Compliance for the defence industry is a highly specialised service area that supports defence manufacturers, technology providers, system integrators, and service organisations in meeting the strict legal, ethical, and security requirements that govern the defence and sensitive security sectors. Because defence activities touch on national security, international stability, and highly sensitive technologies, companies in this industry face an exceptionally complex regulatory landscape. They must comply not only with domestic defence procurement rules, export-control regimes, sanctions, and security-of-supply obligations, but also with international frameworks such as ITAR/EAR in the United States, the EU Dual-Use Regulation, the EU Defence Procurement Directive, NATO standards, and the rules of other multilateral regimes. The purpose of compliance services in this sector is to help organisations reduce risk, avoid legal violations, build resilience, and operate responsibly and competitively in both national and global defence markets.

A comprehensive compliance offering for the defence industry typically includes export-control and sanctions compliance, such as assessing product classification (e.g., dual-use or military items), preparing licence applications, establishing screening procedures for customers and suppliers, and creating internal compliance programmes aligned with regulatory expectations. Another essential element is public procurement compliance, ensuring that companies respond to tenders correctly, meet transparency and competition obligations, and manage offsets and industrial participation rules in line with applicable legislation. Service providers may also support clients in meeting anti-corruption and ethics obligations through risk assessments, third-party due-diligence, internal investigations, whistleblowing mechanisms, training programmes, and the development of codes of conduct tailored to defence-sector risks.

Additionally, modern defence compliance must address emerging areas such as cybersecurity and information-security requirements, including alignment with standards like NIST, ISO/IEC 27001, the EU Cyber Resilience Act, and national classified-information protection frameworks. Companies may also require assistance in complying with supply-chain security and sovereignty requirements, including vetting subcontractors, securing sensitive technologies, and meeting obligations related to security of supply, technology transfer, and foreign-direct-investment (FDI) screening. Further services often cover environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations specific to the defence industry, managing human-rights due diligence, and ensuring responsible sourcing. Together, these services enable defence organisations to navigate regulatory complexity, mitigate compliance risks, and demonstrate trustworthiness in an industry where legal, ethical, and security failures can have profound consequences.

Overview of our services in a nutshell:

• Export-Control & Sanctions Compliance

  • Classification of military and dual-use items (e.g., EU Dual-Use Regulation, ITAR/EAR)

  • Preparation and management of export licences

  • End-use/end-user screening and documentation

  • Restricted-party and sanctions screening processes

  • Development of internal export-control compliance programmes (ICP)

• Defence Procurement & Contracting Compliance

  • Support with EU and national defence procurement rules (e.g., Directive 2009/81/EC)

  • Guidance on bidding, tender preparation, and transparency requirements

  • Compliance with offset/industrial participation frameworks

  • Contract lifecycle monitoring to ensure adherence to regulatory obligations

• Ethics, Anti-Corruption & Integrity Management

  • Corruption and bribery risk assessments

  • Third-party integrity due-diligence (agents, suppliers, intermediaries)

  • Internal investigations and remediation support

  • Implementation of codes of conduct and ethics policies

  • Whistleblowing channels and training programmes

• Cybersecurity & Information-Security Compliance

  • Alignment with cybersecurity standards (ISO/IEC 27001, NIST)

  • Classified information handling procedures and facility clearance preparation

  • Compliance with EU Cyber Resilience Act and national defence-security rules

  • Cyber-risk assessments and incident-response planning

• Supply Chain, Security of Supply & Technology Protection

  • Supply-chain risk mapping and vendor vetting

  • Compliance with Security of Supply and technology-transfer obligations

  • Support with FDI screening requirements

  • Implementation of physical and digital access-control measures

• ESG & Human-Rights Due Diligence for Defence

  • Responsible sourcing and conflict-minerals compliance

  • Human-rights risk assessments across the value chain

  • ESG reporting tailored to defence-sector sensitivities

  • Alignment with corporate sustainability and due-diligence legislation

• Training, Governance & Organisational Frameworks

  • Tailored compliance training (export controls, procurement, anti-corruption, cybersecurity)

  • Governance structure design for defence compliance functions

  • Compliance audits, maturity assessments, and gap analysis

  • Policy and procedure development across all key compliance areas

• Strategic Advisory & Regulatory Monitoring

  • Monitoring global regulatory developments affecting defence trade

  • Scenario analysis and compliance risk forecasting

  • Support during interactions with regulators and supervisory authorities

  • Crisis management assistance in case of compliance breaches or investigations