3. French regulations

3.1 Before 1995

As a Cocom partner, France had set up a system for controlling the export of products and technologies, known as "Contrôle de la Destination Finale".

The aim for the French authorities was to ensure that sales of high-tech goods from France did not affect the country's security or strategic interests, without hindering the development of international trade.

At the time, control focused on the "final destination" of the good, whereas today it focuses on the good and its "dual use". This brings to the fore two equally important aspects of control:

• on the one hand: the good or the technology;

• of the other: its recipient and its use....