Balance for 2020 Decline among Germans Arms exports

Status: 16.06.2021 2 p.m.

The federal government approved fewer exports of German armaments last year than in the previous year. For controversial exports to Egypt, however, millions again flowed. German companies that sell armaments abroad need a permit. These are summarized in the annual arms export report, which was the subject of the Federal Cabinet meeting today. Accordingly, significantly less armaments were sold abroad in the corona crisis year 2020 than in the previous year. 2019 was still a record year for the German arms industry: the German government had approved exports of weapons, submarines and tanks worth around eight billion euros. In comparison, the total was significantly lower last year at around 5.8 billion. Of course, the sum also fluctuates because in some years major projects are approved, in others not. Around half of the arms exports approved last year are intended for EU or NATO countries, or for countries that are on an equal footing with them, such as Japan, Switzerland or Australia.

June 16, 2021

Sale to Egypt under fire

More than half of the export licenses went to so-called third countries. Armaments from Germany should actually only go to these states in exceptional cases. Expressed as a sum, the export of goods worth almost three billion euros to such third countries was approved in the past. These include in particular Egypt, which ordered submarines and patrol ships from German shipyards worth around 764 million euros – according to the report by the Federal Ministry of Economics, the highest approved value among exports to third countries last year. Exports to Egypt are criticized by the churches, among others, because of allegations of human rights violations.

07/01/2021

In some war and crisis regions no weapons are delivered, for example Ukraine. The federal government recently had the advance of the Greens leader Robert Habeck refused for the delivery of defensive weapons. Arms control does not distinguish between offensive and defensive weapons.

Decline in exports, growth in imports

According to the Swedish peace research institute SIPRI, Germany is one of the five largest arms exporters in the world. While the sale of German armaments abroad declined in the past year, the Federal Republic increased the import of military equipment by more than five percent in 2020 . Last year, according to SIPRI, Germany invested around 44 billion euros in armaments, making it seventh worldwide. With information from Hans-Joachim Vieweger, ARD capital studio