DOCSLIB.ORG

Arms Companies Exposed

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Arms Companies Exposed -CAATnews ARMS COMPANIES EXPOSED CAAT honoured with Right Livelihood Award Issue 226 Unit 4, 5-7 Wells Terrace October–December 2012 London N4 3JU Tel: 020 7281 0297 £1.00 Email: [email protected] Website: www.caat.org.uk CAATnews IN THIS ISSUE... Editor Melanie Jarman Proofreader John Moseley Welcome to this issue of CAATnews Design Richie Andrew CAAT had some fantastic news the publicity it generates will Contributors Ann Feltham, Nicholas this autumn, as we were help get the argument across Gilby, Tom Greenwood, Henry awarded one of four Right that it is not OK for the McLaughlin, Anne-Marie O’Reilly, Ian Livelihood Awards for 2012. Government to promote Prichard, Beth Smith, Kaye Stearman, This is an incredible weapons sales. We also Sarah Waldron. achievement: termed the hope the publicity will help “Alternative Nobel Prize”, the our partners in other countries to Legal consultant Glen Reynolds award honours organisations and get their message across. Thank you also to our dedicated team individuals “offering practical and What better time then to get of CAATnews stuffers. exemplary answers to the most involved in CAAT: Steering urgent challenges to us today”. Committee elections take place Printed by Russell Press on 100% The award recognises the hard soon and we’d really welcome your recycled paper using only post work of thousands of activists involvement – see page 10 for the consumer waste. around the UK, and CAAT hopes particulars. Content of most website references is also available in print – contact the CAAT office. Campaign Against Arms Trade, Summer developments 3 Unit 4, 5-7 Wells Terrace, London N4 3JU Tel: 020 7281 0297 Arms trade shorts 4-5 Email: [email protected] Web: www.caat.org.uk If you use Charities Aid Foundation Disarm the Gallery 6 cheques you can support CAAT through TREAT (Trust for Research and Education on Arms Trade). Please Cable’s constituents speak out 7 send CAF cheques, payable to TREAT, to the office making clear that you wish for your donation to support Month of action; DSEi 2013 8-9 CAAT’s research programme. Unlike CAAT, TREAT is a registered charity (No.328694). CAAT updates; They said it 10 Material from CAAT is free for non- commerical reproduction. Non-CAAT contributors retain copyright of work BAE-EADS merger 11 used. Please contact and credit CAATnews if reproducing material. The content and views expressed in Parliamentary 12 articles, advertisements and promotional material included within CAATnews by other organisations are Anti-bribery 13 not necessarily endorsed or supported by CAAT. Any related enquiries or concerns should be addressed to the Universities Network 14-15 relevant organisation. To receive this issue of Donate 16 CAATnews in large print please call Campaign Against Arms Trade works to end the international arms trade. 020 7281 0297 The arms business has a devastating impact on human rights and security, and damages economic development. Large scale military procurement and arms exports only reinforce a militaristic approach to international problems. OCT-DEC 2012 CAATnews JULY ROUND-UP July 2012: a month of significant developments This particular month saw arms dealers peddling their wares in Farnborough and negotiations get underway in New York for an international Arms Trade Treaty; but the ground-breaking arms trade news came packaged in a far more prosaic form – a Parliamentary report. Ann Feltham gives details. July’s report from the Commons’ Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) acknowledged an “inherent conflict between strongly promoting arms exports to authoritarian regimes whilst strongly criticising their lack of human rights at the same time.” CAAT has been arguing this for years of course, but for a parliamentary committee, chaired by Despite considerable chaos at home, Libyan military personnel enjoyed former Conservative Defence Minister their “priority market” status at the Farnborough Airshow, being snapped Sir John Stanley, to make this point doing their rounds of the displays. Photo: Betsy Barkas feels like significant progress. CAEC to point out that UKTI DSO treaty might make (see CAATnews Getting it right had a “priority list” of countries for 224). Would it, for example, have CAEC also noted that the its export promotion activities, prevented the initial issuing of those Government reacted to the Arab several of them with very dubious export licences revoked during the Spring by revoking 158 arms export human rights records. Arab Spring? Or the arming of licences and, later, streamlining the For this 2012 report, CAEC Gaddafi? procedures for revoking licences in proactively requested the UKTI DSO Even the UK government now future. However, the report stressed “priority list” and has asked the seems to have limited hopes for the that with no noticable change in the Government to explain why it treaty, with Foreign Office Minister repressive regimes to which the arms includes Libya and Saudi Arabia Alistair Burt telling CAEC in were being shipped before and after when both countries are also listed September that the treaty is to the start of the Arab Spring, the scale by the Foreign and Commonwealth replace a vacuum, to have something of the revocations indicated that the Office in its latest “Human Rights and in place in countries where there is initial licensing process was flawed. Democracy Annual Report” as being currently nothing. The decisions need to be right in the Countries of Concern. first place. The arms fair The treaty One UK government minister was The UKTI DSO list Also in July, in New York, present, briefly, for the Arms Trade The Government’s role in promoting negotiations at the United Nations for Treaty negotiations. Our third July military exports, including through an arms trade treaty failed to reach event, the Farnborough Airshow, was the UK Trade & Investment Defence & a conclusion after governments, attended by fifteen, including the Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) including that of the United States, Prime Minister. While Farnborough has also been considered by CAEC. asked for more time. The next steps also showcases civil aviation, there is In November 2011 arms industry may be taken at the General a strong emphasis on military sales. representatives told CAEC that the Assembly towards the end of the UKTI DSO hosted 34 military markets envisaged for new military year or at another specially delegations at Farnborough, from orders were in eastern Europe and convened meeting in 2013 or later. countries that included Algeria, the USA and “shouldn’t really cause CAAT has always been rather Bahrain, India, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan significant concern”. CAAT wrote to sceptical about the difference a and Saudi Arabia. CAATnews OCT-DEC 2012 3 ARMS TRADE SHORTS Surveillance Such legal action could have drawn Drones attention to the wider sale of similar The UK government has made technology by UK companies. Former Director of Public moves towards restricting sales of Privacy International said questions Prosecutions Lord Macdonald of spying software to Egypt. This is the remained, calling for further action River Glaven has warned that the first time it has taken action on such to bring other UK companies under Government must come clean over an issue and could be a significant the export licensing regime. alleged help it is giving the US to step towards the regulation of OBSERVER, 9/9/12 carry out drone attacks in Pakistan, surveillance technologies. saying there was compelling The campaign group Privacy Representatives from the UK Trade evidence that GCHQ had assisted International had threatened to seek & Investment Defence & Security the US in “locational intelligence” a judicial review of the Organisation (UKTI DSO) were before drone strikes. Government’s decision not to bar invited by Hidden Technology The family of a US drone strike the export to Egypt of Gamma Systems International Ltd to victim is already taking legal action International’s surveillance software. celebrate the company winning the against the Foreign and Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Commonwealth Office over alleged Defence Images/Flickr International Trade 2012. The complicity. Essex-based company specialises in TIMES, 18/9/12 covert tracking and surveillance systems, with customers including the Saudi Arabian police force. UK training THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, 1/12/11; UKTI DSO, The UK government has spent 7/8/12 millions of pounds on training military, police and security personnel from oppressive regimes that have arms embargoes in place. In the last five years, Sudan, where the president has been indicted by the International Criminal BAE South Korea Court for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the BAE Systems and EADS have BAE has won a South Korean deal to Democratic Republic of the Congo, confirmed they are in merger talks upgrade KF-16 fighter aircraft over where extensive human rights abuses (see page 11). Arrangements under the next decade. have been documented, received discussion would see BAE own 40 AgustaWestland has also signed £2.4m between them in training and per cent of the new grouping and partnership agreements with South support for military and defence EADS own 60 per cent. Korean companies Firstec and personnel. BAE has hired lobby firms in Dodaam Systems. AgustaWestland GUARDIAN, 25/9/12 Washington to help assuage any said this was the first step in resulting US national security providing dedicated service and concerns. The firms are saying that training centres for military Shell the merger will have no impact on helicopters in South Korea. BAE’s work for the US government. DEFENSE NEWS, 31/7/12; UPI.COM, Leaked financial data passed to the DEFENSE NEWS, 12/9/12; THE HILL, 14/9/12 organisation Platform suggests that 19/9/12 Shell is paying Nigerian security forces tens of millions of dollars a BAE Systems Land Systems South Finmeccanica year to guard installations and staff Africa recently signed an agreement in the Niger delta.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 28 May 2011 1 the UK Arms Trade Complex and Freedom
    28th May 2011 The UK Arms Trade Complex and Freedom of Information A case for an enhanced presumption of transparency in the case of corruption in arms deals Barnaby Pace 28th May 2011 Abstract The trade in arms is thought of by many states as a key factor in the maintenance of their national security. This is true in either selling arms abroad or procuring weapons and equipment for use by national forces. Sadly however, the arms trade is one of the most corrupt businesses on earth, accounting for forty percent of all corruption worldwide according to one estimate. The purpose of the arms trade is to create weapons with the power to kill and maim, and with this the consequences of corruption are especially destructive. The prevalence and extreme danger of corruption in the arms trade justifies a greater level of transparency and accountability. However governments have long considered the arms trade to be essential to national security and too often regard anti-corruption efforts as a threat not only to their arms production capacity but also their security and international relations. This threat to international relations is itself premised on the perception of national security being dependent on military or intelligence co-operation with other countries founded, which in turn is founded on arms deals. Arms deals have become seen as a legitimate and unquestionable diplomatic tool whether the arms are sold corruptly or not. This paper examines three disputed cases around the British governmental involvement in the sale of arms and associated services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
    [Show full text]
  • A Deal Worth Defending? the Uk's Arms Trade and the War in Yemen 01 Executive Summary
    A DEAL WORTH DEFENDING? THE UK'S ARMS TRADE AND THE WAR IN YEMEN 01 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Research conducted by War Child UK has revealed that UK arms companies are reaping double the revenues previously estimated1 from arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of countries fighting a brutal war in Yemen, and waging a bombing campaign that has killed and maimed thousands of children. This has contributed to a humanitarian crisis that has left millions more on the brink of starvation. The Saudi-led coalition is emboldened to carry out these attacks by the military and diplomatic support it receives from countries like the UK. Yet despite this crisis, and evidence that British weapons are being used to violate international humanitarian law in Yemen,2 the UK Government continues to grant export licences for arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The only winners from this immoral trade are the big arms companies and their shareholders, reaping huge profits while children are killed, disfigured and starved to death. This must stop. Two years of civil war in Yemen has seen an estimated 1,300 children killed and 2,000 more injured, 212 schools attacked3 and medical facilities destroyed. A crippling physical and economic blockade has been imposed on the country by the Saudi-led coalition: this has destroyed the economy, stopped vital food imports, and created a humanitarian crisis that has left the country on the verge of famine and in the grip of a cholera epidemic.4 Whilst atrocities have been committed by both sides, a large majority
    [Show full text]
  • The United Kingdom's Arms Export Licensing Process
    The Economics of Peace and Security Journal, ISSN 1749-852X Stavrianakis, Arms export licensing p. 32 © www.epsjournal.org.uk – Vol. 3, No. 1 (2008) Licensed to kill: the United Kingdom’s arms overarching argument is that the government’s export control guidelines do not restrict the arms trade in any meaningful way but, rather, serve predominantly a export licensing process legitimating function. Overview of the arms export licensing process Anna Stavrianakis The Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (hereafter, he United Kingdom is one of the more significant actors in the international Consolidated Criteria) form the main regulatory mechanism for U.K. arms exports, arms trade. Between 2001 and 2005 it was the world’s fifth largest supplier of setting out the government’s commitment to be guided in its arms export activity by Tmajor conventional weapons, behind Russia, the United States, France, and concerns regarding the state’s international commitments, human rights, the internal Germany, and the world’s fifth largest recipient of arms, behind China, India, Greece, situation in the recipient country, regional stability, U.K. national security, the 1 and the United Arab Emirates. The U.K. government supports arms exports because recipient state’s attitude to terrorism and international law, the risk of diversion, and of the economic, strategic, and political benefits they ostensibly bring. It also claims sustainable development.4 The licensing process is administered and controlled by the to operate a very strict control regime based on the 2002 Export Control Act and a set Export Control Organization (ECO), which sits within the Department for Business, of guidelines known as the Consolidated Criteria.
    [Show full text]
  • A Shameful Relationship Uk Complicity in Saudi State Violence
    A SHAMEFUL RELATIONSHIP UK COMPLICITY IN SAUDI STATE VIOLENCE DAVID WEARING • APRIL 2016 CONTENTS Summary 5 1 Introduction 7 2 Saudi state violence at home and abroad 9 Yemen – complicity in indiscriminate killing Bahrain – crushing the ‘Arab Spring’ Domestic repression – the extremist state 3 The UK-Saudi relationship 14 Background Al Yamamah Al Salam MODSAP & SANGCOM UK government promotion of the arms trade How the government handles questions of corruption 4 Major deals and overall trends 21 Major deals Mapping Saudi’s suppliers 5 UK export controls 25 Unlawful exports Facilitating internal repression 6 A poor deal all-round 28 Undermining democracy Undermining security Ignoring better economic alternatives 7 Conclusion 31 Abbreviations 33 Cover images Royal Saudi Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons: Credit:Clément Alloing / Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Union Jack: Credit: edgenumbers / Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 A Shameful Relationship: UK complicity in Saudi state violence 3 SUMMARY “While an arms embargo is needed now, it was clear long before the intervention in Yemen that arms sales One year into the intervention in the civil conflict in Yemen by a Saudi- led military coalition, 6,400 people have been killed, half of them civilians, to the Saudi regime were including 900 children, and more than 30,000 people have been injured. The large majority of these casualties have been caused by Coalition air dangerous and immoral. strikes in a campaign where combat aircraft supplied by the United Kingdom have played a significant role. Leading human rights organisations have documented a pattern of violations against international law committed There can be no justification by the Coalition.
    [Show full text]
  • The Use of UK-Manufactured Arms in Yemen
    House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee The use of UK-manufactured arms in Yemen Fourth Report of Session 2016–17 HC 688 House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee The use of UK-manufactured arms in Yemen Fourth Report of Session 2016–17 Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 14 September 2016 HC 688 Published on 15 September 2016 by authority of the House of Commons The Foreign Affairs Committee The Foreign Affairs Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its associated public bodies. Current membership Crispin Blunt MP (Conservative, Reigate) (Chair) Mr John Baron MP (Conservative, Basildon and Billericay) Ann Clwyd MP (Labour, Cynon Valley) Mike Gapes MP (Labour (Co-op), Ilford South) Stephen Gethins MP (Scottish National Party, North East Fife) Mr Mark Hendrick MP (Labour (Co-op), Preston) Adam Holloway MP (Conservative, Gravesham) Daniel Kawczynski MP (Conservative, Shrewsbury and Atcham) Yasmin Qureshi MP (Labour, Bolton South East) Andrew Rosindell MP (Conservative, Romford) Nadhim Zahawi MP (Conservative, Stratford-on-Avon) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk. Publication Committee reports are published on the Committee’s website at www.parliament.uk/facom and in print by Order of the House. Evidence relating to this report is published on the inquiry page of the Committee’s website.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of Key Recommendations
    UKA0009 Written evidence submitted by Control Arms UK Summary of Key Recommendations Mandate and scope of CAEC. Control Arms UK recommends that: . The CAEC in future explicitly references issues of major topical concern, includes as a standing item in its inquiries ‘licences/destinations of concern’, and takes full advantage of the UK’s system of quarterly reporting in the scope of its inquiries . The CAEC considers establishing itself as a separate, standalone select committee Arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the war in Yemen . The CAEC should seek detailed evidence from the government on: ­ the scale and nature of arms delivered under open licences to Saudi Arabia since March 2015 ­ their legal interpretation of a “serious violation of IHL”, key to risk assessment under criterion 2c ­ their basis for requiring a “pattern” of serious violations of IHL to be necessary to create a risk of a single violation in future ­ how they interpret the word “pattern”, including in light of the UN determination that such a pattern exists in Yemen ­ the new risk assessment methodology used in arms licensing (as no detailed explanation has, to date, been forthcoming from the government) ­ exactly how many incidents recorded in the MOD ‘Tracker’ are regarded as likely cases of violations of international law Examples of other problematic destinations . The CAEC should seek from the government: ­ detailed evidence on the scale and nature of arms delivered to Egypt, Turkey and UAE, and on the grounds for determining that none of these approved transfers were problematic under the Consolidated Criteria ­ clarity about whether and how the new risk assessment methodology was applied to these destinations Countries subject to trade restrictions The CAEC should ask the government to provide: .
    [Show full text]
  • The Use of UK‑Manufactured Arms in Yemen
    House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills and International Development Committees The use of UK‑manufactured arms in Yemen First Joint Report of the Business, Innovation and Skills and International Development Committees of Session 2016–17 Fifth Report of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee of Session 2016–17 Third Report of the International Development Committee of Session 2016–17 Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 14 September 2016 HC 679 Published on 15 September 2016 by authority of the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee The Business, Innovation and Skills Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Current membership Mr Iain Wright MP (Labour, Hartlepool) (Chair) Paul Blomfield MP (Labour, Sheffield Central) Richard Fuller MP (Conservative, Bedford) Peter Kyle MP (Labour, Hove) Amanda Milling MP (Conservative, Cannock Chase) Jonathan Reynolds MP (Labour (Co-op), Stalybridge and Hyde) Amanda Solloway MP (Conservative, Derby North) Michelle Thomson MP (Independent, Edinburgh West) Kelly Tolhurst MP (Conservative, Rochester and Strood) Craig Tracey MP (Conservative, North Warwickshire) Chris White MP (Conservative, Warwick and Leamington) International Development Committee The International Development Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the
    [Show full text]
  • The Committees on Arms Export Controls by Both Secretaries of State
    Second Joint Report of tthe Busineess, Innovvation and Skills, Defence, Fooreign Affairs and International Development CCommittees of Session 2014--15 Scrutiny oof Arms Exports and Arms Controls (2015): Scrutiny of the Government’s Strategicc Export Controls Annual Report for 2013, Quarterly Reports from October 2013 to June 2014, and the Government’s policies on arrms exporrts and intternationaal arms control issues Response of the Secretaries of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and International Development Presented to Parrliament by the Secretaries of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Interrnational Development by Command of Her Majesty 31 July 2015 Cm 9089 © Crown copyright 2015 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write tto the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at [email protected] Print ISBN 9781474121958 Web ISBN 9781474121965 ID P002737072 07/15 50914 19585 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre
    [Show full text]
  • The New British Imperialism in the Persian Gulf
    The new British imperialism in the Persian Gulf War on Want fights against the root causes of poverty and human rights violation, as part of the worldwide movement for global justice. We do this by: • working in partnership with grassroots social movements, trade unions and workers’ organisations to empower people to fight for their rights • running hard-hitting popular campaigns against the root causes of poverty and human rights violation • mobilising support and building alliances for political action in support of human rights, especially workers’ rights • raising public awareness of the root causes of poverty, inequality and injustice, and empowering people to take action for change Join us! The success of our work relies on inspiring people to join the fight against poverty and human rights abuse. Get involved with our work: Visit waronwant.org/donate Email [email protected] Call 020 7324 5040 Write to War on Want 44-48 Shepherdess Walk London N1 7JP facebook.org/waronwant @waronwant Preface 01 British governments have long connected network of British state and regarded the Gulf states as ‘vital corporate actors operating in the Gulf region, partners’ in securing the UK’s energy focused on ensuring ‘stabilisation’ and ‘internal security and military interests. Yet the security’ through the export of materiel and strategic importance of the Persian training which is used for the purposes of Gulf is taking on a new significance, internal repression. with the UK government in the process of building a permanent presence in the From the training of sniper units to the sale region and establishing a dedicated of CS gas, and from the delivery of covert British Defence Staff to oversee it.
    [Show full text]
  • The UK's Secret Arms Sales
    OPEN? The UK’s secret arms sales 2 Open? The UK’s secret arms sales Open? The UK’s secret arms sales How big is the UK arms trade? What is the total value of arms sold by the UK around the world each year, and how much goes to each country? What is being supplied, when? These questions are fundamental for effective scrutiny of the arms trade, but government inaction on the secretive Open licences system means we are still unable to answer them. It’s time to deliver on past promises to support proper transparency and accountability. Open? The UK’s secret arms sales Open? The UK’s secret arms sales 3 CONTENTS Summary 4 1 Background 5 1.1 Transparency matters 1.2 Types of export licences 2 The value of exports 8 3 Problems with open licences 10 3.1 The hidden half of UK arms exports 3.2 “Uncontroversial” exports? 3.3 Obscuring and facilitating arms sales Case study: Yemen 4 Making Change 14 4.1 Recommendations Appendix 17 4 Open? The UK’s secret arms sales Open? The UK’s secret arms sales SUMMARY The UK Government claims to be a leader in transparency in arms exports, pointing to the detailed information it releases regarding export licences issued, refused, and revoked. However, significant gaps remain in this information. For example, there is no information on the precise equipment that is exported, or the companies to which the licences are issued. One of the biggest gaps is created by the use of “Open” Licences which, despite the name, are secretive and limit transparency and accountability.
    [Show full text]
  • UK Aid and Arms in Yemen Oxfam Media Briefing
    UK Aid and Arms in Yemen Oxfam media briefing The conflict in Yemen between the internationally recognized government backed by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition and Houthi forces has fuelled a huge humanitarian crisis which has left millions of Yemenis hungry, led to tens of thousands of deaths and forced almost four million people to flee their homes. The United Kingdom has donated hundreds of millions of pounds worth of aid to Yemen since 2015, including lifesaving food and healthcare. And yet the value of that aid is many times less than the value of arms that the UK has licensed for sale to members of the coalition, principally Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This briefing argues that the UK government’s approach to Yemen has been illegal, immoral and incoherent. The government has said it will appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal in June 2019 that UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia were unlawful, and meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has been invited to the world’s biggest arms fair in London this month. Oxfam is calling on the UK government to do everything it can to end the war in Yemen, by stopping arms sales to the parties involved and by pressing for an immediate countrywide ceasefire. www.oxfam.org.uk 1 INTRODUCTION The conflict in Yemen escalated in March 2015 when a coalition of countries led by Saudi Arabia and including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and six other countries backed the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi against Houthi forces who had already taken control of the capital, Sana’a.
    [Show full text]
  • UK Arms Export Control Policy
    UK arms export control policy Standard Note: SN02729 Last updated: 24 April 2014 Author: Jon Lunn Section International Affairs and Defence Section Sir Richard Scott recommended in his 1996 report on the arms-to-Iraq inquiry that a thorough review of strategic export controls and export licensing procedures should be carried out. This note outlines the main changes to arms export control policy and practice that have been introduced since 1997 on the basis of that recommendation. Controversy since 2011 about UK arms exports to Middle Eastern and North African countries involved in the Arab Spring has led to the announcement of some changes in practice with regard to goods that might be used for internal repression. How significant or effective these changes prove to be remains to be seen. The recent ratification by the UK of the Arms Trade Treaty has required amending secondary legislation and updating the Consolidated Criteria, on which official decisions about whether to approve or refuse an export licence are based. See also Standard Note SN05802, “The Arms Trade Treaty”. Contents 1 Strengthening the UK and EU legal and regulatory frameworks (1997-2010) 2 1.1 The Consolidated Criteria and the Consolidated List 2 1.2 The Export Control Act 2002 3 1.3 EU measures 4 2 Main developments under the current Government (2010 – present) 5 2.1 Controversy over arms exports to the Middle East and North Africa 5 2.2 Changes to the legal and regulatory framework due to the Arms Trade Treaty 8 3 Other relevant treaties, agreements and forums 9 Appendix – The Consolidated Criteria (updated 25 March 2014) 12 1 Strengthening the UK and EU legal and regulatory frameworks (1997-2010) Sir Richard Scott's report of the Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq and Related Prosecution,1 of February 1996, recommended that a thorough review of strategic export controls (i.e.
    [Show full text]