUKUS authorised user community guidance note

Statements on the AUKUS partnership

Press release on 15 August 2024

AUKUS statement: 16 August 2024

Contact Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU)

General queries about strategic export licensing

Export Control Joint Unit
Department for Business and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2DY

Email [email protected]

Telephone 020 7215 4594

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