U.S. proposed rule to support defense trade and cooperation with Australia and United Kingdom
Amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to support the goals of the AUKUS partnership
April 30, 2024
The U.S. Department of State today released a proposed rule to amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to support the goals of the AUKUS partnership* and to encourage defense trade and cooperation between and among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The proposed rule would:
- Amend the ITAR to include an exemption to the requirement to obtain a license or other approval from the Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) prior to any export, reexport, retransfer, or temporary import of defense articles; the performance of defense services; or engagement in brokering activities between or among authorized users within Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States
- Add a list of defense articles and defense services excluded from eligibility for transfer under the proposed new exemption
- Add to the scope of the exemption for intra-company, intra-organization, and intra-governmental transfers to allow for the transfer of classified defense articles to certain dual nationals who are authorized users or regular employees of an authorized user within the United Kingdom and Australia
- Revise the section on expediting license review applications by referencing new processes for Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada
* The enhanced trilateral security partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States