Under the current U.S. export control system, it typically takes several months for the U.S. Department of Energy to authorize even preliminary exchanges of technical information with potential international buyers.
By comparison, other leading nuclear supplier countries require from five weeks to three months for an equivalent authorizations.
As national security experts have noted, this persistent gap in processing times not only disadvantages U.S. nuclear exporters but also undermines U.S. leadership on global nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation.
It Can Be Done
It is possible to streamline the process for authorizing nuclear technology exports without compromising national security or nonproliferation standards. DOE has implemented a fast-track procedure for authorizing technology transfer where circumstances do not require approval from the Secretary of Energy. Broadening this approach to the transfers of technologies with a lower prolifieration risk can reduce the burden that the U.S. export control regime imposes on U.S. exports and American jobs.