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Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft

UK: News on export controls on intangibles

------- Forwarded message follows ------- To: ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk Subject: Good news, for once Date sent: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 14:00:08 +0100 From: Ross Anderson <Ross.Anderson@cl.cam.ac.uk> Send reply to: ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk

Yesterday we got a final result in the House of Lords on the UK Export Bill. It means that I can continue to keep the source code for Serpent - and the Soft Tempest fonts - on my web page.

Back in 1997, Al Gore persuaded His Tonyness to try to introduce export controls on intangibles. Tony tried, but got rebuffed by the T&I Select Committee in 1998. The DTI did an end run around Parliament by getting the EU to implement the `Dual Use regulation' in 2000, then introduced the Export Bill to give the regulation effect in Britain (`Look, our hands are tied, it's now our legal duty to introduce this law.')

After four years of struggle, and five months of particularly acute lobbying, we got the government to agree yesterday to an amendment that exempts scientific research, material being published, and material already in the public domain, except under the most stringent tests:

http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/rja14/exportbill.html

It was the second last day of the Parliamentary session, and there was a lot of pressure on them to conclude their business. We also got assurances on the record from the minister that the courts should interpret the Act in the way we wanted.

Well done to everyone who contributed, and particular thanks to Baroness Miller who fought like a lioness to get this past all the obfuscation, deceit and other low tactics used by the civil servants.

Ross

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