Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL)

The Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) includes goods which may not be exported from Australia unless a licence or permission has been granted by the Minister or an authorised person and that licence or permission is produced to a Collector of Customs before exportation: regulation 13E of the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958.

The DSGL was first published in 1996 when the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 were consolidated and revised as a result of an Australian National Audit Office review of the Defence export control activity. The list includes equipment, assemblies and components, associated test, inspection and production equipment, materials, software and technology and is divided into two parts.

PART 1 covers defence and related goods – those goods and technologies designed or adapted for use by armed forces or goods that are inherently lethal. These goods include:

  • Military Goods: those goods or technology that is designed or adapted for military purposes including parts and accessories thereof.
  • Non Military Lethal Goods (NMLG): that equipment that is inherently lethal, incapacitating or destructive such as non-military firearms, non-military ammunition and commercial explosives and initiators.

PART 2 covers those goods that have a dual use. Dual-use goods comprise equipment and technologies developed to meet commercial needs but which may be used either as military components or for the development or production of military systems or weapons of mass destruction. This part is further subdivided into and is made up of the following 10 categories:

  • Category 0: Nuclear Materials
  • Category 1: Materials, Chemicals, Microorganisms and Toxins
  • Category 2: Materials Processing
  • Category 3: Electronics
  • Category 4: Computers
  • Category 5: Telecommunications and Information Security
  • Category 6: Sensors and Lasers
  • Category 7: Navigation and Avionics
  • Category 8: Marine
  • Category 9: Aerospace and Propulsion.

The DSGL is amended from time to time to reflect changes in the various multilateral non-proliferation and export control regimes of which Australia is a member.

The complete Defence & Strategic Goods List is over 300 pages, so a quick reference guide is provided below.

Notes on the DSGL

  • Note 1: Each of the Dual-Use Goods categories (0-9), has the following divisions: A - Systems, Equipment and Components B - Test, Inspection and Production Equipment C - Materials D - Software E - Technology.
     
  • Note 2: Materials, software and technology related to controlled goods are also controlled.
     
  • Note 3: Terms with specific meaning are enclosed in double quotation marks where they appear throughout the DSGL. An index of these terms appears in the front pages of the DSGL.

 

DSGL categories:

  • Part 1 - Munitions list: military goods
    Category Goods

    ML1

    Smooth bore weapons calibre <20mm Other weapons calibre ≤ 12.7mm (calibre 0.50 inches) Components and accessories

    ML2

    Smooth bore weapons >20mm Other weapons calibre > 12.7mm (calibre 0.50 inches) Components and accessories

    ML3

    Ammunition and components for ML1, ML2 & ML12, Fuze settings for ML3

    ML4

    Bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles, other explosive devices and charges, components and accessories Equipment for launching, deploying, decoying, disruption, detection and jamming

    ML5

    Fire control systems, components and accessories and their countermeasure equipment Radar, surveillance, tracking systems, and their countermeasure equipment

    ML6

    Ground vehicles and components

    ML7

    Chemical or biological toxic agents, ‘riot control agents’, radioactive materials, related equipment, components, and materials

    ML8

    ‘Energetic materials’ (explosives & chemicals) and related substances

    ML9

    Vessels of war, special naval equipment, accessories and components

    ML10

    Aircraft, unmanned airborne vehicles, aero-engines and aircraft equipment, and related equipment and components

    ML11

    Electronic equipment not controlled elsewhere in the Munitions List specially designed for military use

    ML12

    High velocity kinetic energy weapon systems and related equipment

    ML13

    Armour plate, body armour, and helmets and components

    ML14

    Simulators and training equipment

    ML15

    Imaging, infrared, thermal imaging and image intensifier equipment, and cameras

    ML16

    Forgings, castings and other unfinished products specially designed for any products controlled by ML1 - ML4, ML6, ML9, ML10, ML12 or ML19.

    ML17

    Miscellaneous goods, including diving equipment, robots, ferries, containers specially designed or modified for military use, goods treated for or providing signature suppression

    ML18

    Production and test equipment

    ML19

    Directed energy weapon systems, countermeasure and related equipment, (e.g. lasers and particle beam systems)

    ML20

    Cryogenic and superconductive equipment, as follows, and specially designed components and accessories

    ML21

    Software for listed goods

    ML22

    Technology for listed goods

  • Part 1 - Munitions list: non military lethal goods
    Category Goods

    ML901

    Non-military firearms including rifles, carbines, muskets, pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and smooth bore weapons, not specified ML1

    ML902

    Ammunition, projectiles and specially designed for ML901

    ML904

    Accessories, including silencers, mountings, magazines, sights, flash suppressors, for ML901

    ML 905

    Air guns, with specific characteristics

    ML908

    Energetic materials other than those in ML8, excluding those specially formulated for toys, novelty goods and fireworks

    ML909

    Detonators or other equipment for the initiation of non-military energetic materials specified in Item ML908

    ML910

    Charges and devices containing “energetic material” specified in ML908

  • Part 2: Dual use goods
    Category Goods

    0

    Nuclear Materials; Facilities and Equipment Nuclear reactors, gas centrifuges, and equipment and materials especially designed for nuclear use

    1

    Materials, Chemicals, Micro-organisms and Toxins Toxic chemicals, viruses, bacteria, protective and detection equipment, body armour, radiation shielding windows, and metal powder production equipment

    2

    Materials Processing Crucibles, valves, robots, vibration test systems, vacuum pumps, chemical processing, and handling equipment

    3

    Electronics Microwave components, acoustic wave devices, high energy devices, switching devices, and detonators

    4

    Computers Radiation hardened computers, neural and optical computers, and related equipment.

    5

    Telecommunications and Information Security Part 1 – Telecommunications. Telecommunications systems, optical fibre cables, radio equipment, jamming equipment, and telemetry and telecontrol equipment Part 2 – Information Security (Cryptography). Cryptographic equipment, and communications cables systems

    6

    Sensors and Lasers Marine acoustic systems, hydrophones, imaging cameras, optical mirrors, lasers, and magnetometers

    7

    Navigation and Avionics Gyros, accelerometers, inertial navigation systems, and flight control systems

    8

    Marine Submersible vehicles, remotely controlled manipulators, underwater vision systems, noise reduction systems, and air independent power systems

    9

    Aerospace and Propulsion Aero gas turbine engines, rocket propulsion systems, UAVs, rocket motors, ramjet engines, sounding rockets, and acoustic vibration test equipment