Trade in military equipment becomes more transparent with European database

Belgium welcomes the publication of the EU database on exports of military equipment by EU Member States. This public database is a further step towards greater transparency in the field of exports and trade in military equipment. Transparency in arms exports is an important issue as it leads to greater accountability of states and better monitoring of their export control commitments. This transparency thus contributes to the fight against the diversion of arms to criminals, terrorists or any unauthorized person.

This database is based on the annual reports submitted by the Member States under the Common Position, which regulates arms exports at the European level by providing criteria for them. These reports, already public since 1999, can now be consulted in a more accessible form, thanks to data visualization tools and the possibility of selecting the data sought. This tool will allow easier access to the data than the previous paper reports and will facilitate the work of administrators, researchers, companies and NGOs interested in arms exports from EU Member States.