Singapore’s Customs announced it will implement from early November changes to its policies on strategic goods control that will impact on the state’s strategic goods control list, brokering order, and transshipment and transit controls.
In a circular on its website, the agency said the new Strategic Goods (Control) Order 2015 (SGCO 2015) will come into effect from November 2, 2015 after being gazetted September 4, 2015.
The SGCO 2015 brings Singapore’s strategic goods control list up to date with the 2014 Wassenaar Arrangement Munitions List and the 2014 European Union’s List of Dual-Use Items (EUDL), said the notice.
The EUDL contains dual-use items—products and technologies normally used for civilian purposes but which may have military applications—controlled by the four multilateral export control regimes: the Wassenaar Arrangement, Missile Control Technology Regime, Australia Group, and Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The SGCO 2015 will incorporate revisions such as new entries, deletions, re-categorization, as well as editorial changes for consistency and clarity of controls.
Singapore Customs will be holding a series of awareness briefings with traders, including exporters, carriers, cargo agents and freight forwarders, in September on the changes to the strategic goods control list.
Additionally, some strategic goods subject to brokering controls will be re-categorized by the updated strategic goods control list. These technical changes will be reflected in the Strategic Goods (Control) (Brokering) (Amendment) Order 2015, to come into effect from November 2, 2015.
Another upcoming related change is the need to secure a strategic goods permit for the transshipment and transit of strategic goods that are prescribed in the 4th and 5th Schedules to the Strategic Goods (Control) Regulations.
“With the updated strategic goods control list, some of the strategic goods in these Schedules will be re-categorised and new goods will be added to the existing categories of strategic goods subject to transhipment and transit controls,” Singapore Customs explained. “These changes will be reflected in the Strategic Goods (Control) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.”
The Strategic Goods (Control) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 will come into effect from November 2, 2015.
Strategic goods are products containing sensitive technology and materials whose movement across borders is strictly controlled in order to combat terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
The advisory was signed by Ooi Chia Miin, head of Singapore Customs’ trade strategy and security.
Photo: Zephyris
