The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom worked tirelessly to strengthen the AUKUS partnership by furthering defense trade integration. Today, the Department of State submitted to the Congress a determination that Australia and UK export control systems are comparable to those of the United States and have implemented a reciprocal export exemption for U.S. entities.
The Department of State will shortly publish an interim final rule to amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and implement an export licensing exemption for Australia and the United Kingdom. The ITAR exemption will be effective September 1, 2024.
All three nations continue to affirm the importance of working with their private sectors and research communities enabling stakeholder input. The trilateral partners took public, and industry comments received seriously. Furthermore, the Department of State will implement a 90-day public comment period for the interim final rule to allow for further refinement in subsequent rulemaking.
The changes implemented by this rule will maximize innovation and mutually strengthen our three defense industrial bases by facilitating billions of dollars in secure license-free defense trade. The ability of AUKUS partners to innovate and establish new enabling environments at a pace of relevance maximizes the partnership’s benefits. This new trade exemption is just one example of how the AUKUS partners are working together to meet the challenges of the future. This effort will enable deeper cooperation among AUKUS partners to advance peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.