Qatar Added to Firearms Export List

Summary#

This order adds Qatar to the Automatic Firearms Country Control List (AFCCL). That change means Canadian companies can now apply for export permits for certain prohibited firearms, weapons, and related parts to Qatar; the order came into force on August 19, 2022.

What it does#

• Adds Qatar to the AFCCL, the list of destinations to which exports of certain prohibited military items can be considered.
• Clarifies that items must still be on the Export Control List and that exports require a valid permit.
• Confirms that every permit application is reviewed case-by-case against criteria in the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and the Export and Import Permits Act; permits must be denied if there is a substantial risk of serious harm.
• Notes that export controls will be enforced by the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• States the order took effect on August 19, 2022 (the day it was registered).

Who's affected#

• Canadian defence and security manufacturers and exporters who make items classed as prohibited under Canadian rules. These firms are the most likely to notice new market opportunities.
• Global Affairs Canada staff who handle export-permit applications and assessments.
• The Canadian government and Qatar in terms of possible government-to-government defence cooperation.
• Most Canadians and unrelated businesses are unlikely to be affected directly.
• Some numbers from the Government’s analysis: in 2021 Global Affairs issued 12 export permits to Qatar out of 5,667 total export-permit applications. The defence sector includes 485 firms that had under 100 employees in a 2018 survey (about 76% of defence firms), though these small firms account for a smaller share of sales and exports.

Why it matters#

• It opens a new, legal pathway for some Canadian defence firms to sell certain controlled military items to Qatar, potentially creating business and cooperation opportunities.
• It is not a blanket approval — each export still faces human-rights and security checks and can be refused if risks are found.
• The government expects minimal direct costs from this change and no fee to apply for a permit, but unauthorized exports remain illegal and can lead to prosecution.
• For industry, adding destinations to the AFCCL can reduce a competitive disadvantage that Canadian exporters said they faced because Canada’s AFCCL is a unique, positive list.