D/2.5 Trade controls for goods, software, technology and services
Policy Owner | Director, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity |
Approval Date | 22/07/2020 |
Approval Authority | Vice-Chancellor and President |
Date of Next Review | 30/07/2023 |
2.5.1 Purpose
2.5.2 Application
2.5.3 Roles and responsibilities
2.5.4 Obligations
2.5.5 Compliance and breach policy
2.5.6 Recordkeeping and monitoring
2.5.7 Reporting
2.5.8 Definitions
2.5.9 Delegations
Related Documents
Modification History
2.5.1 Purpose
QUT is committed to becoming a research-intensive university and to strengthening international collaboration in research. The purpose of this policy is to outline how, in pursuing these aims, QUT ensures that its research activities comply with trade controls legislation.
2.5.2 Application
All QUT staff, students, and any individual undertaking (or associated with or involved in) research activities, including collaboration, engagement and procurement activities associated with QUT research must comply with this policy and the compliance framework, which includes the Trade Controls Internal Compliance Plan and associated guidelines and procedures.
2.5.3 Roles and responsibilities
Position |
Responsibility |
---|---|
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research) |
|
Director, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity (OREI) |
|
Vice-President (Digital) and Chief Digital Officer |
|
Director, Graduate Research Centre |
|
Executive deans, heads of school, associate deans (research) |
|
Executive Director, Office of Research Services |
|
Executive Director, Office of Industry Engagement |
|
Project supervisors and researchers |
|
2.5.4 Obligations
Trade controls laws support Australia's international obligations to prevent goods, software and technology that can be used in conventional and weapons of mass destruction programs, from getting into the wrong hands. The University and its staff and students are required to be compliant with these laws.
QUT staff and students are required to apply for a Defence Export Controls (DEC) permit for any tangible export, intangible transfer or supply, or the brokering of goods, software and technology listed in the Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL).
QUT Chief Investigators/Principal Investigators must obtain the relevant licence, permit, notice or approval from the Australian Government (and for ITAR/EAR approvals the US government) and comply with the terms and conditions of that licence, permit, notice or approval.
QUT staff and students need to be vigilant about their obligations and responsibilities, in particular the need to apply for the appropriate permit, permission or approval where their export, supply, publication, training or brokering activities may expose them to potential criminal penalties.
2.5.5 Compliance and breach of policy
Arrangements for complying with this policy are to be in accordance with the Trade Controls Internal Compliance Plan.
Breaches of policy, or procedures approved in accordance with the policy, should be reported to the Director, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity.
Breaches of this policy may be considered to be a breach of QUT’s Code for the responsible conduct of research or other student or staff code of conduct and may have consequences for QUT and individuals under criminal or civil provisions of trade controls laws or general law.
2.5.6 Recordkeeping and monitoring
The Director, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity must keep records of notices, permits or approvals issued to QUT by the Defence Export Controls and be able to readily produce these records for internal audits conducted under the Trade Controls Internal Compliance Plan (or otherwise) or external audits conducted by the relevant regulators.
Records must be maintained in the corporate records system in accordance with the university’s Records governance policy (F/6.1).2.5.7 Reporting
An annual report on QUT’s compliance with trade controls laws will be made to the University.
2.5.8 Definitions
Brokering means when a person or organisation acts as an agent or intermediary in arranging the 'supply' of Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) goods, software and technology between two people and places located outside of Australia. For the activity to be considered brokering, the 'person' must receive money or a non-cash benefit or advance their political, religious or ideological cause for arranging the 'supply'.
Defence Export Controls (DEC) means the Australian Government Department of Defence, Defence Exports Controls office.
Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) means the compilation of munitions (military) and dual use goods, software or technology that are regulated when exported, supplied, published or brokered, as updated from time to time. The DSGL is defined into two separate parts:
Part 1: lists the munitions (military) items; and
Part 2: lists dual use items that may be used for commercial purposes but which may also be used in military systems or for weapons of mass destruction programs.
Export means the tangible export of physical items out of the Australian border (this can include tangible forms of controlled technology such as on storage devices or paper).
Internal Compliance Plan (ICP) is the QUT Trade Controls Internal Compliance Plan.
Publication is when items on the Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) are made available to the public or to a section of the public via the internet or otherwise. Publication controls apply to anyone in Australia, or an Australian citizen or resident or Australian organisation located anywhere in the world.
Supply is when someone in Australia provides technology included on the Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) to another person outside of Australia. Examples include supply via email or fax, or by providing someone outside of Australia with passwords to access controlled technology stored electronically.
Technology means Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) controlled specific information necessary for the development, production or use of a product. This information takes the form of technical data or technical assistance. Specified technology for the DSGL Dual‑Use (Part 2) List is defined in the General Technology Note and in the Dual‑Use List. Specified technology for the Munitions List (Part 1) is specified in the DSGL ML22.
Technology and Goods Control Plan (TGCP) is a documented and approved plan for the management of controlled activities for specific research projects that includes information security management for the transmission, storage and classification of information and technology.
Trade controls laws are a system of laws and regulations prohibiting the unlicensed export, supply, publication, brokerage and import of controlled goods, technology, services, and software for reasons of national security, foreign policy and economic protection. They are underpinned by the following legislative instruments:
- Autonomous Sanctions Act 2011 (Cth)
- Customs Act 1901 (Cth)
- Charter of the United Nations Act 1945 (Cth)
- Defence Trade Controls Act 2012 (Cth)
- Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995 (Cth)
- Export Administration Regulations (EAR) USA
- International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) USA
2.5.9 Delegations
Refer to Register of Authorities and Delegations (VC190) (QUT staff access only).Related Documents
MOPP A/1.3 Compliance
MOPP A/2.5 Risk management
MOPP B/8.1 QUT Staff Code of Conduct
MOPP D/2.3 Research governance framework
MOPP D/2.6 QUT Code for responsible conduct of research
MOPP D/2.8 Management of research data and primary materials
MOPP F/1.2 Information security
MOPP F/1.9 Corporate information asset management
MOPP F/6.1 Records governance
QUT Trade Controls Internal Compliance Plan
Guidelines to counter foreign interference in the Australian University sector
Autonomous Sanctions Act 2011 (Cth)
Charter of the United Nations Act 1945 (Cth)
Customs Act 1901 (Cth)
Defence Trade Controls Act 2012 (Cth)
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) USA
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) USA
Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995 (Cth)
Modification History
Date | Sections | Source | Details |
28.04.21 | D/2.5.3 | Director, Governance, Legal and Performance | Editoral amendments to position titles and responsibilities to align with Repositioning QUT for a post-COVID world organisational change - effective 31.01.21 |
22.07.20 | All | Vice-Chancellor and President | Revised policy - additional definitions to provide clarity and roles and responsibilities updated in line with QUT Trade Controls Risk Awareness Worksheet |
09.01.19 | All | Director, Governance and Legal Services | Policy revised to include approved position title change from assistant dean/s to associate dean/s |
12.12.18 | D/2.5.3 | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Commercialisation) | Revised to include department name change to Office of Research Services |
09.03.17 | All | Director, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity/University Research and Innovation Committee | Policy revised to include minor changes to nomenclature and clarification of definitions and obligations |
31.03.16 | All | Vice-Chancellor | New policy |
15.04.16 | D/2.5.2 | Director, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity | Policy revised to provide an overview outlining the University's approach to trade controls |