On 22 June 2000, the EU Council adopted a new EU regime for exports of dual-use goods, which will take effect from October this year (Council Regulation (EC) No. 1334/2000, OJ L159, 30.06.2000).
Dual-use goods are goods, including software and technology, which can be used for both civilian and military purposes. Whereas, for security reasons, military equipment and hardware are not subject EC rules, trade in dual-use goods comes within the EC’s common commercial policy. This new Regulation replaces existing EU rules on exports of dual use goods, which were commonly recognised as being so weak as not to provide any effective degree of harmonisation of exports controls (hence customs officials and industry having to deal with 15 different kinds of export licences).
