Status: 01.07.2021 13:58
Germany continues to cut its arms exports abroad. Fewer exports were approved as early as 2020, and the decline continues this year – especially for sales to third countries.
In the first six months of this year, Germany approved fewer arms exports abroad than in the same period last year.
From January to June, the federal government issued individual licenses for arms exports worth a total of 2.3 billion euros, according to the Federal Ministry of Economics. In the same period of 2020, exports for 2.8 billion euros were approved.
Significantly fewer exports to third countries
At 78 percent, most goods are to be exported to NATO or EU countries or to countries that are on an equal footing with NATO countries. The Ministry of Economic Affairs pointed out that Germany “has a particularly close security partnership” with these countries.
Exports to other countries to the value of 499 million euros are planned. In the first half of 2020, this sum was significantly higher at 1.74 billion euros.
Netherlands and USA largest recipient countries
The largest buyer of German armaments is the Netherlands. They are to receive goods worth 706.9 million euros. The USA is in second place among the recipient countries. Exports worth EUR 430.7 million are to be delivered there. This is followed by Great Britain (149.1 million euros), Austria (104.1 million euros), Brazil (90.6 million euros), Ecuador (72.4 million euros), Thailand (62.9 million euros) and Switzerland ( 57.2 million euros).
Fewer exports were approved as early as 2020
Throughout 2020, Germany had issued permits worth 5.8 billion euros for arms exports. A significant decrease compared to the previous year: in 2019 the value was around eight billion euros.
The often controversial exports to third countries accounted for around three billion euros in approvals last year, i.e. more than half of all approvals for arms exports. This also includes goods for Egypt – these exports in particular were subject to massive criticism because of the allegation that Egypt violated human rights.
The Federal Security Council decides on the export of armaments in secret meetings. Its permanent members are the Defense Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Interior Minister and the Heads of Finance, Economy and Justice, as well as the Development Minister and the Head of the Federal Chancellery.
Germany increased its imports in 2020
According to the Swedish peace research institute SIPRI, Germany is one of the five largest arms exporters in the world. While sales of German armaments abroad are declining, the Federal Republic of Germany increased imports of military equipment by more than five percent in 2020. Last year, according to SIPRI, Germany invested around 44 billion euros in armaments, which puts it in seventh place worldwide.