ITAR License Exemptions for UK and Australia Co-Opted by "Expedited" Licensing Process

Mondaq Business Briefing, November, 2004 by Lynn Van Buren

by Lynn Van Buren and Linda Weinberg, with contributions by Robert S. Nichols and Steven Phillips

During the past few years, the United States has been negotiating bilateral agreements with the United Kingdom and Australia that would create a license exemption for exports to those countries of most items controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (such as defense articles, including commercial satellites, and related technical data). Negotiations between the United States and the United Kingdom were completed earlier this year. However, rather than granting a waiver necessary to implement the exemption, Congress passed a bill intended to facilitate approval of licenses for the export of ITAR-controlled items to the United Kingdom and Australia....