Zangger Committee
Background about the Zangger Committee, which is a voluntary grouping of countries who are focused on controlling the export of nuclear items. This group is one of the export control international regimes in which the UK participates.
The Zangger Committee was set up in 1971 specifically to interpret the obligations set out in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
It defines and controls equipment and materials that are especially designed or prepared for nuclear use.
In particular the Zangger Committee was responsible for drawing up detailed lists of what was meant by "source or special fissionable material" which the Treaty requires States to control. The list is called the Trigger List because the export of listed items "Triggers" IAEA safeguard.
The work of the Zangger Committee is similar to that of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Both the Zangger Committee and the NSG were set up by nuclear suppliers (including the UK) to co-ordinate their nuclear supply policies, in order to comply with the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and other commitments to nuclear non-proliferation.
Guidance on the NSG "Trigger List" of nuclear items is published on the export control pages on the Business Link website.
You should consult the UK's Strategic Export Control Lists for the full lists of goods and their control parameters. These are published on the export control pages on the Business Link website.
You will also need to bear in mind End-Use Control requirements when considering exporting similar goods or other goods that might be useful in a missile programme. Further details about End-Use Controls are also available on the Business Link site.
Export Control Organisation
Updated: March 2010
