The Wassenaar Arrangement - Documents

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Technologies

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Technologies (WA) was established in 1995 to promote greater transparency and responsibility with regard to transfers of armaments and sensitive dual-use goods and technologies.

When it was founded the main objective of the arrangement was to prevent the acquisition of armaments and sensitive dual-use items for military end-use if the behaviour or actions of a state become a cause for serious concern to the participants. However, the activities of the arrangement are not directed against any identified state or group of states.

In December 2001 the participating states extended the scope of the arrangement to include preventing acquisition of armaments and sensitive dual-use items by terrorist groups and organisations as well as by individual terrorists.

The arrangement facilitates voluntary exchange of information and creates a forum in which to assess the scope for co-ordinating national control policies. A Secretariat based in Vienna assists participating states to carry out activities through the Wassenaar Arrangement.