UK Act of Parliament 2002 United Kingdom

Export Control Act 2002

An Act to make provision enabling controls to be imposed on the exportation of goods, the transfer of technology, the provision of technical assistance overseas and activities connected with trade in controlled goods; and for connected purposes.

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
ECJU
Status
Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 1 of 2 obligations carry imprisonment (10 years). 1 has no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person1

Plus 1 duty on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.007 Control powers: supplementary (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Breach export controls or licensing requirementsAny Person
s.010 Annual reports (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must publish annual reports on export controlsCrown / Minister / Government department
15 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.001 Export controls (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Transfer Controls (opens in a new tab)
s.003 Technical assistance controls (opens in a new tab)
s.004 Trade controls (opens in a new tab)
s.005 General restriction on control powers (opens in a new tab)
s.006 Exceptions from the general restriction (opens in a new tab)
s.008 Protection of certain freedoms (opens in a new tab)
s.009 Guidance about the exercise of functions under control orders (opens in a new tab)
s.011 Interpretation (opens in a new tab)
s.012 Power to modify the Schedule (opens in a new tab)
s.013 Orders (opens in a new tab)
s.014 Financial provision (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Consequential repeals (opens in a new tab)
s.016 Short title, etc (opens in a new tab)
s.categories of goods, technology and technical assi Categories of goods, technology and technical assistance

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

Manage your export compliance

Ongoing compliance for established exporters - export controls, sanctions, bribery prevention, and regulatory requirements

Export controlled goods and dual-use items

Compliance-critical guidance for exporting military items, dual-use technology, or goods subject to sanctions - with penalties up to 10 years imprisonment

Grow your tech business

Scale your tech business - funding, international expansion, investment, and preparing for exit

Start a fintech business

Launch a financial technology business requiring FCA authorisation

Run a tech business

Ongoing compliance, operations, and growth guidance for established UK tech and software businesses
6 more guides that reference this instrument
Export Control (Dual-Use Technology) ITAR Compliance for UK Companies Trade sanctions and export restrictions UK Export Controls for Defence Products Understanding UK export licensing and controls Vehicle and transport equipment manufacturer: compliance checklist

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.