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In keeping with Australia's national interests and international obligations, Defence facilitates the responsible export of military and dual-use goods and technologies from Australia.

Defence Export Controls’ quarterly permit statistics provide the number and type of export applications received and finalised, application processing timeframes, the estimated total value of permits issued, and the breakdown of permits issued to end-users by continent.

The statistics do not equate to actual exports as there is no obligation to conduct or report on an activity under a permit.

Export Application Statistics

Export Applications
Export Application Processing
Export Application Approvals and Assessments
Export Application Prohibitions and Denials
Export Applications Withdrawn, Made Inactive, Lapsed and No Further Action Required

Certificate Statistics

Certificates Issued
Australian General Export Licences (AUSGEL) Statistics
Certificates and AUSGEL Processing Times
Broker Registrations Issued
Estimated Value of Approved Defence Permits

For statistics from previous financial years

Permits are required for the export of military and dual-use goods and technologies which are defined by the Defence and Strategic Goods List.

Military goods include weapons, munitions and armour but also include items such as explosives, radios, simulators and training equipment that are used in civilian industries such as mining and manufacturing.

Dual-use items and technologies are generally used for civilian purposes but could also be used or adapted for use in a military program or contribute to the development and production of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons systems. Dual-use items can include chemicals for mineral processing, sensors and lasers for university research and development programs, or software and computer equipment.

All applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with our legislation based export control provisions. This includes consideration of human rights, national security, regional security, foreign policy, and international obligations.

Details on arms transfers within scope of the Arms Trade Treaty are available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website.

Export Applications

Export applications received and finalised for the Financial Year 2021-22
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Total
Applications received	959				959
Applications finalised	939				939

Export Application Processing

The percentage of export applications processed that were Non-Sensitive and Sensitive/Complex¹ for the Financial Year 2021-22
_{¹ Sensitive/Complex applications cover assessments that require referrals to other government agencies to assist in assessing an application against the legislative criteria.}
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Average
% of export applications that were Non-Sensitive/Non-Complex	84%				84%
% of export applications that were Sensitive/Complex	16%				16%

The percentage of export application processing times that met benchmark assessment timeframes for the Financial Year 2020-2021
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Average
% of Non-Sensitive applications assessed within 15 days	78%				78%
% of Sensitive/Complex applications assessed within 35 days	70%				70%

Export Application Approvals and Assessments

Export permit approvals, supported in-principle assessments, and advice issued for FY2021-22
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Total
Permits (Customs Act) Issued	549				549
Permits (Defence Trade Controls Act) Issued	110				110
In-Principle Applications Supported	19				19
Export Control Assessments Issued	162				162
Advice to Government Agencies Issued	43				43

Export Application Prohibitions and Denials

Information on prohibitions under the WMD Act is available from the Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995 page.
Information on prohibitions under the MEU Provisions is available from the Military End-Use provisions (section 112BA) of the Customs Act 1901 page.

Export denials under Regulations 13E of the Customs Act 1901, in-principle assessments not supported, and prohibitions under the WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) Act and Military End-Use provision for FY2020‑21
_{²Defence Export Controls data remediation activities have resulted in the previously reported figures for In-Principle Assessments Not Supported – seven in Q1 and three in Q2 – being revised to eight in each quarter.

³Defence Export Controls data remediation activities have resulted in the previously omitted denials under the Defence Trade Controls Act for Q1/Q2 statistics being included – one for each quarter.}
Export Application Prohibitions and Denials	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Total
Denials (Customs Act)	4				4
In-Principle Applications Not Supported²	4				4
Prohibition Notices (Defence Trade Controls Act)
Denials (Defence Trade Controls Act)³
Prohibition Notices (Weapons of Mass Destruction Act)
Prohibitions Notices (Military End-Use)
Prohibition Notices (Publications)

Export Applications Withdrawn, Made Inactive, Lapsed and No Further Action Required

Withdrawn, made inactive, lapsed, and no further action required for FY2021-22
Export Withdrawals or Lapsed	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Total
Withdrawn, Made Inactive, or Lapsed	48				48
No Further Action Required	0				0

Information on certificates is available from the Apply for supporting import and end-use certificates page.

Certificates Issued

Certificates issued for Financial Year 2021-22
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Total
International Import Certificates issued	50				50
Delivery Verification Certificates issued	46				46
Non-Transfer and End-Use Certificates issued	15				15
Foreign End Use Certificates signed	59				59

Australian General Export Licences

AUSGELs issued for Financial Year 2021-22
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Total
AUSGEL - Approved	8				8
AUSGEL - Withdrawn	0				0

Certificates and Australian General Export Licences (AUSGEL) Processing

Percentage of Certificates (15 days) and AUSGELs (35 days) processed within benchmark timeframes for Financial Year 2021-22
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Average %
Certificates	100%				100%
Australian General Export Licenses (AUSGEL)	75%				75%

Broker Registration

Broker Registrations received and completed for Financial Year 2021-22
	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	3rd Quarter	4th Quarter	Total
Broker Registration - Received	1				1
Broker Registration - Completed	1				1
Broker Registrations - Withdrawn	0				0

Estimated value of Approved Defence Export Permits

Caveat on statistics in this section: The estimated value includes permits for permanent, temporary and repair and return exports. From 1 January 2018 onwards, applicants have been required to include their estimation of the total value of their export over the life of the permit. Some permits, for example a permit for the repair and return of Australian equipment, extend over five years. Year-to-year comparisons of export values could therefore be misleading.

Estimated value of Defence permits issued, and percentage of permits with a declared value, by Financial Years
		% of Defence Permits with a Declared Value	Estimated Value on Approved Defence Permits
FY2021-22	Total	93%	$1,776,822,137
	1	93%	$1,776,822,137
	2
	3
	4
FY2020-21	Total	93%	$2,724,973,202
FY2019-20	Total	97%	$5,358,393,542

Export Permits Issued to End Users by Region

Export permits issued to End Users (by Region) by Financial Years
	FY19-20 Average	FY20-21 Average	FY21-22 1st Quarter	FY21-22 2nd Quarter	FY21-22 3rd Quarter	FY21-22 4th Quarter	FY21-22 Average
Africa	4%	4%	4%				4%
Antarctica	0%	0%	0%				0%
Asia	17%	16%	21%				21%
Australia^*	17%	13%	14%				14%
Europe	20%	21%	19%				19%
North America	24%	28%	23%				23%
Oceania	16%	17%	15%				15%
Other	0%	0%	0%				0%
South America	2%	1%	3%				3%

* Export Permits issued to Australian end users relate to temporary exports. Temporary exports include but not limited to: demonstration or repair and return.