Arms Trade Treaty Regulatory Implementation Package

The Government of Canada has finalized the legislative and regulatory process to enable Canada to join the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Canada deposited its instrument of accession to the ATT on June 19, 2019, and will formally become a State Party on September 17, 2019.

The required legislative amendments to the Export and Import Permits Act, to establish controls over the brokering of military items and to incorporate the assessment criteria set out in the ATT, were adopted when Bill C-47 was granted Royal Assent on December 13, 2018.

Global Affairs Canada subsequently consulted Canadians on an accompanying regulatory framework and drafted a package of six regulations to fully implement Canada’s obligations under the ATT and Bill C-47. These regulations were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, for 30 days from March 16 to April 15, 2019. Global Affairs Canada carefully reviewed all submissions received during this public consultation period and amended the regulations accordingly.

On June 26, 2019, the package of final regulations was published in the Canada Gazette, Part II. These regulations, along with their corresponding Regulatory Impact Analysis Statements, can be viewed through the links provided below: 

• Brokering Control List (BCL)
• Brokering Permit Regulations (BPR)
• Regulations Specifying Activities that Do Not Constitute Brokering (“Exclusions”)
• General Brokering Permit (“GBP”) No. 1
• Order Amending the Export Control List (Arms Trade Treaty)
• General Export Permit No. 47—Export of Arms Trade Treaty Items to the United States

Please note that the legislative and regulatory changes related to Canada’s accession to the ATT will come into effect on September 1, 2019.

For more information on the forthcoming changes to Canada’s export controls program please consult the following resources:

• Backgrounder – Deposition of Canada’s instrument of accession to the Arms Trade Treaty
• Overview of the Arms Trade Treaty regulatory implementation package
• Questions and answers: Strengthening Canada’s export control program

An updated Export and Brokering Controls Handbook will be made available online during the summer which will provide additional guidance on adhering to the new regulations. 

If you have any questions, please contact us via e-mail at expctrlpol@international.gc.ca.

Sincerely,

Export Controls Policy Division (TIR)
Global Affairs Canada