The Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) is a German federal authority subordinate to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). BAFA’s core mandate spans export control, foreign trade law enforcement, and the implementation of economic and energy policy instruments.
For the chemical industry, BAFA is a key regulator and funding agency. It assesses and issues export licences for dual‑use goods, chemicals, equipment, and technologies subject to the EU Dual‑Use Regulation, the Chemical Weapons Convention, embargoes, and sanctions, and provides compliance guidance to companies. BAFA also designs and administers government funding programs that support corporate energy efficiency and decarbonization—such as grants for waste-heat utilization, efficient process technologies, and electrification of process heat—and oversees statutory energy audit obligations. Through these functions, BAFA helps ensure lawful international trade in sensitive chemical-related goods while channeling federal support to reduce energy consumption and emissions in industrial operations.