CoCom Coordinating Committee on Multilateral Export Controls. In the Cold War era, the export of various technologies, including computing systems, networking, hardware, and software, was restricted under circumstances in which this might enhance the military capability of the other country, or place at risk the technology advantage of the exporting country. CoCom was the committee, with representatives from the 15 western nations in the NATO alliance plus Japan, that specified the technology for which (CoCom) export approval was required. Following the end of the Cold War, CoCom was replaced in 1996 by the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.

COCOM (or CoCom) (ˈkəʊˌkɒm) Coordinating Committee for Multinational Export Controls