In 2024 the Flemish authorities rejected 7 export licence application for dual-use goods due to concerns that the goods could be end up in Russia. The figures come from a report published by the Flemish Peace Institute on Thursday. Last year the Flemish authorities granted licences for dual-use goods worth a total of 120 million euro. This is less than the total value of dual-use goods for which licences were granted in 2023.
Flemish authorities blocked 7 export licences in 2024 due to fears that the goods might end up in Russia
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Dual-use goods are products intended for civilian use that can also be used for military purposes. These include chemical substances, polymers, machinery, electronics, and cyber technology.
The annual figures show that the Strategic Goods Control Unit rejected a total of 11 individual licences. More than half of the approved licences were destined for industrial end users. Research institutions accounted for a sizable portion of the rest. Only a small number of exports of dual-use goods were intended for foreign armed forces or the defence industry.
7 of the 11 export licence applications rejected applications were for goods that were considered to be at risk of ending up in Russia. Diederik Cops of the Flemish Peace Institute told journalists that "In principle, trade with Russia has become virtually impossible. With each European sanctions package, the list of prohibited items grows."
Consequently, Russia is increasingly turning to intermediary countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Armenia. "Russia is interested in GPS systems, infrared cameras and graphics cards. These are products with a clear military potential."
Last year, Flanders issued 221 individual licences for dual-use goods with a total value of 120 million euros. This is down from the 184 million euro’s worth of dual-use goods for which licences were granted in 2023. The main export destinations were the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan and China.
16 “global licences” with a theoretical value totalling 420 million euros were also granted. These licences offer greater flexibility as they cover multiple countries and eliminate the need for separate authorisation for each transaction.
China
Meanwhile, China is coming under greater scrutiny from the Flemish authorities. In 2024, the Flemish authorities blocked the export of chips worth 1.4 million euros to a Chinese industrial client. Between 2013 and 2023, China was the largest destination for Flemish dual-use exports, with more than 700 million euro’s worth authorised over the 10-year period. Between 2013 and 2023 over 30 licence applications for exports to China were refused.
Export volumes to China fell noticeably in 2024. “China remains an economically crucial partner but concerns over strategic dependencies and potential military diversion are growing,” Diederik Cops concludes.