COCOM: An International Attempt to Control Technology

Abstract

The changes in Eastern Europe have precipitated a rapid re-evaluation of export control efforts on the part of the Western Allies. This is best evidenced by recent high level meetings in Paris between the participants of the Coordination Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (COCOM). The results of these meetings are extremely important to the future of multi-national methods of technology control. COCOM was established in 1949 as a response by members of NATO to the growing Soviet threat. Seven western European nations, plus the United States, determined there was a need for the multilateral control of military technology available to the Soviets and their surrogate East Bloc states. The concept was to deny the export of strategic technology to the Warsaw Pact in order to deny access to technologies that increased the effectiveness of their respective militaries.1

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA497085

Entities

People

  • Rand C. Lewis

Organizations

  • Defense Security Cooperation Agency

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Central Europe
  • Commerce
  • Eastern Europe
  • Export Controls
  • Exports
  • Germany
  • Governments
  • International Relations
  • International Trade
  • National Security
  • Political Systems
  • Security
  • Technology Transfer
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Ussr

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
  • Strategic Security Studies