The team working on developing the new import/export licensing service are looking for more volunteers for the 'private beta' phase of testing the new licence-checking service.

They’ve been testing their new licence-checking service with a small group of exporters for the last couple of months, but it’s now time to widen the net.

What they're after

To start with, the team are looking for people to check what they informally call the ‘permissions finder’ – the tool that helps you establish whether your export needs to be licensed. They’ll be adding more modules for testing further down the line (for example their SIEL application form, which they’re working on now).

If you’re involved with exports of military or dual-use items they’re especially keen to hear your views. Perhaps you’re already familiar with the Goods Checker and OGEL Checker – these are the tools their permissions finder is partly designed to replace.

Even if not, your comments on the new service will be valuable to them.

How to sign up

They’re after views from a wide range of industries. To make sure they can sensibly order your feedback they need you to answer a few questions about your company and the sector or sectors in which you do business. Please complete this survey – it will only take a couple of minutes.

Please bear in mind that they’re extending this invitation to lots of people – if you respond, you will be included in the testing, but they’ll be sending the details out in batches. Don’t worry if you don’t hear back from the team straight away – your turn will come around.

One thing that we must stress is that this is still a beta service. Genuine export control information is used to power the service, but they’re continuing to improve its accuracy as they go along. At this stage you won’t be able to rely on the service to give you definitive answers about a particular export – you’ll still need to make sure you comply with all the export control rules you do now.

If you have any questions you can contact the research team at userresearchforlite@digital.beis.gov.uk.