United Kingdom exporters can ship many dual-use goods to 12 more countries without individual licences from 14 October 2026.<\/p>\n
The UK Export Control Joint Unit added 12 countries to its dual-use general export licence on 14 October 2026 and widened military licences.<\/p>\n
The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) is the UK government team that issues export licences for sensitive goods. Its Notice to exporters 2026\/23 sets out the changes1<\/a><\/sup>. It covers goods with both civilian and military uses, called dual-use goods, and defence parts, software and technology.<\/p>\n In short, a UK firm can now send many controlled goods to the 12 new countries without asking for a licence for each shipment. It registers once for the general licence, marks its papers, and keeps records.<\/p>\n An open general export licence (OGEL) is a licence published for everyone to use. An exporter does not apply for it shipment by shipment. Instead, it registers and then follows the licence conditions. The alternative is a standard individual export licence (SIEL), which the exporter must apply for and wait to receive.<\/p>\n From 14 October 2026<\/strong>, the ECJU widened the Dual-Use OGEL it first announced in June1<\/a><\/sup>. The licence covers goods from aviation and maritime equipment to information technology. It also covers advanced technology in semiconductors and quantum1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The notice adds these 12 destinations to the countries already covered1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n Before this change, a shipment of listed dual-use goods to any of these countries needed its own licence. Now an exporter registered for the Dual-Use OGEL can ship without waiting for a decision, as long as it meets the conditions.<\/p>\n The October 2026 version of the licence lists its destinations in a schedule2<\/a><\/sup>. It covers all 27 EU member states for exports from Great Britain. A licence is not needed to send goods from Northern Ireland to EU member states2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The wider list of destinations now reads2<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n The licence also covers 11 British Overseas Territories, such as Bermuda, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. It covers the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man as well2<\/a><\/sup>. The Isle of Man is included only for exports from Northern Ireland2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The June notice explains how the licence began. It merged two older licences: the EU member states Dual-Use OGEL and General Export Authorisation GEA0013<\/a><\/sup>. At that time it added South Korea, Singapore, Chile and Uruguay and the British Overseas Territories3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The licence covers goods listed in Annex I of the UK’s dual-use rules, with some exceptions2<\/a><\/sup>. For exports from England, Wales and Scotland, all entries in Annex IIg are excluded. For exports from Northern Ireland, all entries in Section I of Annex II are excluded2<\/a><\/sup>. Goods under control entry 0C003 are also excluded2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Some goods are excluded only for certain countries. The licence lists 11 control entries excluded<\/strong> for each of the 12 new countries2<\/a><\/sup>. The same list applies to Chile, Singapore, South Korea, Uruguay and the overseas territories2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The excluded entries are 1A004a, 1A004b, 1A005, 4D004, 4E001c, 5A001f, 5A001j, 5A004, 5D002c3, 6A002c and 6A003b2<\/a><\/sup>. A firm that wants to ship one of these goods to those destinations still needs another licence.<\/p>\n The licence also stops in several cases. It cannot be used when the government has told the exporter the goods may help make chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, or missiles that could carry them2<\/a><\/sup>. It cannot be used for goods going to a customs free zone, except technology sent by phone, fax or other electronic means2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n It also excludes goods for the army, police or security services of a country under an arms embargo, when the government has told the exporter of that use2<\/a><\/sup>. The same applies when the exporter knows of such a use itself2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The notice also widens both military goods, software and technology (MGST) OGELs1<\/a><\/sup>. These licences cover a wide range of defence parts. The ECJU says these exports are critical to the UK’s plans under its Strategic Defence Review1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n One MGST licence covers only government buyers, and NATO buyers where that applies. NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Seven countries<\/strong> now qualify under this licence1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n The broader MGST licence covers both commercial buyers and government or NATO buyers. Seventeen countries<\/strong> will qualify under it1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n For a defence supplier, this means a private company in Poland or South Korea can now be supplied under the general licence. Before, many such sales needed an individual licence.<\/p>\n The ECJU says the destinations are lower risk1<\/a><\/sup>. It based its choice on a close study of past licensing decisions1<\/a><\/sup>. Experts across government also gave advice, including the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The agency says the change could remove the need for over 800 individual licence applications<\/strong> a year1<\/a><\/sup>. It says this lets its staff check the most sensitive licences faster and more closely1<\/a><\/sup>. The decisions also reflect talks with exporters and other businesses1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The June notice gave a similar reason for the first version. It said the review showed exports to the added countries were "consistently approved and present low risk"3<\/a><\/sup>. It said those additions could save exporters more than 500 individual licences a year3<\/a><\/sup>. It also said the review would continue and more destinations might follow3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The licence sets out the steps an exporter must follow2<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\nWhat is changing for dual-use exports on 14 October 2026?<\/h2>\n
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Which countries does the Dual-Use OGEL now cover?<\/h2>\n
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Which dual-use goods are left out?<\/h2>\n
What changes for military goods licences?<\/h2>\n
Countries added to each licence on 14 October 2026<\/h4>\n
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Why did the ECJU widen the licences?<\/h2>\n
How does an exporter use the Dual-Use OGEL?<\/h2>\n
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What an exporter must do under the Dual-Use OGEL<\/h4>\n