Commission proposes to modernise and strengthen controls on exports of dual-use items

The European Commission has today proposed to strengthen controls on exports of certain goods and technologies that – in addition to legitimate civilian applications – may also be misused for severe human rights violations, terrorist acts or the development of weapons of mass destruction. “We are living in turbulent times. Preserving peace and protecting human rights are core objectives of the EU and our trade policy is essential to that aim. That’s why we are proposing a set of modern rules to make sure that exports are not misused  to threaten international security or undermine human rights”, said Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström. A main element of today’s proposal is a new “human security” dimension in export controls, to prevent human rights violations associated with certain cyber-surveillance technologies. The proposal also simplifies and harmonises the existing export control rules, in order to save time and money for EU exporters and national authorities. In this way, the proposal aims to strike a balance between ensuring a high level of security and adequate transparency, and maintaining the competitiveness of European companies and legitimate trade in dual-use items.