Australia Export Control Group Reminders Industry About New Criminal Penalties
Australia’s amended Defence Trade Controls Act, which introduces criminal penalties for violations of export controls over military and dual-use technologies, took effect March 1, Export Controls Australia Group said in an alert to members this month. The group issued a reminder that Australian exporters and other organizations are now subject to “stricter permit requirements”; expanded recordkeeping rules; increased compliance reporting requirements, including for voluntary disclosures; and “enhanced self-audit expectations to ensure ongoing regulatory adherence.”
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ECAG said businesses “should take the opportunity to review internal policies, train key personnel, and ensure alignment with the updated requirements before enforcement begins.” That may call for compliance audits or conversations with legal teams “to understand how these changes affect your operations and the necessary steps to achieve compliance,” it said.
Australia passed the revised legislation last year as it worked closely with the U.S. to qualify for an International Traffic in Arms Regulation defense trade exemption as part of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership (see 2408160019).