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ENAAT

European Network Against Arms Trade

Europe the arms exporter

The countries of Europe are significant arms exporters. Armies fight with European weapons in arenas of war all over the world. The bestsellers include: British fighter jets, Dutch military electronics, German submarines, Frenchmis siles, Czech tanks, Spanish munitions. Those are just a few examples.
Other countries with less significant arms production still have a share in the weapons trade however: Denmark and Portugal ship European weapons everywhere in the world, the Swiss banks finance huge arms deals. European weapons are used against the Kurds in Kurdistan, by the Indonesian army against the population of East Timor, and in civil wars such as in Yugoslavia. European arms firms supplied weapons to the warring countries Iran and Iraq in the first Gulf war, and made sure that Iraq later became a military superpower in the Middle East. Supplying Iraq for example, in no way prevents European companies from having close military contacts with Israel. European arms companies receive orders from all corners of the earth.
European countries, however, do not only earn money from arms exports. For years Third World countries have built up their own arms industries supported by western technology and the export of whole arms factories.
The war between the allied armies and Iraq in 1991 would not have been possible without the supply of missile factories, poison gas production plants and war technology from Europe.
The deliberate genocide of the Kurds would not be conceivable without European arms exports to Turkey. Europe, arms export and war are inextricably linked.
European arms producers are also practicising a very close cooperation within the framework of the interoperability of the arms systems with regard to the new European military role.
Today the common development, production and the export of the European arms industry is a reality. The arms industry -as well as the arms lobby- is organised Europe-wide.
That is why European initiatives, groups and individuals founded the "European Network against Arms Trade" in 1984.

The law

There are different laws governing the export of armaments and weapons in each individual European country. If national laws were adhered to, arms exports could be restricted. In practice however, things are different.
Although the governments of many European countries have enough scope within the framework of their respective legislation to withhold licences for arms exports applied for by companies, in practice the licences are almost always granted because the decision-making process is purely an administrative one with very little political control.
When trade barriers within the Common Market are abolished, there is a danger that the political will and the practice, of European governments will not change.

The European Network against Arms Trade

Groups working against arms production and export have been meeting regularly since 1984. They are structured and organized differently and vary in their way of going about things, but have this in common: the goal of stopping arms production in Europe and of stopping arms export in general.
This "European Network against Arms Trade" has set itself the tasks of monitoring European military cooperation and of exchanging information, which is then put to use in education, political action and public relations work. The Network worked together against Eurosatory 92, a European military trade fair in Paris, organized a petition-signing and protests.

The Network is open to new groups working on a national level, and especially welcomes the cooperation of the countries of Eastern Europe.
Those who would like to offer financial support to the work of the Network are urged to do so. The groups from Eastern Europe especially, have only meagre financial means to cover general costs or travelling costs. If you want to support the Network, please contact one of the member groups.

The Network meets twice yearly. Information about the arms industry, about co-production and arms planning on a national or European level are available from the Network. Contact your national groups.
The activities of the European groups working against arms exports are many and varied.
Further information is available from the member groups.

Contact groups

Belgium: CFSR: Denmark: Germany: France: Netherlands: Spain/Catalonia: Switzerland: Sweden: United Kingdom: International Organisations:

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"European Network Against Arms Trade" - Hjemmesider for Fred - Oprettet 01/02-96 - Opdateret 12/3-97 - WebMaster: Tom Vilmer Paamand