Recommendation 16

We acknowledge that the EU arms control rules (other than the dual-use items) in Common Position 2008/944/CFSP are part of the CFSP, rather than trade policy, and could therefore have been included in an EU/UK foreign policy agreement but that the UK Government rejected such an agreement. However, we are aware of the concerns regarding divergence between the EU and UK’s controls systems and in particular the UK’s loss of access to the EU’s information sharing systems, especially in respect of the denial of licences. The Government should explore options for an agreement that would grant it access to the EU’s information sharing protocols or explain in its response to our report why it does not deem this to be necessary. (Paragraph 53) Compliance and Enforcement