SIPRI YEARBOOK 1997

10. Multilateral military-related export control measures*
Ian Anthony, Susanna Eckstein and Jean Pascal Zanders

In 1997 the multilateral regimes concerned with controlling exports of certain goods with potential military significance - the Australia Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the Wassenaar Arrangement - continued to increase their membership. The process of integrating former Warsaw Treaty Organization countries as well as some former developing countries into these regimes continued. The European Union export control system for dual-use goods is different from the other multilateral arrangements under discussion because the actions taken in the EU and by its agencies are grounded in law. The activities of the Australia Group continued to be influenced by the existence of international disarmament treaties - the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention - and the activities of the NSG continued to be influenced by a treaty banning the transfer of nuclear weapons.