Dhe German arms industry fears significant competitive disadvantages from the restriction of its exports planned by the new federal government. “Initial statements by members of the new federal government indicate that arms exports to countries outside the EU and NATO will soon be almost out of the question,” said the chief executive of the Federal Association of the German Security and Defense Industry, Hans Christoph Atzpodien, the German Press Agency. The resulting gaps would then be closed by other European countries and the chances of German companies participating in European armaments projects would be reduced.
Atzpodien, whose association represents the interests of the German armaments industry, also expressed skepticism about the arms export control law anchored in the coalition agreement between the SPD, Greens and FDP. “It will further solidify German national arms export restrictions,” he said. This would make international arms cooperation even more difficult. Atzpodien called for a European harmonization of arms export controls. This is the only way to make international cooperation possible, “with national solo efforts, however, not”.
2021: Arms exports like never before
Germany has already pursued a more restrictive arms export policy in recent years than European allies such as France, Great Britain or Spain. With the planned export law, the new government wants to restrict deliveries to so-called third countries outside of the EU and NATO. Last year they made up well over half of all exports; in 2020 it was a good 50 percent.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), shortly before the turn of the year, once again emphasized how important an arms export control law is to her. “As a coalition, we have made it clear that we are reviewing the arms export policy of the past few years,” she said in a dpa interview.
Last year, the old federal government of the Union and the SPD approved arms exports for more than 9 billion euros – more than ever before. For more than half of them, the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz only gave the green light in the last few days before their replacement, when she was only in office.
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