NTE 2026/01 provides a link to ECJU training sessions for 2026. Compliance and Open Licence workshops are running as half-day face-to-face events between February and April. This notice also provides details on how we can stay updated on notices and e-alert subscriptions. This information has been provided due to issues accessing export control updates in late 2025, which affected some users. A link is provided to the UK Government’s ECJU e-alert service for UK sanctions and direct strategic export controls, which will enable you to subscribe to Notice to Exporters, training, and export control requirement updates. 

NTE 2026/02 relates to updated Open Licence Returns guidance. This includes an updated list of licences that require returns, a revised explanation of the information to be recorded, and guidance on how returns should be submitted on SPIRE. The notice highlights the importance of Open Licence Returns as a compliance responsibility and asks exporters to review the update to ensure they understand the exporter requirements ahead of the next cycle, which will be for exporters made in calendar year 2026. 

The link to the updated guidance is available here. The list of Open Licences which require a return is listed in the guidance and can be found in Appendix I on Page 14. 

The guidance provides details on the definition and types of end-users. “The ‘end user’ on Open Licence Returns is the first person/organisation using the goods (in the form that they left the source country). Therefore, the 'End User Type' relates to the nature of business of the 'End User' organisation; 'Government' or 'Commercial' unless a Private Individual ('Pvt Individual') or for academic institutions 'Other.’ 

January 31st was the deadline for 2025 Open Licence Returns and the last day to submit the information.   



The update references “quality assurance”, advising that once an exporter has submitted their returns, the Export Control Joint Unit, Department of Business and Trade, can check the data and request an amendment to the exporter’s SPIRE administrator. If required, the administrator can reassign this role to another SPIRE user by visiting the ‘Manage My Registration’ link from the workbasket and clicking the ‘Organisation Security’ tab. The user who has been reassigned the task needs to log in to SPIRE and go to the Open Licence Returns screen via the workbasket. The icon in the ‘Info’ column will be a yellow warning triangle. By hovering over the yellow icon, you can see why the ECJU/DBT returned the return. The user can make the necessary changes to enable the return to be resubmitted on SPIRE. If a return has been made in error, the exporter can withdraw the information. This removal can be made by clicking the red cross icon in the ‘Cancel’ column. The user will need to justify returning the item to submit the cancellation in SPIRE.