Israeli Defense Ministry Aids Defense Export
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עברית (Hebrew)
New Defense Ministry reforms assist Israeli companies in exporting their security products around the world
Israel’s defense exports are one of the local market’s most important areas, including several local companies with operations around the world. Unclassified products are a significant part of this market. Despite being unclassified exporters are still required to produce marketing permits for them – only products marketed in 39 specific countries are exempt.
According to Defense Ministry data 1,414 exporters are listed in Israel’s Defense Export Directory (1,055 companies, 328 private citizens). The Defene Ministry’s Defense Export Oversight Branch (EFI) received more than 27,000 marketing permit requests during 2013, more than half involving unclassified products. The vast majority of these requests was approved, although the total amount of fines collected over breaking permit regulations was more than 4 million shekels.
IHLS – Israel Homeland Security
EFI chief Dubi Lavi recently announced the launch of several new measures aimed at increasing efficiency. One of the central reforms was the expansion of the list of marketing permit exemptions for unclassified products, from 39 to 100 countries. Other major changes include more frequent advisory commission sessions, advanced computing systems, increased cooperation with the industry, and more.
The meaning of this policy change is that exporters of unclassified security products could market their systems in more countries with far less red tape. Competition in this area is intense, and the reform will allow many Israeli companies to compete in a larger number of markets around the world.
The announcement was made yesterday during the ministry’s annual conference. The Defense Ministry’s General Manager, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Dan Harel, was present, in addition to Beth McCormick, Director of the Defense Technology Security Administration in the U.S. Department of Defense.
