Updated Guidance on Open Licence Returns and Exporter Obligations
Summary
The UK Export Control Joint Unit and Department for Business and Trade have updated guidance on open licence returns. This update clarifies exporter obligations, return submission requirements, and the process for accurate and timely reporting under revised compliance expectations.
What changed
The UK's Export Control Joint Unit and Department for Business and Trade have issued updated guidance concerning open licence returns for exporters. The document, Notice to Exporters 2026/02, clarifies specific exporter obligations, details the requirements for submitting returns, and outlines the process for ensuring accurate and timely reporting in line with revised compliance expectations.
This guidance is intended to help importers and exporters understand their responsibilities regarding open licence returns. Regulated entities should review the updated guidance to ensure their reporting practices align with the clarified requirements and revised compliance expectations. While no specific compliance deadline is mentioned, adherence to these updated guidelines is expected to maintain compliance with export control regulations.
What to do next
- Review updated guidance on open licence returns and exporter obligations.
- Ensure reporting practices align with clarified requirements and revised compliance expectations.
Source document (simplified)
Notice
Notice to exporters 2026/02: updated guidance on open licence returns
Guidance updated to clarify which licences require returns and what information exporters must provide.
From: Export Control Joint Unit and Department for Business and Trade Published 29 January 2026 Get emails about this page
Documents
NTE 2026/02: updated guidance for submitting open licence returns
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Details
This notice outlines updates to the open licence returns guidance:
- clarifying exporter obligations
- return submission requirements
- the process for ensuring accurate, timely reporting under revised compliance expectations The notices to exporters collection brings together all published notices.
Updates to this page
Published 29 January 2026
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