The export of torture goods is either prohibited, or subject to a prior ministerial authorisation, or not restricted at all if certain conditions are met. The type of restriction is dependent on the concerned category of torture goods.

Any application for authorisation shall be submitted to OCEIT using an available application form. The application will be processed within 60 working days from the day the file is complete. The individual authorisation is valid for 1 year, the global authorisation is valid for 3 years, renewable.

For certain goods and certain destinations, a general transfer authorisation of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125) may be used by the exporter. In such a case, a prior registration with OCEIT shall be required by using the declaration form. The registration is automatic and shall be notified by OCEIT at the latest 10 working days following the receipt of the registration declaration. The EU GEA 2019/125 authorisation is not time limited.

 

Who is concerned

Any exporter who wishes to export a torture good (departing this good from the customs territory of the European Union, including the departure of goods that requires a customs declaration and those after their storage in a free zone).

Exemptions

No authorisation shall be required for:

• transit through the customs territory of the European Union of goods that could be used for the purpose of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Annex III of Regulation 2019/125) and of goods that could be used for the purpose of capital punishment and have been approved or actually used for capital punishment by one or more third countries that have not abolished capital punishment (Annex IV of Regulation 2019/125);
• export of goods that could be used for the purpose of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Annex III of Regulation 2019/125) to the following territories: Greenland (Denmark), New Caledonia and Dependencies, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories, Wallis and Futuna Islands, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France) and Büsingen (Germany) under the condition that the concerned goods are used by an authority in charge of law enforcement (e.g. police, prosecutor, judicial or military authority);
• export to third countries of goods that could be used for the purpose of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Annex III of Regulation 2019/125) under the condition that the goods are used by military or civil personnel of a European Union Member State in the frame of EU or UN peace keeping or crisis management operation in the third country concerned or in an operation based on agreements between Member States and third countries in the field of defence;
• export of goods that could be used for the purpose of capital punishment and have been approved or actually used for capital punishment by one or more third countries that have not abolished capital punishment (Annex IV of Regulation 2019/125) to a country or territory on the customs territory of the European Union (including the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla and the German territory of Helgoland.

Prohibition

The export of goods which have no practical use other than for the purposes of capital punishment, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Annex II of Regulation 2019/125) is prohibited, whatever has been the origin of these goods. The export of such goods may however be authorised if the exporter demonstrates that, in the country to which the goods will be exported, such goods will be used for the exclusive purpose of public display in a museum in view of their historic significance.

The export of leg irons and gang chains is prohibited.

The export of portable electric shock devices is prohibited, except if they accompany their user for the purpose of his/her personal protection.

Preliminary steps

Before using the general export authorisation of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125) for goods that could be used for the purpose of capital punishment and have been approved or actually used for capital punishment by one or more third countries that have not abolished capital punishment (Annex IV of Regulation 2019/125), the exporter must register with OCEIT.

In order to be able to submit the application electronically, the supplier must first make an express request (on free paper or by email) to OCEIT and get their approval.

Deadlines

The registration with OCEIT must take place at the latest 10 working days before the first use of the general export authorisation of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125).

Costs

Neither the application for authorisation nor the issuance of the export authorisation by OCEIT, nor the prior registration before the use of the general export authorisation of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125), nor the notification of the registration by OCEIT, shall give rise to the levying of any taxes or fees.

How to proceed

Submission of the application

The exporter shall submit his/her application for an individual or global authorisation to OCEIT using the application form.

The registration for the use of a general transfer authorisation of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125) shall be submitted to OCEIT by using the declaration form.

This authorisation is only valid for goods that could be used for the purpose of capital punishment and have been approved or actually used for capital punishment by one or more third countries that have not abolished capital punishment (Annex IV of Regulation 2019/125).

The general export authorisation is valid throughout the European Union for export to the following destinations:

• Danish territories not included in the customs territory (Faroe Islands, Greenland);
• French territories not included in the customs territory (French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories, New Caledonia and Dependencies, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna Islands);
• Dutch territories not included in the customs territory (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten);
• Relevant British territories not included in the customs territory (Anguilla, Bermuda, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Saint Helena and Dependencies, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands);
• South Africa;
• Albania;
• Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;
• Andorra;
• Argentina;
• Australia;
• Benin;
• Bolivia;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Canada;
• Cape Verde;
• Colombia;
• Costa Rica;
• Djibouti;
• Ecuador;
• Gabon;
• Georgia;
• Guinea-Bissau;
• Honduras;
• Iceland;
• Kyrgyzstan;
• Liberia;
• Liechtenstein;
• Mexico;
• Moldova;
• Mongolia;
• Montenegro;
• Mozambique;
• Namibia;
• Nepal;
• Nicaragua;
• Norway;
• New Zealand;
• Uzbekistan;
• Panama;
• Paraguay;
• Philippines;
• Dominican Republic;
• Rwanda;
• San Marino;
• Sao Tome and Principe;
• Serbia;
• Seychelles;
• Switzerland (including Büsingen and Campione d'Italia);
• Timor-Leste;
• Togo;
• Turkmenistan;
• Turkey;
• Ukraine;
• Uruguay;
• Venezuela.

The application is made by mail or electronically (if the exporter has previously obtained OCEIT’s approval).

The application (or the declaration) shall be signed by a person authorised to commit the applicant. By this signature, the applicant certifies the accuracy of the information provided in the application and that of the content of any documents attached to it. He/she undertakes as well to provide the goods concerned with a destination in accordance with his/her application.

Supporting documents

The supporting documents to be attached to the application for an individual or global authorisation are the following:

• detailed explanatory letter of the operation;
• end-use certificate (or, after an approval from OCEIT, an exporter’s commitment);
• invoice / proforma invoice
• sales agreement;
• Air Way Bill (AWB);
• international import certificate, or another official document issued by the competent authorities of the country of final destination of the good (except an exemption granted by the competent ministers);
• recent extract from RCS (less than 3 months).

The supporting documents to be attached to a registration or the use of the general export authorisation of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125) are the following:

• detailed explanatory letter of the operation;
• recent extract from RCS (less than 3 months).

Deadlines for reply

Any application for an individual or global authorisation shall be acknowledged by OCEIT.

In case of an incomplete application, the applicant shall be informed of the need to provide additional documents and any consequences for the period for processing the application.

The application for authorisation shall be processed within 60 working days of the day on which the file is complete.
This 60-day period may be extended for a maximum of 30 working days. The extension and its duration shall be duly reasoned and notified by OCEIT before the expiry of the initial period.

In the absence of a reply within the period provided for, the application for authorisation shall be deemed rejected.

The registration for the use of a general export authorisation of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125) is automatic and shall be notified by OCEIT as soon as possible, but at the latest 10 working days following the receipt of the registration declaration.

Duration of validity

Authorisations shall be valid:

• 1 year for individual authorisations, renewable for a period of 6 months;
• 3 years for global authorisations, renewable for a period of 18 months.

The general export authorisations of the European Union (EU GEA 2019/125) are not time limited.

Obligations

The exporter using the general export authorisation EU GEA 2019/125 shall, within 30 working days after the first transfer, inform OCEIT of the first use of the general export authorisation.

The exporter shall also report in the customs declaration the fact that they are using this general export authorisation EU GEA 2019/125 by indicating in box 44 the relevant code found in the TARIC database. The general export authorisation may not be used if:

• the exporter has been prohibited from using it;
• the authorities have informed the exporter that the goods in question are or may be intended, in their entirety or in part, either for re-export to a third country or to be used for the purpose of capital punishment in a third country;
• the exporter knows or has reasonable grounds to believe that the goods in question are intended, in their entirety or in part, either for re-export to a third country or to be used for the purpose of capital punishment in a third country;
• the relevant goods are exported to a customs free zone or free warehouse.

Special conditions (in particular, to make legally binding agreements) are applicable to exporters of medicinal products classified as goods that could be used for the purpose of capital punishment and have been approved or actually used for capital punishment by one or more third countries that have not abolished capital punishment (Annex IV of Regulation 2019/125) in the frame of the general authorisation of the European Union.

The exporter shall transmit to OCEIT, at the latest 10 working days after the expiry date, the obsolete authorisation which is in his / her possession.

The exporter shall report to OCEIT the loss of any authorisation document.

The exporter must comply with the special conditions contained in the authorisation.

The exporter shall provide OCEIT by 31 January of each year with information on exports made on the basis of the general export authorisation during the previous year. This information, summarized by country, specifies for reach recipient:

1. the description of the goods and their references in the applicable list or nomenclature;
   
2. the quantity and value of the exported goods;
   
3. the dates of exports;
   
4. the end-use and the end-user of the goods, and provide OCEIT with any other relevant document or additional data relating to such exports.

The exporter shall keep detailed and complete registers of operations carried out pursuant to the authorisation. These registers shall contain the commercial documents, such as invoices, manifests, transport documents or other shipping documents, showing the following information:

• the description of the goods and their references in the applicable list or nomenclature;
• the quantity and value of the exported products;
• the dates of exports;
• the name and address of the exporter and the recipient, depending on the case;
• the end-use and end-user of the goods.

The exporter shall keep the registers for a period of 10 years from the end of the calendar year in which the transaction took place. He/she shall present them to the ministers at their request during that period.

The exporter shall provide, without delay, at the first request of the ministers or OCEIT, the elements and documents necessary to verify the conformity of the operation carried out or foreseen.

Litigation

In the event the authorisation is denied, a legal action may be lodged, by an Avocat à la Cour, against the administrative decision within the period of 3 months from the date of the notification of the administrative decision to the concerned person.

Penalties

A prohibition (limited to 6 months or definite) or another restriction to carry out one or more activities, and/or the suspension for a maximum period of 6 months from the use of a general European Union or national authorisation, or a global authorisation, and/ or a penalty payment (which cannot be higher than EUR 1.250 euros per day, but cannot exceed EUR 25.000) may be pronounced against anyone who:

• refuses to provide the documents or other information requested of them by the ministers or OCEIT;
• provides the ministers or OCEIT with documents or other information that is found to be incomplete or false;
• impedes the exercise of the powers of the ministers or OCEIT;
• does not follow the orders of the ministers or OCEIT.

May be punished by an imprisonment of 5 to 10 years and/or a fine of EUR 25,000 to 1,000,000, anyone who is exporting goods that could be used for the purpose of capital punishment, torture or anw other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, without having been granted the required authorisation or without respecting the prohibition applicable to the operation.

May be punished by an imprisonment of 8 days to 3 years and/or a fine of EUR 5,000 to 50,000, anyone who fails to register with OCEIT before using he general export authorisation of the European Union for the first time, or who fails to provide OCEIT with the information concerning exports made on the basis of a general European Union or national export authorisation, or global export authorisation.

May be punished by an imprisonment of 6 months to 5 years and/or a fine of EUR 7,500 to 75,000, anyone who:

• fails to keep the registers or does not keep them during the period of 10 years (starting with the end of the calendar ear during which the operation took place);
• fails to present the registers at the first request of the ministers;
• omits, repeatedly or significantly, to fill in one or more of the mandatory information in the registers;
• provides, in the context of an application for authorisation, information that is false or incomplete;
• does not fulfil the commitments made in the declarations of use and applications for authorisation submitted to the ministers;
• fails to provide information within the time limits and in the manner set out.

Review of the file

The ministers may, at any time, withdraw, suspend for a period not exceeding 90 days or restrict the use of the authorisations they have issued.

Such a review may happen in exceptional circumstances justifying urgent measures, for reasons of protection of the essential security interests of the State, for reasons of public order or national or eternal security, such as transport safety, storage safety, the risk of diversion, the prevention of crime, or for non-compliance with the conditions specified in the authorisation.

Forms / Online services

Who to contact