UK issues notice to exporters over EU’s Venezuelan arms embargo
The UK Department of International Trade and Export Control Joint Unit have issued a notice to exporters following the imposition of an arms embargo against Venezuela by the EU (17 November).
The notice alerts exporters to the fact that a number of open general export licences (‘OGELs’) and open general trade control licences (‘OGTCLs’) have been amended to remove Venezuela as a permitted destination.
The EU Council decided to impose an arms embargo against Venezuela, as well as a ban on ‘related material’ that could be used for internal repression, on 13 November. It is also setting up the legal framework for a travel ban and asset freeze. The EU’s decision follows the undemocratic use of power by Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro in recent elections. In July, an all-powerful national constituent assembly populated with government supporters was created, while gubernatorial elections in October were not considered to have been conducted in a free and fair way. UN reports of violations of human rights are also a major concern.
The amended OGELs can be found here:
- OGEL (access overseas to software and technology for military goods: individual use only)
- OGEL (export after exhibition or demonstration: military goods)
- OGEL (export after repair/replacement under warranty: military goods)
- OGEL (export for repair/replacement under warranty: military goods)
- OGEL (exports or transfers in support of UK government defence contracts)
- OGEL (historic military goods)
- OGEL (military goods: for demonstration)
- OGEL (military and dual use goods: UK forces deployed in non-embargoed destinations)
- OGEL (PCBs and components for military goods)
- OGEL (software and source code for military goods)
- OGEL (technology for military goods)
- OGEL (military surplus vehicles)
- OGEL (PCBs and components for dual-use items)
- OGEL (export after exhibition: dual-use items)
- OGEL (export after repair/replacement under warranty: dual-use items)
- OGEL (export for repair/replacement under warranty: dual-use items)
- OGEL (X)
- OGEL (low value shipments)
The amended OGTCLs can be found here:
The EU sanctions measures concerning Venezuela can be found in Notice to Exports 2017/25 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-to-exporters-201726-ogels-and-ogtcls-updated-following-venezuela-sanctions
