On 17 July, Kolja Brockmann, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Dual-use and Arms Trade Control Programme, briefed the plenary meeting of the Australia Group (AG) multilateral export control regime taking place in Sydney on occasion of its 40th anniversary. Brockmann presented findings and recommendations from his recent policy paper, ‘The Australia Group at 40: Making the AG Fit for an Era of Geopolitical Competition’, published in the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC) paper series.
The briefing provided an assessment of developments and challenges in the areas of membership, adherence and outreach to non-participants, transparency and regime guidance, and the impact of geopolitical competition on the work of the AG. Brockmann offered an outside perspective on the work of the AG, comparing developments and practices in other export control regimes and related initiatives and outlining recommendations for next steps.
The briefing and paper were made possible by the generous funding provided by the European Union through the EUNPDC.
About the Australia Group
The Australia Group, one of four major multilateral export control regimes, is an informal group of 42 states and the European Union that meets annually to exchange views and best practices on strategic trade controls. The AG participants coordinate their export controls to ensure that dual-use material, technology and equipment are not used to support chemical and biological warfare activities or programmes.