In November 2023, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published the General Safety Guide GSG-17 on application of the concept of exemption to provide the guidance necessary for the Member States to implement the safety requirements set out in the International Basic Safety Standards (GSR Part 3). GSG-17 is developed to revise the Safety Guide RS-G-1.7 on application of the concepts of exclusion, exemption and clearance published in 2004, reflecting the experience of the Member States for almost 20 years. This review paper provides an overview of the technical information provided at GSG-17 on international trends in exemption, application of the concepts of generic exemption and specific exemption in planned exposure situations, and decision-making using screening values in existing exposure situations. Recent developments in the preparation of the IAEA’s new safety report on international trade in non-food commodities are also introduced in this paper.