Presented by the European Commission on 28 September 2016, the dual-use items Regulation Proposal aims at reviewing the export control regime of dual-use items. The proposal contains amendments to key export control notions, for example, the amending of the definition of “dual-use” to include cyber-surveillance technologies. It also clarifies controls on intangible technology transfer (ITT) and those applicable to technical assistance involving cross-border movement. On 17 January 2018, the European Parliament Plenary adopted a number of amendments to the text. These reflect the ongoing discussion on the balance between promoting human rights standards and what would be appropriate for the industry. These amendments are now referred back to the International Trade Committee. However, the Bulgarian Presidency does not see the dual-use items Regulation Proposal as a priority and, therefore, it is unlikely that negotiations between the Council and the Parliament will start before the Austrian Presidency in the second half of 2018 (Text adopted by the European Parliament on 17 January 2018).
