The UK ECO has published a notice that it has updated and amended 16 open licences including 13 open general export licences (OGELs), two open general transshipment licences (OGTLs) and an open general trade control licence (OGTCL). The reason for the change is due to a planned update to the Military List to reflect the removal of EU sanctions on Ivory Coast and Liberia. The new licences also make amendments to the names of some destinations. The licences have also been updated in order to refer to the Department for International Trade, to which the ECO belongs.

The new licences will come into effect on 31 January 2017 in order to give exporters time to adjust to the changes. The previous licences will remain in force until 11:59 p.m. GMT on 30 January 2017. If an exporter no longer meets the terms and conditions of a particular licence because the nature of the goods or destination has changed, then they will need to de-register from the licence via SPIRE.