Effective regulation and control of arms and weapons exports can help stop regional conflicts escalating, reduce opportunities for corruption, and support democracy and sustainable development.
The UK government operates a licensing process for all arms exports. This aims to reduce the risk that arms exports will contribute to human rights abuses, fuel conflict or undermine regional stability. It also requires those seeking an export licence to provide a declaration that the export contract has not been obtained through bribery or corruption.
Responsibility for this licensing system is shared with the Department for International Development, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the Ministry of Defence.
DFID is responsible for assessing whether a proposed arms export could seriously hamper the sustainable development of the recipient country.
The UK government is committed to extending transparency in every area of public life, to make government data more readily available so that those outside government can scrutinise its actions. Therefore the UK publishes an Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, which gives details by destination of actual exports and of what arms have been licensed for export.
Arms Trade Treaty
There are currently no legally binding international rules regulating the arms trade, which makes it easier for arms to be diverted on to illegal markets. To address this we are keenly supporting efforts to establish an Arms Trade Treaty to provide a consistent, universal framework for arms control.
On 30 October 2009, the overwhelming majority of UN members voted in favour of forming an Arms Trade Treaty. Negotiations on the Treaty began in 2010, with final agreement likely to be secured in 2012.
An Arms Trade Treaty will help regulate the international trade in conventional arms by providing: transparent and objective criteria for assessment; regulated reporting requirements; and improve cooperation between states to ensure all countries are able to reach the same agreed standards. This will benefit both businesses, which manufacture and export arms, as well as the governments which apply to receive them.
The UK introduced the initial Arms Trade Treaty resolution in the UN. Securing a robust Arms Trade Treaty, which includes strong anti-corruption provisions, tackles the impact arms can have on sustainable development and helps prevent human rights abuses, remains a high priority.
We have been working closely with non governmental organisations, the defence industry, and other international governments to ensure that the Treaty is acceptable to all parties involved.