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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that The Wassenaar Arrangement, a 33-country group which promotes international cooperation on issues concerning conventional arms and dual-use technology transfer, has adopted a statement of "best practices" for export enforcement to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The participating states affirmed the importance of members having effective, transparent and national law-based enforcement systems and agreed to a list of 18 nonbinding enforcement "best practices." The "best practices" are the most successful enforcement policies and techniques used in the various Wassenaar countries.
"I applaud today's action. The Wassenaar countries are sending a message that export enforcement is a key component of international efforts to keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists and countries of concern," said Commerce Under Secretary for Export Administration William A. Reinsch.
The "best practices" initiative was developed by Department of Commerce export enforcement officials in concert with other like-minded countries and unanimously approved by all 33 member countries.
"I'm pleased we were able to work with the other countries to develop this initiative," said Commerce Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement F. Amanda DeBusk.
"The adoption of the `best practices' demonstrates that other countries share the U.S. view that an effective export control system requires first-rate export enforcement capabilities," she said.
The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-use Goods and Technologies was established in July 1996 and is based in Vienna, Austria
In April of 2002 the Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) changed its name to the Bureau of Industry and Security(BIS). For historical purposes we have not changed the references to BXA in the legacy documents found in the Archived Press and Public Information.