Regional Report on Arms Exports for 2009 Launched

On 10 November 2011, SEESAC launched the newly published Regional Report on Arms Exports for 2009. The report is the direct result of a collective effort made by countries of South Eastern Europe to jointly present their arms export activities using a common methodology designed by the EU and common denominator information. The only other such regional effort in the world is one exercised by the countries of the European Union.  In close collaboration with national governments, SEESAC has been publishing the regional report on annual basis since 2009. This year’s report contains detailed information on arms exports of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia during 2009.

The development of the Regional Report has been a process. Every new report provides more data on arms exports and comes closer to the EU annual report model. In the 3rd edition of the regional report, for example, the reader can find information about the actual value of arms exports as well as information about the value of the licences issued. Furthermore, the 3rd issue of the report contains a breakdown of all exports from the region in several categories: exports per destination, exports per region, and exports worldwide. The report also provides updated information on national legislation relevant to arms export controls and on the regional activities in which the states participated in 2009. The report ends with contact information of national institutions responsible for arms export control.

The possibility of producing a regional annual report on arms exports for South East Europe was first discussed at the EU outreach events in Serbia (December 2007) and Slovenia (May 2008). Under the auspices of SEESAC, an agreement was finally reached to produce a regional report, at a conference in Montenegro (June 2009). All states in the region have already produced national reports that contain detailed information on their arms exports. These national reports should remain the primary source of information on each country’s arms exports.

The production of a regional annual report on arms exports is intended to help consolidate the gains in transparency that have already been made in the region, while also demonstrating an ability and willingness to uphold the commitments associated with the Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment.

The production of the report is generously supported by the Kingdom of Norway.

This year’s report, as well as the previous ones, can be found on SEESAC’s page on Regional Reports.