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.

85+Experts engineeers or lawyers with international reputation
30+Years of combined operational experience
6xPillars of expertise: Export Control, Customs, Intellectual Property, Taxation, Sanctions, Cybersecurity II901
All controlled sectorsStrategic, Sensitive, Defence (BITD, IGI 1300), Space / NewSpace, Industry…

About us …

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

We help companies exposed to sensitive regulations to secure their operations.

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.

Working with 1st compliance experts office ? a single interface for all your topics : ELA.

85+Experts at your service
250+Clients supported
15,000+People trained or raised awareness
35+ countriesInternational presence

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.

Activities & deliverables

  • 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.

Activities & deliverables

  • 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.
  • Intellectual Property (IP): Patents, know-how protection, securing innovation internationally.

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.

Outsourced 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.

Training

Objective : build a compliance culture across your teams, reduce the risk of errors and meet the requirements of regulatory authorities. Over 15,000 people trained by ELA practising engineers and lawyers.

View all training
Export Control Foundation Half-day

FR/EU regulatory framework, ML/DU logic, licences and day-to-day reflexes. Audience : sales, procurement, HR teams.

Sanctions & Embargoes Certified

OFAC/EU/UN regimes, screening, due diligence, extraterritorial nexus, alert management. Audience : export, finance, management.

Export Control Advanced Certified

EAR/ITAR, contamination, De Minimis, FDPR, intangibles, running an ICP. Audience : EC Officers, legal counsel, compliance managers.

Customs & International Tax Certified

Tariff classification, customs value, origin, customs procedures, international VAT. Audience : supply chain, procurement, finance.

II 901 & Cybersecurity 1 day or bespoke

II 901, NIS2 and PPST requirements in sensitive IT environments, accreditation process. Audience : CISOs, IT Directors, project managers.

Bespoke E-learning & in-person

Programmes tailored to your sector, regulatory exposure and team level — e-learning, infographics, interactive modules.

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Our core Business Areas

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

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

We do not sell "legal time" – ELA has industrialised the Back Office of Export Control and Customs.

With ELA, you have the assurance of an institution capable of supporting you for the next 10 years, not a one-off service dependent on a single expert.

Export Control & Customs

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

Intellectual Property (IP)

Export control and intellectual property cannot be considered separately. A rigorously built IP strategy strengthens regulatory compliance, secures investments and preserves long-term competitiveness.

Tax & flows

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

Customer & Supplier Due Diligence

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

Cybersecurity & Information Systems Security

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

Legal Advice & Governance

Understanding and interpretation of texts, regulatory watch, contractual clauses, contracts, executive protection and interface with authorities by specialist lawyers.

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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

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 network

International presence of ELA and its partners members of the network.

Member companies of the network in France

Consulting firms, law firms and specialised companies in France.

ELA locations

ELA Headquarters

7 Allée des Pionniers de l'Aéropostale
31400 Toulouse - France

ELA Office Paris - Partners

103 Rue de la Boétie
75002 Paris - France

ELA Office Washington DC (USA) - Partners

1751 Pinnacle Dr
Tysons, VA 22102 - USA

Among our current and past clients (France)

12+CAC40 & 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 • Sensitive & Strategic • Agri-food • Medical • Paramedical • Services

Talk to an expert

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 or customs 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.