It is vital to control the movement of materials, technology and expertise connected with weapons of mass destruction.

The UK is a strong supporter of effective control regimes and we're working to raise the standard of export controls around the world.

The UK is also a member of various international export control regimes, including:

• Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
• Wassenaar Arrangement (WA)
• Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
• Australia Group (AG)

We work with other government departments to ensure that UK export controls are rigorously maintained: 

• Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
• Ministry of Defence (MOD)
• Department for International Development (DfID)

During 2007/08 the FCO's Licensing Team handled over 10,000 licence recommendations. Each licence is assessed case-by-case against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

We advise the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) who oversee the approval of licences.

Strategic export control reports

Quarterly reports are produced on export licensing decisions by the UK Government.

They include details of export licences issued, refused or revoked for the transfer of tangible and/or intangible items, and trade control export licences issued, refused or revoked for the source countries.

Reports are archived in our strategic export control reports section.