Bulgarian membership in export control regimes

Republic of Bulgaria is a Member State of all export control regimes: Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, Nuclear Suppliers Group and Zangger Committee. These regimes do not have strict legal status, the accepted decisions within the regimes are not legally binding, but countries apply them voluntarily. However it is important to notice that European Union applies all regulations, decisions and control lists that are approved by the export control regimes. The Wassenaar Arrangement was established in order to contribute to the regional and international security and stability by promoting transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilizing accumulations. The aim is also to prevent the acquisition of these items by terrorists. The Participating States seek, through their national policies, to ensure that transfers of these items do not contribute to the development or enhancement of military capabilities which undermine these goals, and that the products are not diverted to support such capabilities. All Wassenaar Arrangement decisions are taken by consensus during the Plenary Meetings. The approved Control Lists of the regime become part of European Union Control Lists. Republic of Bulgaria is a co-founder of the regime which was established in 1996. Bulgaria was Plenary chair in 2008. According to regime decisions our country presents annual information about the realized export for non-member countries. The official website of the regime is: www.wassenaar.org The Australia Group is an informal forum of countries which was established in 1985. The forum was initiated by Australian Government in response to 1984 use of chemical weapons in Iraq. Through the harmonization of export control policies this group seeks to ensure that the export does not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons. All Australia Group participants are Member States to the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention. Republic of Bulgaria joined the regime in October 2001. The official website of the Australia Group is: www.australiagroup.net Missile Technology Control Regime was established in 1987 by Canada, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and USA. The main goal of this regime is to prevent the proliferation of unmanned delivery systems for nuclear weapons especially the systems that are capable to deliver at least 500 kg at a minimum distance of 300 km. Member States of this regime coordinate their national policies and export control measures with the aim to prevent the proliferation of these systems. Republic of Bulgaria is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime from 1 June 2004. The official website of the regime is: www.mtcr.info In 2002 the Missile Technology Control Regime was strengthened by The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC). The HCoC appeals for vigilance and restrain from proliferation of ballistic missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Republic of Bulgaria joined the HCoC on 21 November 2002. As a state that does not develop programmes for acquisition, testing and launching of ballistic missiles and also does not produce, develop, test and launch space launch vehicles Republic of Bulgaria by now has nothing to declare. Nuclear Suppliers Group is an international body that was established with the goal to reduce nuclear proliferation through control of the export and re-export of materials that could be used for nuclear weapons development. The regime also works for the improvement of storage and protection of nuclear materials. When the Nuclear Suppliers Group was established there were seven Member States: Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Japan, USSR, United Kingdom and USA. Currently Member States are forty eight and the European Commission participates as an observer. Bulgaria joined the Guidelines for nuclear export of the regime in 1984. The official website of Nuclear Suppliers Group is: www.nuclearsuppliersgroup.org Zangger Committee is international regime that contributes for the implementation of export control policies when Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is applied. Guidelines of the regime envisage three conditions to be met in order permission for export to be granted: warrantees that the products will not be used for nuclear ammunitions; the receiving state must apply the International Atomic Energy Agency Safeguards and also clause for re-export, that requires receiving states to apply the same procedures when export these products. Republic of Bulgaria is accepted in Zangger Committee during the annual meeting of the regime on 22 October 1992. The official website is: www.zanggercommittee.org