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. |
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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. |
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