Export Control is governed by the Export Control Order 2008 and is aimed at protecting National Security from the export of items that could be considered as high risk and/or used for dual purposes, such as:

• Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
• Internal repression, regional instability or other human rights violations
• Foreign policy and international treaty commitments
• National and collective security of the UK and its allies
• Trade sanctions and arms embargoes

Export Control applies to the academic sector as it does to other industries. The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) administers the UK’s system of export control. In particular, they provide the licensing of strategic goods, which may become relevant in the following situations:

• Work with collaborators overseas on research projects in high risk areas;
• Take your research overseas, which may include component parts of the research (e.g. data, the carrying of your laptop with research data on it to an overseas conference);
• Export your technology.