Engineers & Lawyers to support your daily compliance

Export control, Customs, Taxation, Sanctions, Cybersecurity & II901.
We design, operate and outsource your compliance to secure your critical operations without blocking your business.

🚨 Urgent situations (audit, incident, blockage) 📅 Structural project (compliance, outsourcing)

For everyone: engineering teams, legal departments, compliance officers, executives, startups, SMEs/mid-caps or large enterprises exposed to sensitive flows, data and technologies.

30+Years of combined operational experience
5xPillars of expertise: Export Control, Customs, Taxation, Sanctions, Cybersecurity II901
All controlled sectorsStrategic, Sensitive, Defence (BITD, IGI 1300), Space / NewSpace, Industry…

In short

Engineers & Lawyers Associates is a network of senior experts in export control, customs, II 901 and cybersecurity, dedicated to regulated industries (defence, space, dual-use, energy, high-tech) in France and internationally.

We design, upgrade or operate your compliance frameworks to reduce non-compliance risk, secure operations and facilitate relations with authorities, without slowing down your business.

85Experts at your service
250Clients supported
5000People trained
30 countriesInternational coverage

An offer covering all your critical operations

ELA uniquely combines engineers, lawyers, cybersecurity experts, customs and tax specialists to cover the entire compliance cycle – from initial setup to outsourcing your Export Control, Customs, Tax or CISO/IT functions.

Compliance implementation

Objective: strengthen your compliance frameworks, reduce non-compliance risk and secure your operations without slowing down your activities.

Structure or upgrade your compliance frameworks to align with French, European and international requirements.

  • Export Control & Customs compliance implementation.
  • Compliance plans and compliance audits.
  • Remediation following incident or audit.
  • Assistance during audits and interface with authorities.
  • II 901 & cybersecurity compliance, 901 accreditations.

On-demand expertise

Objective: quickly mobilise the right level of expertise to unblock a specific issue, secure an operation or structure a sensitive file.

Mobilise, when you need it, a high level of technical, operational, legal or tax expertise on a specific subject.

  • Export Control & customs classifications, customs values.
  • KYC, screening, sanctions & embargoes, due diligence.
  • Space: ITU/ANFR applications, Space Law, PASI & launch campaign security plans.
  • Taxation & flows: VAT, intra-EU/international, tax representation, tax audits.
  • Technical or legal advice from specialised lawyers.

Full or partial outsourcing

Objective: secure your key compliance functions continuously, with expert teams, while controlling your costs and internal workload.

Delegate to ELA the management and operation of your key compliance functions.

  • Mentoring & transition management.
  • Export Control or Customs administrative operations.
  • EC Officer and/or outsourced Export Control service.
  • Customs Officer and/or Customs service.
  • Tax Officer for your international flows.
  • Outsourced OCSSI/CISO, operations & II 901 compliant IT environment.

E.g.: full management of the Export Control function for a space industry company across multiple European sites, including licence management, procedures and authority interfaces.

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The Engineers & Lawyers Associates network

1st multidisciplinary network in Europe of regulatory compliance experts.

An ecosystem of specialised players

Members of Engineers & Lawyers Associates are engineering consulting firms, law firms, independent experts and specialised companies.

A single interface for your complex needs

ELA is the single interface through which network members deliver engineering, audit, export control or customs compliance, tax and consulting services to their clients, or designates, depending on the context, one or more member firms, experts or companies.

International presence of the ELA network

International presence of ELA and its partners.

Member companies of the ELA network

Consulting firms, law firms and specialised companies that are network members.

Among our current and past clients

12CAC40 & SBF250 Groups
2Ministries & state agencies
25+Industrial & defence mid-caps
60+SMEs & deeptech/space startups

Aeronautics & Space • Defence & Security • Electronics & semiconductors • Cybersecurity • Energy • Critical industry • Food & beverage • Pharmaceuticals • Services

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Domains of intervention

We operate where regulatory complexity meets strong operational challenges – physical and digital flows, critical technologies, indirect taxation and systems security.

Objective: secure your flows, contracts and systems to enable business development while managing regulatory and reputational risks.

Export Control & Customs

Export and customs classifications, licences (including cryptography) and specific authorisations (Space Law, LGT, R226, AEPE, AIPE...), customs values, regimes, Incoterms, HS/EUC/military audits, AEO support.

Taxation & flows

VAT, intra-EU and international, tax representation, flow audits, compliant and optimised operational schemes, excise duties, contract reviews and training.

Cybersecurity & Information Systems Security

901 and NIS2 compliance, controlled data protection, incident management, business continuity, sensitive IT environment security and integration with your business constraints.

Client & Supplier Due Diligence

KYC/KYS, entity eligibility verification, analysis of directors and shareholders, background checks to manage your sanctions, reputation and compliance risks.

Legal & Governance

Understanding and interpretation of texts, monitoring, contractual clauses, contracts, executive protection and interface with authorities by specialised lawyers.

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Key Pillars of our Export Control Expertise

A structured approach covering the entire lifecycle of your controlled export operations, from initial classification to ongoing strategic support.

01

Licence and authorisation management

  • Authorization : Preparation and filing via SIGALE for war materials, cryptography, AEPE, AIPE, R226
  • Discussions : Technical and regulatory interface with DGA‑DICE, SGDSN, ANSSI and Customs
  • Day-to-day management : Follow-up quantities, destinations, end-users, archiving and traceability
02

Compliance with foreign regulations

  • US risks : ITAR/EAR contamination analysis and US content threshold calculations
  • US requirements : ITAR, EAR, OFAC requirements determination with our US attorney (Adam Munitz)
  • Checks : KYC/KYS screening against sanctions and embargo lists with documented decisions
03

Technical classification of products and technologies

  • Characterization : Detailed analysis to determine: Military list (ML), Dual-use (BDU) or general trade items
  • Optimization : Classification sheets, customs HS codes, rationales and position papers
  • Homogenization :Alignment across Export Control, Customs and foreign regulations
04

Strategic and organisational support

  • As-is : Export Control audits (flash or targeted) ahead of DGA‑DICE inspections or investor due diligence
  • Compliance : Compliance framework upgrades and integration with II 901, IGI 1300 requirements
  • Pedagogie : Training programmes for sales, technical and management teams on criminal risks
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Key Pillars of our Customs Expertise

A comprehensive approach to secure, optimise and streamline your customs operations, from fundamental compliance to full outsourcing of your customs function.

01

Mastery of customs fundamentals

  • Tariff classification: HS code determination and justification, documented classification sheets defensible during DGDDI audits
  • Origin of goods: Preferential and non-preferential origin qualification, proof management (EUR.1, supplier declarations, REX), free trade agreement optimisation
  • Customs value: UCC-compliant taxable base determination, treatment of elements to include/exclude (royalties, transport, tooling, development costs)
02

Regime and tax optimisation

  • Special procedures: Implementation and management of inward/outward processing, temporary admission, customs warehousing, transit – discharge monitoring and reporting
  • Suspensions and quotas: Identification and application for autonomous tariff suspensions, tariff quotas for components not produced in the EU
  • VAT optimisation: Postponed import VAT accounting, fiscal representation, foreign VAT recovery, intra-EU flow structuring
03

Certifications and operational compliance

  • AEO certification: Full support (gap analysis, application file, DGDDI audit coaching) for Customs Simplifications and/or Security-Safety status
  • Customs audits: Flash or in-depth audits (classifications, origins, values, procedures) to identify and fix gaps – DGDDI audit simulation
  • Litigation support: DGDDI interface during inspections, response drafting, dispute management and settlement negotiation, BTI applications
04

Ongoing support and outsourcing

  • Outsourced Customs Officer: Partial or full customs function takeover (0.5 to 3 FTE), operations management, freight forwarder interface and management reporting
  • Regulatory watch: Alerts on changes impacting your flows: CBAM (carbon border tax), new sanctions, tariff changes, trade agreements
  • Training and support: Upskilling programmes for procurement, supply chain and finance teams – hotline and ticketing platform for daily queries
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Key Pillars of our Tax & International Flows Expertise

An integrated approach to optimise your cross-border flows, reduce your global tax burden and secure your positions with tax and customs authorities.

01

Flow structuring and direct taxation

  • International tax treaties: Analysis and application of bilateral treaties to minimise withholding taxes on dividends, interest and royalties
  • Permanent establishment: Prevention of involuntary foreign taxable presence risk (activity, personnel and contract analysis)
  • OECD Pillar 2 (GloBE): Support on 15% global minimum tax – effective tax rate (ETR) calculation, low-taxed entity identification and compliance strategies
02

Transfer pricing and documentation

  • Mandatory documentation: Master File (group policy) and Local Files (local entities) drafting compliant with OECD/BEPS requirements – annual updates
  • Economic analyses and benchmarks: Comparability studies and comparable transaction searches to demonstrate arm's length principle compliance
  • Advance Pricing Agreements (APA): Negotiation with tax authorities to secure transfer pricing methodology for future years – tax audit defence support
03

International VAT and indirect taxes

  • Territoriality and chargeable event: VAT place of supply determination for complex goods deliveries (triangular, consignment stocks) and B2B/B2C services
  • Reverse charge and fiscal representation: Implementation to optimise cash flow – non-EU fiscal representative appointment – single VAT registration management
  • VAT recovery and environmental taxes: Intra-EU and non-EU refund procedures – excise duties (energy taxes, TGAP), carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM)
04

Customs-Tax interface and flow optimisation

  • Customs-Tax consistency: HS code alignment with tax classifications, customs value and VAT base harmonisation, physical/accounting flow reconciliation
  • Incoterms optimisation: Strategic choices to reduce taxable base (VAT, duties), minimise logistics costs and optimise risk allocation
  • Optimised operational schemes: Flow structuring to leverage free trade agreements, tariff suspensions and special procedures – joint Customs-Tax audits before DGDDI/tax authority inspections
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International sanctions & embargoes

Sanctions and embargo regimes (EU, UN, OFAC, UK, etc.) require a high level of vigilance on your partners, financial flows and deal structures.

Sanctions: a major legal and banking risk

ELA helps you secure your operations against primary and secondary sanctions, avoid blocking over-compliance situations and maintain an effective dialogue with authorities and your banks.

In practice, we combine operational screening, extraterritorial nexus analysis and crisis management (licences, unfreezing of funds) so that you can make informed decisions.

Sanctions screening & due diligence

Screening of your customers, suppliers, banks and intermediaries against sanctions lists (EU, UN, OFAC, UK…), including beneficial owners and controlling shareholders, to detect structures that appear “clean” but are in fact controlled by sanctioned persons.

Nexus analysis & extraterritorial risk

Qualification of touchpoints with high‑risk jurisdictions (USD, US servers or banks, US persons in management, flows via SWIFT, correspondent banks, etc.) to determine whether your operations fall under OFAC or other authorities’ jurisdiction.

Licences, exemptions & unfreezing of funds

Preparation of licence applications and special authorisations with the French Treasury or other competent authorities, when a transaction remains legally possible despite partial embargoes or sudden changes in sanctions regimes.

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Interministerial Instruction 901 & Cybersecurity

II901 sets the bar for securing sensitive and Restricted Information systems, combining a risk-based approach, formal accreditation, and reinforced security controls to protect your most critical assets.

If your systems handle controlled data, II901 is a key requirement.

ELA guides you from initial scoping through to accreditation and day-to-day operations, aligning II901 with your other regulatory obligations (PPST, NIS2, PSSIE, ANSSI guidance) and your business priorities.

In concrete terms, we design and structure your information security governance, technical architecture, and operational procedures so you can obtain – and maintain – a strong II901 accreditation without slowing down your projects or industrial timelines.

Our teams blend regulatory expertise, cybersecurity capabilities, and on-the-ground experience in defense, space, NewSpace, and critical industries to build II901 frameworks that your teams can actually apply – and that stand up to scrutiny from ANSSI, DGA, and SGDSN.

II901 Readiness Assessment

Sensitivity analysis of your information (including Restricted Distribution), mapping of exposed activities, data flows, and interconnections to clearly define the II901 perimeter and the systems that must be accredited.

Gap analysis against the II901 baseline and ANSSI best practices, with a pragmatic remediation roadmap prioritized by business impact, contractual commitments, and export-control constraints.

II901 Framework & Accreditation

Design of your information security governance (roles, responsibilities, policies), definition of organizational and technical safeguards (segmentation, approved encryption, logging, access control), and adaptation of existing procedures into a complete, audit-ready accreditation package.

Alignment with DGA, SGDSN, and ANSSI frameworks (II901, NIS2, Restricted Distribution regimes, PPST requirements) to industrialize compliance efforts and streamline audits by authorities, strategic customers, and major primes.

Outsourced OCSSI / CISO Services

Acting as your outsourced OCSSI or CISO for sensitive systems, steering cyber risk management, tracking remediation plans, and leading accreditation boards as well as interactions with competent authorities.

Day-to-day management of security incidents, coordination of technical response, maintenance of the required security posture, and regular II901 re-assessments to embed continuous improvement into your operations.

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Defense, Space & NewSpace

Defense, Space, and NewSpace programs combine sovereignty requirements, export constraints, enhanced cybersecurity, and intense schedule pressure within complex international subcontracting and cooperation environments.

High-stakes regulatory and contractual environments

ELA supports prime contractors, equipment manufacturers, and start-ups in securing architectures, contracts, and interfaces with authorities (DGA, CNES, SGDSN, ANSSI) while maintaining the agility essential to program execution and funding.

In practice, we design cybersecurity and export compliance frameworks tailored to the defense and space sectors—robust enough to reassure institutional and banking partners, yet flexible enough to preserve innovation and business momentum.

Defense & dual-use programs

IGI 1300, sensitive information, II901 requirements, LPM, NIS2, and defense clauses: your contracts, subcontracting relationships, and supply chains must demonstrate a level of risk management consistent with state clients’ expectations.

Structuring compliance governance (export control, sanctions, cybersecurity) for sensitive programs, including information access management, team compartmentalization, and oversight of international cooperation and technology transfers.

Institutional Space & NewSpace

Orbital positions, frequency plans, ITU/ANFR filings, information security plans, or launch campaigns—compliance with the French Space Act and Space Imagery Act frameworks. Integrate regulatory and client requirements (agencies, primes, critical operators) from the earliest stages of project and cloud/IT architecture design.

Implementation of export compliance and sensitive data protection frameworks adapted to both traditional and NewSpace players (rapid iterations, fundraising, international expansion), to secure relationships with investors, industrial partners, and institutional customers.

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Among our experts

Lawyers, engineers and senior consultants specialised in export control, customs, taxation, cybersecurity, space & defence, brought together in a unique network with international reach, to secure your sensitive operations.

A team of recognised experts

Members of the ELA network have held key positions within major industrial companies, government agencies and leading firms, with proven experience in the most sensitive environments.

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Outsourcing your compliance with ELA

ELA offers a new outsourcing solution to support your operations: we handle all or part of your Export Control, Customs, Tax and Security functions on a daily basis, bearing the associated responsibility.

  • EC Officer, Customs Officer and Tax Officer on delegation.
  • OCSSI/CISO, security management and II 901 accreditations.
  • Organisation off-site or on-site at your premises.
  • Coverage by professional liability insurance of network members.
  • Ticket platform and 24/7 availability for your requests.

E.g.: implementation and continuous operation of an outsourced Export Control service for an industrial group, with licence management, procedures, training and COMEX reporting.

Engagement terms

Interventions by the hour, day packages, full-time equivalents from 0.1 to 5 FTE, depending on your size, exposure and the maturity of your frameworks.

Our teams organise, operate and evolve your operations over time, with performance indicators and regular reporting.

Why outsource rather than recruit?

Criteria Internal recruitment ELA Outsourcing (off-site)
Operational delay 6-12 months (recruitment + skill development) 2-4 weeks
Expertise coverage 1-2 domains per profile 5 pillars (Export, Customs, Tax, Sanctions, Cyber)
Cost 1.0 senior FTE 80-150K€ + charges (100-170K€ total) 70-130K€ all-inclusive, adjustable
Departure/absence risk Continuity disrupted Immediate backup through the network
Regulatory watch To be organised Included

Solutions adapted to your size

SME / Startup

  • ✓ Hourly packages (12-24-48h/quarter)
  • ✓ Monthly day packages (2-8 days/month)
  • ✓ On-demand intervention
  • ✓ No commitment, progressive scaling

E.g.: On-demand intervention from €500 excl. VAT

Mid-cap / Large group

  • ✓ Dedicated FTEs (0.5 to 5 FTE)
  • ✓ Multidisciplinary teams
  • ✓ Multi-site coverage France/International
  • ✓ SLA & COMEX reporting

E.g.: Complete EC service 2 FTE → on quote

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Typical situations where we intervene

⚠️ Imminent authority audit

Mid-cap, DGA-DICE announces an export control audit in 3 weeks

Our intervention: 72h flash audit, priority remediation plan, on-site support during the audit

Result: Zero sanctions, compliance validated

🔐 Urgent 901 accreditation

Defence SME, new BITD contract requiring II901 within 6 months

Our intervention: Complete framework design, outsourced OCSSI, ANSSI accreditation file

Result: Accreditation obtained D+4 months, contract secured

📋 Non-existent EC service

Industrial group €500M, no structured Export Control function

Our intervention: Outsourced EC Officer 3 days/week, procedures, team training, ticket platform

Result: Operational compliance within 90 days, 0 business blockage

🌍 International expansion

NewSpace startup, €20M fundraising, first USA/Middle East clients

Our intervention: Product/tech review, ECCN/EAR classifications, export licences, client screening

Result: US sales secured, investor due diligence validated

Speak with an ELA expert

Tell us a bit more about your context. A member of our team (engineer or lawyer depending on your needs) will get back to you quickly for an initial confidential call.

  • Startups, SMEs, mid-caps and large industrial groups.
  • Export control, customs, tax, cybersecurity, II 901, defence & space.
  • Assignments in France and internationally.

What you can expect from us

  • ✓ First exchange with an expert, not a salesperson.
  • ✓ Rapid response (usually within 24–48 business hours).
  • ✓ Option to work under NDA from the very first discussions.
  • ✓ Proposal adapted to your budget and context.
  • ✓ We will tell you if you do not need us.

Response within 24-48 business hours from an ELA expert.

Strictly confidential discussion, no commitment.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to the main questions about how we support our clients.

Why outsource export compliance?

Outsourcing gives you immediate access to senior expertise without hiring, smooths costs over time and leverages methods already tested in organisations similar to yours.

Which regulations do you cover?

We provide services in export control and customs, European and French law, US law (ITAR/EAR), other laws (e.g. SCOMET in India, ML in the UAE, etc.), as well as specific requirements for the defence and cybersecurity sectors (War Mat., AMA, R226, AEPE/AIPE, ii901, etc.).

What types of companies do you work with?

We support SMEs, mid-caps and large industrial groups, especially those exposed to complex export flows or frequent regulatory audits. We adopt a specific approach to supporting start-ups.

How does an engagement with ELA start?

We start with an exploratory call to clarify your context, followed by a focused diagnosis leading to several intervention options (flash mission, structuring project, partial or full outsourcing).

Do you only work in France?

No, we mainly operate from France but also for international groups, with strong experience in operations in Europe, the USA, Asia, etc. and other third countries (including sensitive areas).

Can we work under NDA?

Yes, we systematically sign a tailored confidentiality agreement so that sensitive topics and past incidents can be addressed safely.

Typical Engagement Timeline

Day 0–5

Exploratory Discussion

Quick understanding of your context, constraints, and priorities.

Week 2–3

Targeted Assessment

Concise analysis of risks and gaps, with initial recommendations.

Week 4+

Implementation

Development or upgrade of your compliance systems and procedures.

Follow‑up

Ongoing Oversight

Continuous support, periodic risk review, and adjustment of measures.