Europe the arms exporter
| The countries of Europe are significant arms exporters. The bestseller list includes: British fighter jets, German submarines, French missiles, and Italian small arms. European countries do not only earn money from arms exports. They also support the build up of arms industries in countries in the South by exporting technology and sometimes even whole production lines. Europe is providing loans and export credits to clients of the arms factories. This financial support is given by governments as well as by banks. |
Arms for sale!
European arms companies receive
orders from all corners of the earth. More and more, the arms market
is a 'buyers market': Due to the extensive competition countries can
sell arms at bargain prices. Arms industries are also aggressively promoting
their products. Arms fairs all over Europe are used to attract new costumers
to their deadly products. Since 1991 the arms industry is trying to
develop a new market in Eastern Europe.
Repression and civil war
European weapons are not
only used for national defence. European weapons are used by the Turkish
army against the Kurdish population, by the Indonesian army against
the population of East Timor, and in civil wars on the Balkans and in
Africa. Although many European governments claim not to export arms
to countries that are repressing their population or that are violating
Human Rights, in practice there is very little restriction on arms exports.
Transparency of information
Information on arms trade
is hard to obtain. Not only illegal but also legal military transactions
are taking place in secret. Citizens of Europe should have the right
to be well informed about this branch of commerce that can be such a
threat to peace and security. |
- news -
ENAAT meeting 2008, June 7-8 in Oslo »»
New Report: European Export Credit Agencies and the financing of arms trade »»
