Multilateral Export Control and Non-Proliferation Regimes
DTSA represents the Department of Defense at the Wassenaar
Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and
Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (WA), the Missile Technology
Control Regime (MTCR), and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
DTSA provides subject matter expertise to the Office of the
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy for the Missile Technology
Control Regime (MTCR), Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Australia
Group (AG) and the Zangger Committee (ZC). The controls and
common best practices established by these regimes are
incorporated into U.S. export control lists and regulations as
well as national control lists of member countries.
Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms
and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies
The Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) is the first multilateral
institution covering both conventional weapons and sensitive
dual-use goods and technologies. DTSA works with DoD components
to develop proposals to control new military critical
technologies and coordinates with the interagency to negotiate
changes to WA controls. The WA is designed to prevent
destabilizing accumulations of arms and dual-use goods and
technologies. The Arrangement encourages transparency,
consultation and, where appropriate, national policies of
restraint. In doing so, the WA fosters greater responsibility
and accountability in transfers of arms and dual use goods and
technologies. The Arrangement also provides a venue in which
governments can consider collectively the implications of
various transfers on their international and regional security
interests. WA members maintain export controls on the WA
Munitions and Dual-Use lists. Wassenaar also provides a forum
for discussing security and conventional weapons
nonproliferation issues that do not fall within one of the
other, more established nonproliferation regimes.
Missile Technology Control Regime
The MTCR Partners have committed to apply a common export
policy (MTCR Guidelines) applied to a common list (MTCR Annex)
of controlled items, including virtually all key equipment and
technology needed for missile development, production, and
operation. The Guidelines and Annex are implemented by each
Partner in accordance with its national laws and legislation.
The MTCR Guidelines restrict transfers of missiles -- and
technology related to missiles -- for the delivery of weapons of
mass destruction (WMD). The Regime places particular focus on
missiles capable of delivering a payload of at least 500 kg to a
distance of at least 300 km -- so-called "Category I" or
"MTCR-class" missiles.
Australia Group
The Australia Group (AG) was founded in 1984 in the aftermath
of the massive use of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war.
The principal impetus for the AG was to ensure that the
industries of the participating countries did not assist, either
purposefully or inadvertently, states seeking to acquire CBW
(chemical and biological weapons) capability. The AG observes
and fully supports international treaties and commitments
against chemical and biological weapons.
The Nuclear Suppliers Group
With 40 member states, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a
widely accepted, mature, and effective export-control
arrangement, which contributes to the nonproliferation of
nuclear weapons through implementation of guidelines for control
of nuclear and nuclear-related exports. Members pursue the aims
of the NSG through voluntary adherence to the Guidelines which
are adopted by consensus and through exchanges of information on
developments of nuclear proliferation concern.
Zangger Committee
The purpose of the 35-nation Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NPT) Exporters (Zangger) Committee (ZC) is to harmonize
implementation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty's requirement to
apply International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards to
nuclear exports. Article III.2 of the Treaty requires parties to
ensure that IAEA safeguards are applied to exports to
non-nuclear weapon states of (a) source or special fissionable
material, or (b) equipment or material especially designed or
prepared for the processing, use or production of special
fissionable material. The Committee maintains and updates a list
of equipment that may only be exported if safeguards are applied
to the recipient facility, called the "Trigger List" because
such exports trigger the requirement for safeguards.