Military end-use controls

When military end-use export controls apply and to which destinations.

This guidance explains the operation of the military end-use controls set out in export control legislation. It does not constitute legal advice. If you are unsure about your obligations in any given case, you should consider taking independent legal advice.

The purpose of end-use controls is to allow export controls to be imposed, on a case-by-case basis, to goods, software and technology (referred to as ‘items’) which are not specified in the UK Strategic Export Control Lists. In practice, this means that even if the items which you intend to export do not usually require an export licence, you might still require one.

Circumstance 1: Where the purchasing country or country as of destination is an embargoed destination and the exporter has been informed in writing by the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU), or is aware, that otherwise non-controlled items are or may be intended:

Circumstance 2: Where the exporter has been informed, or is aware, that otherwise non-controlled items are or may be intended for use as parts or components of military items listed in Schedule 2 (the UK military list) to the Export Control Order 2008, when those military items were originally exported without authorisation or in violation of an authorisation granted by the Secretary of State.

Circumstance 3: Where the exporter has been informed that otherwise non-controlled items are or may be intended for use by a ‘relevant entity’, which means: