Flanders licensed arms exports worth 164 million euros in 2023
Flanders authorised 164.3 million euros in exports and transfers of defence-related goods and technologies in 2023. The figure is considerably lower than in 2022, when exports rose to 412 million euros due to two exceptionally large licences.
The region's arms trade consists mainly of technology exports, such as parts for aircraft, vehicles, and other equipment, most of which are destined for foreign defence companies.
Despite the decrease compared to 2022, the figures still confirm the European trend of a growing international arms trade, according to the Flemish Peace Institute, which conducts independent research at the Flemish Parliament.
Largest share to Germany and US
The 2022 figures were heavily influenced by two exceptionally large licences for an A400M transport aircraft and F35 fighter jets, totalling more than 300 million euros. "This makes the 2023 figures significantly lower than 2022, but still higher than all previous years," said Diederik Cops, a researcher at the Flemish Peace Institute.
The number of licences issued has gradually increased, from 100 licences in 2019 to 170 licences last year. Excluding the outlier year 2022, the value also increased from 149 million euros in 2021 to 164.3 million euros in 2023.
Special military training equipment accounted for about half of the total amount, at 74 million euros. About 80 per cent of Flemish military equipment was destined for the industry in another European or Western country. Germany and the United States received the largest share, with licences worth 58 million euros each.
Better monitoring and coordination
The Flemish government refused two export licences worth a total of 2.5 million euros. The exports concerned infrared and thermal imaging equipment destined for the Israeli defence industry, with the Moroccan armed forces as the end-user.
The Flemish Peace Institute expects a further increase in licensed exports in the coming years due to sharply rising defence budgets, and therefore insists on a more developed monitoring mechanism. More European coordination and ambition is also needed, especially in the areas of conflict prevention, peace and human rights, the institute said.
"The crucial question is how quickly you can change gears: many hard-to-reverse decisions on defence investments and programmes are now being taken in both European and federal advisory bodies," Cops said. "If Flanders does not want to become a pawn in decisions at other levels, the export monitoring dossier must be put on the table of the government and the Flemish parliament as a priority," he said.
#FlandersNewsService | The OIP Sensor Systems factory in Oudenaarde, Belgium. OIP is a defence company specialising in sensor technology that employs around 150 people © BELGA PHOTO CHRISTOPHE KETELS
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