Spain publishes regulations on the control of foreign trade in defense materials, and dual-use materials, products and technology

The Regulation sets the conditions, requirements and procedures for exercising the control function of foreign trade in defense material, and dual-use materials,  products and technologies, in order to duly comply with the regulations of the European Union, Spain’s  international commitments and contribute to promoting peace, stability and security in the global or regional level protect the general interests of national defense and foreign policy of the state.

In order to provide a single text containing regulations on the control of foreign trade for these products, the Royal Decree consolidates the provisions adopted in the Regulation controlling foreign trade in defense material, dual-use material, products and technologies  approved by Royal Decree 2061/2008 of 12 December, with the changes made to it by the Royal Decree 844/2011 of 17 June. In addition, it regulates transfers in foreign trade of defense material, dual-use materials, products and technologies, which have been incorporated and developed as required by European legislation and includes updated commitments made in international forums in which Spain participates, without prejudice to the requirement of administrative authorization, derived from the general regulations on arms transfers that are not controlled by this Royal Decree.

The Regulation extends recordkeeping from four to ten years, simplifies some customs procedures, incorporates the Common Military List of the European Union (adopted by the Council on 17 March 2014), simplifies the licensing process, adds references to the Treaty on Arms Trade, revises the requirements for control documents for civilian firearms use and limits exports to certain uses for certain destinations. In addition, it consolidates processing under the regulation in the General Directorate for International Trade in Defence and Dual-Use.