Defence Export Control Office
Australia-United States Treaty on Defense Trade Cooperation
The Prime Minister of Australia and US President George W. Bush have signed a Australia-United States Treaty on Defense Trade Cooperation.
The treaty, which will require legislative approval in both countries, is expected to deliver significant new opportunities for Australia's defence industry to work cooperatively on sensitive defence technology projects and to compete jointly for major defence-related global supply chain contracts.
A fact sheet and question and answer page on the treaty, along with the agreed text of the Implementing Arrangements are available.
The text of the Australia-US Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty is available from the Australasian Legal Information Institute. The Prime Minister's media statement is also available.
The Department of Defence recently held a series of Information Seminars on the Australia-United States Treaty on Defence Trade Cooperation, its Implementing Arrangement and proposed changes to Australian export control legislation during May – July 2008.
The seminars provided an overview of current ITAR obligations as a backdrop to a discussion of the Treaty scope, obligations and requirements for industry participation. Changes to Australian export control legislation were also discussed.
The presentation given at the seminars is now available: AS-US Defence Trade Treaty Roadshow Presentation.
The Department will conduct further information seminars as the Treaty arrangements progress.