Singapore update export control list on April 2010

On February 12, 2010, Singapore Customs announced a planned update of Strategic Goods Control List. To be in line with international practice, Singapore Customs need to update this export control list regularly. As such, the Strategic Goods (Control) Order 2009 will be rescinded and replaced with a new Order 2010, which will incorporate the latest revision adopted by the four multilateral export control regimes such as NSG, MTCR, Australia Group and Wassenaar Arrangement. The new Order will take effect on 01 Apr 2010.

The Strategic Goods (Control) Order 2010 will include new entries, some deletions, as well as some addition of exemption notes. As per dual-use items, the control list will be based on the updated list of Wassenaar Arrangement in December 2008, which are incorporated also into the latest revisions of the European Union (EU)'s List of Dual-Use Items and Technology (updated in May 2009), US EAR (update in December 2009), Hong Kong Dual-use Goods list in Schedule 1 (implemented in February 2010), and Japan export control list (will be implemented in April 2010).

Examples of changes in the list of IT/electronics commodities are as follows:

• Electronics: 3A001.a.7 (Field Programmable Logic Devices) – Due to a change in technical specifications, control over certain field programmable logic devices is eliminated. The new control parameters are clearer and take into account advances in technology.

• Information Security: 5A002 (Encryption) – Control is relaxed over certain wireless personal area network equipment devices with published or commercial cryptographic standard (including home entertainment systems, peripherals for PC, cell phone headsets etc.), reflected through two additional exemption notes (h) and (i).

While the parameter change of controlled list requires traders to review their items classification, good news is to have “re-synchronize” the classification again with US EAR. Since US EAR implemented updated Wassenaar 2008 parameter in December 2009, traders in Singapore who refer US ECCN to their items have experienced classification disparities between US ECCN and Singapore control list. For example in 5A002 items, the cryptography item has been decontrolled by new exemption note (h) or (i) under US EAR since December 2009, but same item is still controlled under DL5A002 under Singapore regulation. From April 2010, such disparities will be resolved for Wassenaar dual-use items. Traders are encouraged to review their classification again based on new list parameter.