Glossary - Word of the Day: "Dual-Use Code"

Each dual-use item is classified by an alphanumeric reference structured as follows: Number – Letter – Number – Number – Number (for example, 1 C 350 or 5 A 002).

The first digit (from 0 to 9) refers to the goods category.

The letter (from A to E) is related to the nature of the goods (A for equipment, assemblies, components; B for testing, inspection, control, production equipment; C for materials and material; D for software; E for technologies)).

The second digit (from 0 to 4) refers to the non-proliferation group initiating the control (0 for Wassenaar Arrangement 1 for MTCR, 2 for NSG, 3 for Australia Group, 4 for Chemical Weapons Convention).

The last 2 digits refer to the technical characteristics that make it possible to identify the good (for example, threshold, power, number of axes of rotation).

For any administrative and customs procedure, the alphanumeric entry must be completed by the corresponding sub-labels (for example 1C351.a.1). A product may, because of its technical characteristics, be classified in several categories. No category predominates over another.