US begins process to ease export controls under AUKUS
The US Congress is calling for what amounts to an easing of export controls on advanced arms and technology to the United Kingdom and Australia, complaining that the current schedule of several years for some arms transfers to close allies is too slow to counter China.
On 24 March, the House passed a bill requiring the Department of State to report to Congress about progress on the ‘advanced capabilities pillar’ of the trilateral AUKUS partnership that joins Australia, the United Kingdom and United States in a defence pact.
Under AUKUS, Australia will receive several nuclear-powered submarines and highly sensitive US technologies.
The bill passed by Congress will require the State Department to report on:
- The average and median times for the US government to review applications for export licences for defence articles or services to the governments and persons (entities and individuals) of Australia or the UK.
- Information about certain violations of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (‘ITAR’) by the governments or persons of Australia or the UK.
- Recommended changes to the export control laws and regulations of the three partnership countries to implement the partnership.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, speaking to Congress before the bill was passed 393-4, said the legislation ‘focuses on ensuring the State Department is authorising technology transfers quickly to fully support implementation of this vital pillar.
‘This bill presses the State Department to take action and account for our arms transfers with the UK and Australia, so that we can address any hurdles and act seamlessly now, and not wait for a time of crisis or even war,’ he said.
‘I am proud of my bipartisan bill, which will begin to address numerous long-standing challenges in our arms exports to our closest allies,’ McCaul concluded.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1093
