Guidance

Assimilated General Export Authorisations (GEAs)

How assimilated GEA licences authorise the export of certain controlled items to specified countries.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Details

General Export Authorisations (GEAs) are:

  • part of the dual-use and the torture goods regulations
  • considered equivalent in function to the national system of open general licences (OGLs) issued under UK export control law

聽after the UK鈥檚 exit from the EU through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. They are now called 础蝉蝉颈尘颈濒补迟别诲听GEAs.

础蝉蝉颈尘颈濒补迟别诲听GEAs聽are valid for export from England, Scotland, and Wales.

础蝉蝉颈尘颈濒补迟别诲听GEAs

础蝉蝉颈尘颈濒补迟别诲听GEAs聽are one of several types of export authorisation issued by the聽Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU), part of the Department for Business and Trade.

These are valid only for exports from England, Scotland, and Wales by companies registered in the UK.

To legally use the authorisations, UK exporters need to register to use the聽GEAs聽with the聽ECJU聽and make sure that they meet all the terms and conditions.

As the exporter, it is your responsibility to make sure you are using the correct authorisation.

颁丑别肠办听.

Assimilated Dual-Use Regulation

The assimilated Dual-Use Regulation controls goods, software or technology that can be used for either civil or military purposes.

Read more about the聽.

Assimilated Torture Goods Regulation

The Assimilated Torture Goods Regulation controls goods that can be used for torture or capital punishment.

Read more about聽export controls: torture and capital punishment goods.

Standard Individual Export Licence (SIELs) and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs)

You may apply for a聽SIEL听辞谤听OIEL聽if an assimilated聽GEA聽does not meet your exporting requirements.

To check if you can use an assimilated聽GEA, use the tools on the聽听飞别产蝉颈迟别.

Check how to聽apply for 补苍听SIEL听辞谤听OIEL.

See also:

Background

聽establishes an EU-wide regime for controlled exports of:

  • dual-use items
  • software
  • technology

The Regulation retains the same聽GEAs聽that existed at the time the UK left the EU.

础蝉蝉颈尘颈濒补迟别诲听GEAs聽in Retained Dual-Use Regulation

There are 6 assimilated聽GEAs聽contained in Annexes to the聽:

  • 聽(Annex IIa): exports to Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland (including Liechtenstein) and the United States
  • 聽(Annex IIb): export of certain Dual-Use Items to certain destinations
  • 聽(Annex IIc): export after repair or replacement
  • 聽(Annex IId): temporary export for exhibition or fair
  • 聽(Annex IIe): telecommunications
  • 聽(Annex IIf): chemicals

Accessing copies of retained聽GEAs

The assimilated聽GEAs聽are listed in full, as linked above, in the published version of聽聽on legislation.gov.uk.

Scope and conditions of use

Each assimilated聽GEA聽contains a:

  • precise list of destinations to which exports are permitted
  • specific list of items that may be exported to those destinations
  • specific set of conditions of use, which must be adhered to when exporting under the聽GEA

The items listed on each dual-use聽GEA聽refer to a control entry heading or rating. This should be cross-referenced to goods described on the Dual-Use List.

How to register for a聽GEA聽for controlled items

You can use聽听迟辞:

  • check 补苍听assimilated聽GEA聽provides coverage for a particular item or destination
  • decide if an assimilated聽GEA聽is appropriate for your exports
  • check whether 补苍听assimilated聽GEA聽provides coverage for a particular item or destination
  • register for the appropriate authorisation

You must:

  • meet all the terms and conditions of a retained聽GEA聽to export under its authority

Declaring/quoting your聽retained聽GEA聽registration reference number

You must declare your聽assimilated聽GEA聽registration reference number on the customs declaration form. The relevant numbers must be entered on Box 44 of the form.

Availability

The assimilated聽GEAs聽may be used by any exporter established in the UK (subject to meeting the specified terms and conditions). All聽assimilated聽GEAs聽continue to operate as authorisations to export but will only be valid for exports from GB.

Compliance

Holders of this authorisation are subject to聽ECJU聽Compliance Audits.

You must keep appropriate records when using assimilated聽GEAs.

For more information see the guide on聽compliance and enforcement of export controls.

All authorisations are legally binding. It is your responsibility when exporting controlled items that you take all reasonable steps to ensure that you use the correct authorisation.

You must act to:

  • read and understand this guidance
  • use the聽聽to help identify an appropriate authorisatione
  • seek external legal advice where required

Non-compliance with authorisation terms and conditions

You must take immediate steps to register or apply for the correct authorisation if:

  • you are mistakenly using the wrong authorisation
  • 补苍听ECJU聽compliance audit confirmed that you were using the wrong authorisation

Depending on the seriousness and nature of offence, you may receive a warning letter or be prohibited from using an authorisation.

Contact the聽ECJU

General queries about strategic export licensing

Export Control Joint Unit
Department for Business and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2DY

Email exportcontrol.help@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7215 4594

More information on export controls is available on the聽ECJU听辫补驳别蝉聽of the 天美影院 website and聽聽the online export licensing database.

Updates to this page

Published 6 March 2025

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