Nuclear Suppliers Group
Background about the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which is an voluntary grouping of countries who are focused on meeting nuclear non-proliferation objectives. This group is one of the export control international regimes in which the UK participates.
The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was established in 1975 when the international community became concerned that conditions of nuclear supply needed strengthening to better meet nuclear non-proliferation objectives.
To see the countries that are currently signed up to the NSG you can check the List of Non-Proliferation Regime Members
The NSG agreed a set of guidelines, published in 1978, for handling nuclear exports to reduce the possibility that such transfers be diverted to nuclear explosive or unsafeguarded nuclear fuel cycle activities. These have been updated at intervals and now include goods especially designed or prepared for nuclear purposes. The NSG has also produced separate guidelines to cover nuclear-related dual-use goods.
The NSG control similar items especially designed and prepared for nuclear use (compared to the Zangger Committee). The NSG Control List encompass a wider array of nuclear dual-use equipment, materials and technology.
Guidance on the NSG "Trigger List" of nuclear items is published on the export control pages on the Business Link website.
The following list indicates the kinds of dual-use items controlled by NSG:
- Capacitors (high energy)
- Machine tools
- Cold cathodes, triggered spark gaps and similar devices
- Isostatic presses
- Lithium enriched in the lithium-6 isotope
- Pressure sensors/transducers
- Neutron generators
- Aluminium and titanium alloys
- Hafnium
- Beryllium
- Maraging steel
- Boron enriched in the boron-10 isotope
- Mass spectrometers
- Crucibles
- Vacuum induction furnaces
- Electron beam melting furnaces
- Zirconium
- Filament winding machines
- Flash discharge x-ray equipment
- Centrifugal balancing machines
- High speed cameras
- Flow forming machines
- Tritium
- Dimensional inspection machines
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 nuclear weapons programme. Further details about End-Use Controls are also available on the Business Link site.
Export Control Organisation
Updated: March 2010
