Policy recommendations

06-03-2008 Written Question MEPs Romeva i Rueda and Scheele: Arms trade

06 March 2008

The EU, aware that arms trade is a global issue, is working towards stricter controls at an international level including supporting an international Arms Trade Treaty that will set out stricter controls on state exports. Although the EU has worked towards stricter arms export controls, it fails to prevent irresponsible arms flows from entering conflict zones in developing countries. On the one hand, as a major arms exporter, the EU exports or facilitates the transshipment of arms via its territory. On the other hand, however, the EU is a major donor for poor and (post-)conflict countries.

In a written question, MEP Raül Romeva i Rueda (Verts/ALE) and MEP Karin Scheele (PSE) asked the Council whether the selling of arms by an EU-member to countries which do not respect human rights and are engaged in conflict is compatible with the EU’s requirements with regard to the trade in weapons.

The EU Member States, aware of the need for more coherence between arms export and development policies, committed themselves in the European Consensus to strict control of their arms exports, including exports to developing countries[[1]|http://www.eucoherence.org/renderer.do/menuId/227351/clearState/true/sf/435113/returnPage/435113/itemId/474955/realItemId/474955/pageId/227353/instanceId/227437/#_edn1].

In 1998 the EU Member States adopted the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports (CoC). The CoC sets the minimum standards in relation to arms exports and transhipment to and from the EU. Member States must adhere to eight criteria when deciding whether to grant an export licence. For example, arms may not be exported to countries if there is a clear risk that they will be used for internal suppression or could lead to human-rights violations.

Fair Politics EU states that there is a strong need for more coherence between the EU arms export and the EU’s development policies. Although EU legislation in the area of arms trade has led to better controls, these are still insufficient when it comes to preventing EU arms from ending up in the exact same countries where the EU is promoting development. Although arms trade to developing countries is not illegal as such, the EU should make sure that this trade does not hamper sustainable development or increase tensions or conflicts.

Fair Politics EU monitors the efforts made by MEPs to address Policy Coherence for Development on a day-to-day basis. MEP Romeva i Rueda’s and MEP Scheele’s question to the Council underline the incoherency between the arms-trade policies and the development policy. By doing so, MEP Romeva i Rueda and MEP Scheele urge the Council to be coherent in its actions. For this action, both MEPs have been awarded a coherence star.

Full question of Mr. Romeva i Rueda and Ms. Scheele can be found below 

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0812/08
by Raül Romeva i Rueda (Verts/ALE) and Karin Scheele (PSE)
to the Council
Date: 18 February 2008
Subject: Arms sales to Morocco 

According to the minutes of the Spanish Council of Ministers meeting of 18 January, the Spanish Government, for the symbolic price of one euro, sold eight sets of aircraft bomb-launchers to Morocco, under an agreement which the  Government sees as contributing to the objective of 'strengthening the special fraternal relationship which exists' between the two countries’ armed forces.

According to Europa Press, sources familiar with the sale have stated that the system concerned is the ‘CLB-30’ (‘Exploding Bomb-Launcher 30’), a free-fall bomb-launcher used to equip fighter-bombers such as the Mirage F1 and the Northrop F5. This equipment is used to launch free-fall bombs such as the MK-82, one of the most widespread on the planet, noted for its cheapness and its effectiveness in demolition missions.

Is the Council aware of these facts? Is it going to ask the Spanish Government for any explanations of the sale of this military equipment? Is the selling of arms to countries like Morocco, which does not respect human rights and is engaged in conflict on the territory of the former Spanish Sahara, compatible with the EU's requirements with regard to trade in weapons?

Given that a series of negotiations is currently taking place between Morocco and the Saharan Government, with the next round scheduled for 11-13 March, is this the right way to create an appropriate environment to encourage both parties to reach understanding, without any factors liable to destabilise the negotiating process?

So far the Commission has not replied yet

More information?

Visit the website of the European Parliament

Vist the website of MEP Raül Romeva i Rueda

Visit the website of MEP Karin Scheele

Notes

[1] The European Consensus on Development; Joint Statement by the Council and member states.,2006.

Documents

Box: EU and cluster munitions

Amnesty International report 2004 Undermining Global Security

Amnesty International report Nepal military assistance