SGSAROA5020 - Statement of Respective areas of responsibility between DBT TAU and HMRC/UKBF: In-Hours Enquiries

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TAU will refer cases meeting certain criteria to the ECJU’s Enforcement Unit (EU) for checks on the end-use/user, where the goods concerned do not normally need an export licence, to see if there are grounds sufficient to activate the end-use controls. If the case is circulated by EU to MoD or FCDO for end-use scrutiny, HMRC/UKBF will be informed of this fact and the consequential delay in being able to provide advice. The advice will normally be given within five additional working days of circulation to other government departments of the rating request. If this is not possible, HMRC/UKBF will be informed of the reason for the further delay and asked whether they wish to continue with the enquiry.

If ECJU find that there are grounds to inform that a licence is required under the end-use controls, the technical officer will notify HMRC/UKBF and inform the exporter (or shipper or carrier in some cases) that a licence is required. A copy of this letter will be shown on SPIRE. If ECJU find that there are no grounds to inform that a licence is required under the end-use controls, the technical officer will notify HMRC/UKBF.

Where the goods, for which advice is given, are found to require an export licence because they are controlled by specific control entries, ECJU will search databases, using the exporter’s details, to ascertain whether applications from them have been made in the past. In the case of advice resulting in an export licence being required on End-Use or Military End-Use grounds then the search will be restricted to the exporter’s details and the same destination. The results of these searches will be notified to HMRC/UKBF using the SPIRE system.