Australia Group Updates Export Control Lists, Talks Enforcement

Members of the multilateral Australia Group in meetings earlier this month discussed dual-use export controls, updated the group’s control list and considered ways to better counter weapons proliferation, according to a statement of the group’s chair published by the State Department June 14.

The agency said member states -- which include the U.S. and more than 40 other nations across Europe, Asia and elsewhere -- revised the AG’s Common Control Lists “in response to emerging threats” and updated the various factors the group considers when determining whether to add, remove or modify items on the lists “to ensure that the lists remain relevant, appropriate and enforceable.” Those updates, agreed to during June 3-7 meetings, weren’t yet published to the Australia Group website as of press time.

The State Department also said member countries exchanged “experiences, case studies” and export enforcement best practices, and also discussed the importance of controls for intangible technology transfers. They also talked about specific “dual-use research of concern, advances in synthetic chemistry, DNA synthesis, artificial intelligence and automation.”