Related news: Dual–use and arms trade control

The second quantum revolution is enabling key advances in quantum computing. In response, states are increasingly treating quantum computers as strategic technology, applying export controls and other technology security policies to them. Since 2023, European Union member states, South Korea and the United States, which are all key technology partners in the development of quantum computers, have adopted export controls on quantum computing technology.

SIPRI and its partners hosted the 2026 Armament and Disarmament Summer School in Stockholm and Uppsala

On 25 April, SIPRI hosted a panel at the 11th Delphi Economic Forum on the topic ‘Dual-use Dilemmas: Balancing Innovation and Security’.

SIPRI Researcher Lauriane Héau delivered a presentation at the Arms Trade Treaty working group meetings held in Geneva on 16–19 March.

SIPRI expert Giovanna Maletta launched a new policy brief at the Call to Europe conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

On 30 October, Lauriane Héau, SIPRI Researcher, delivered a keynote speech at the first European Union Flagship Conference on Research Security.

SIPRI is pleased to announce that Dr Michal Krelina, SIPRI Associate Senior Researcher, will represent SIPRI on the Strategic Advisory Board to the European Commission’s Quantum Flagship initiative.

SIPRI and its partners hosted the Armament and Disarmament Summer School, an annual initiative that provides an important learning and networking space for early career professionals working in disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

SIPRI expert Kolja Brockmann briefed the plenary meeting of the Australia Group multilateral export control regime in Sydney.

The virtual meeting was held on 10 June as part of a project focused on improving the implementation of export controls related to surveillance technologies.

On 29 April, SIPRI experts participated in the third meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in New York.

On 20–22 November, SIPRI partnered with the United Nations International Computing Center and Quantum Delta NL to explore the peace and security implications of quantum technologies.

In October 2024, SIPRI published an extensive study on the expansion of the global space sector, referred to as ‘NewSpace’, and the risk of missile-related technology proliferation.

On 23 August Dr Mark Bromley, Director of the SIPRI Dual-Use and Arms Trade Control Programme, presented an overview of trends in arms trade transparency at a side event of the 10th Conference of States Parties (CSP10) to the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

Last week Giovanna Maletta, Senior Researcher and Acting Programme Director for the SIPRI Dual-Use and Arms Trade Control Programme, presented research at the ‘Gun Violence in the EU’ conference in Brussels.

On 12 and 15 June 2023, SIPRI took part in the 12th Consultative Meeting of the European Union Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC). The Consultative Meeting, which is funded by the EU, was organized by the Foundation for Strategic Research and gathered representatives of the EU, its member states and think tanks. 

SIPRI and the European Union Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC) are pleased to host a second installment of the intensive introductory course on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), mechanisms to control their further spread and pathways to disarmament. The course will take place on 2–5 May 2023 online.

On 15 February, Giovanna Maletta, Acting Director of the Dual-Use and Arms Trade Control Programme, participated in a meeting of the Arms Trade Treaty’s Working Group on Effective Treaty Implementation.

On 29 November, Giovanna Maletta, Senior Researcher with the Dual-Use and Arms Trade Control Programme, and Dr Lucie Béraud-Sudreau, Director and Senior Researcher with the Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme, participated in a public hearing of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence. The hearing was entitled ‘The War in Ukraine: Implications for Arms Export Policies at the EU Level’.

On 2 December, SIPRI and the Government of the United Kingdom co-hosted a side event in Geneva at the Ninth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention entitled ‘Biorisk Awareness Across Stakeholder Communities’.

On 14–15 November 2022, SIPRI actively participated in the 11th annual EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference. The conference, which is funded by the European Union (EU), was organized by the Institute of International Affairs (IAI) on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC).

The webinars of the 2022 Stockholm Security Conference are now available online.

SIPRI and the  European Union Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC) are pleased to host an intensive introductory course on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), mechanisms to control their further spread and pathways to disarmament.

On 28 August–2 September, SIPRI and the Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament at Uppsala University, in cooperation with the Odessa Center for Nonproliferation (ODCNP), hosted the 2022 Armament and Disarmament Summer School.

On 22–25 August SIPRI will actively engage in several events at the eighth conference of states parties (CSP8) to the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). CSP8 will take place at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG).

On 6–7 December 2021, SIPRI actively participated in the 10th annual EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference. The conference, which is funded by the European Union (EU), was organized by the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI) on behalf of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC).

On 8–10 September, SIPRI actively participated in the 2021 Science Peace Security Conference.

On 21–22 April, SIPRI actively participated in the Second German National Dialogue Forum on the Biological Weapons Convention. The event was organized by the German Federal Foreign Office and was held in a virtual format.

On 16 March, SIPRI experts gave evidence to the British Parliament Committees on Arms Export Controls as part of the committee’s inquiry into UK arms exports in 2019. The oral evidence session was held virtually.

As part of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC), SIPRI has maintained an active role in this year’s Consortium activities.

On 7 June, Kolja Brockmann, Researcher in the SIPRI Dual-use and Arms Trade Control Programme, briefed the annual plenary meeting of the Australia Group.

SIPRI was a thematic partner to an international conference on arms control and technology at the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin.

(Berlin/Stockholm, 14 March 2019) Advances in additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence and robotics could increase the possibilities for the development, production and use of biological weapons. The existing biological arms control and non-proliferation governance framework needs to be adapted to address these security risks, according to a new report from SIPRI.

A new paper on the further development of the EU common position on arms exports, prepared by SIPRI experts for the European Parliament Sub-Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE), has been published online.  

SIPRI is pleased to announce the publication of two new papers, entitled ‘The challenge of software and technology transfers to non-proliferation efforts: Implementing and complying with export controls’ and ‘The challenge of emerging technologies to non-proliferation efforts: Controlling additive manufacturing and intangible transfers of technology’.

On 1-2 February, SIPRI, together with the US Department of State, hosted a workshop on ‘Controlling Intangible Transfers of Technology (ITT): Mapping Key Challenges and Good Practices and Identifying Areas of Improvement’.

SIPRI is pleased to announce that it has expanded and improved its online database for Mapping Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)-relevant cooperation and assistance activities to include East Asia and South East Asia.

Kolja Brockmann, Research Assistant in the SIPRI Dual-use and Arms Trade Control Programme, presented SIPRI’s report, ‘Challenges and good practices in the implementation of the EU’s arms and dual-use export controls’, at a workshop in Taipei, Taiwan.

SIPRI launches a new Background Paper ‘3D printing and missile technology controls’, originally part of a compendium of research papers compiled by the Missile Technology Control Regime on the occasion of their 30th anniversary.

Mark Bromley presented SIPRI's online database for Mapping Arms Trade Treaty-relevant Cooperation and Assistance Activities at a side event in New York.

The EU Non-proliferation Consortium's final report is now available. The report summarizes the key developments in non-proliferation in 2014–17, with a focus on an analysis of the EU’s main achievements, and the major obstacles and future challenges it faces.

SIPRI publishes Concept Paper and set of Good Practice Guides examining the challenges facing the establishment and implementation of an effective Internal Compliance Programme (ICP) by companies and research institutes subject to dual-use and arms export controls.

Dr Sibylle Bauer, Director of SIPRI’s Dual-Use and Arms Trade Control Programme, was the main speaker at a European Parliament workshop for the Sub-Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE).

SIPRI hosted an event on the global arms trade and the role that transparency instruments can play in stopping illegal and irresponsible arms transfers.

SIPRI host two-day Internal Compliance Programme (ICP) roundtable workshop.

SIPRI’s Hugh Griffiths continues to contribute to the New York-based United Nations Panel of Experts monitoring sanctions on North Korea.

SIPRI is pleased to announce the launch of the new publication ‘ATT-related activities in Latin America and the Caribbean: identifying gaps and improving coordination’.

New publication from the EU Non-Proliferation Consortium on the technical limitations of 3D printing technology.

SIPRI is proud to announce that is has expanded and improved its online database for mapping Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)-relevant cooperation and assistance activities to include activities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

SIPRI Research Assistant Alfredo Malaret participated in the event 'Caribbean Encounter on Forensic Ballistics' held in Trinidad and Tobago on 5–6 December.

SIPRI Research Assistant Alfredo Malaret presented the Arms Trade Treaty assistance database at the conference ‘Armed Violence and Vulnerable Populations: Improving arms control and violence prevention in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru’.

SIPRI, UNLIREC and the government of Sweden co-hosted a side-event, ‘Arms transfer and SALW controls in Latin America and the Caribbean: Recent developments and lessons learned’ at the Second Conference of State Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty in August.

SIPRI and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) have joined efforts to map ATT-relevant cooperation and assistance activities carried out in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2012–2016.

SIPRI has received funding from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to produce a database that will map Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)-relevant cooperation and assistance activities in sub-Saharan Africa. The project will be carried out in cooperation with the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament (UNREC) .

SIPRI will support the German Federal Office for Economics and Export Control (BAFA) in the implementation of a 2-year project on the monitoring of imports and exports of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) materials.

The project is funded by the European Union's Instrument for Stability in the context of the CBRN Risk Mitigation Centre of Excellence (COE) initiative (Project 5).

SIPRI will develop and advise on methodologies and concepts, drawing on expertise both in the specific issue area and in practical project implementation.

On 3 September 2021, SIPRI will host a virtual side event in the framework of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Seventh Conference of States Parties (CSP7) and in connection with the launch of a series of SIPRI papers taking stock of the ATT.

In the framework of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Working Group meetings and the Seventh Conference of States Parties (CSP7) Informal Preparatory Meeting (26–30 April 2021), SIPRI is hosting a virtual side event on the role of international assistance to implement the ATT.

On 18 December 2024, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) will host an online event via Zoom that will explore how states and international organizations can bridge the conflicting perspectives that were exposed during the adoption of the 2024 UN General Assembly resolution on international cooperation on peaceful uses.

This webinar brings together a distinguished panel of technical and policy experts to discuss the challenges additive manufacturing (AM) poses to export controls, and how they can be addressed through national and multilateral export control instruments such as the MTCR.

The webinar includes several presentations on the main findings of Project DIVERT on firearms fraud. This presentation will be followed by the reflections of European firearms experts on these findings from a policy, law enforcement and research perspective.

This webinar brings together a distinguished panel of space, missile and export control experts from research, industry and policy to discuss the challenges the NewSpace industry poses to missile non-proliferation and export controls.