I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.
In 2008, the Council adopted Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment. The Common Position replaced an earlier political agreement, the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. My Department is responsible for implementing these controls in Ireland.
Under Irish law, export licences must be sought in respect of the export from Ireland of goods and technology with a military classification, and any component thereof, as defined by the Common Military List of the European Union. Not all military export licences relate to commercial sales; for example, export licences are required for the temporary export of military-classified equipment for servicing and repair.
The EU Common Military list is quite expansive and includes 22 categories of arms, munitions, military equipment and technologies. Ireland does not export arms or munitions but does export other items with a military classification.
I publish an annual report under the Control of Exports Act 2008 which includes information on military licences issued. The purpose of publishing such a report is to provide the general public with greater transparency on exports of controlled goods and services.
Figures published in annual reports under the Control of Exports Act 2008 in respect of military export licences for the period 2009 to 2017 were as follows:
|
Year
|
Number of Licences Issued
|
Value of Licences Issued (€m)
|
|
2009
|
119
|
33
|
|
2010
|
98
|
24
|
|
2011
|
72
|
27
|
|
2012
|
129
|
47
|
|
2013
|
108
|
62
|
|
2014
|
95
|
86
|
|
2015
|
81
|
43
|
|
2016
|
128
|
63
|
|
2017
|
118
|
25
|
These figures were provided to the Council Working Party on Conventional Arms Exports (COARM) and were contained in the annual reports published in accordance with Article 8(2) of Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP for the corresponding years.
As is noted in the COARM reports, Member States are only required to provide the value of goods and services which have been licensed for export. Actual exports are published only where such data are available. As noted in the report Ireland and several other Member States do not collect these data. However, the total value of licences issued represents the maximum value of permitted exports. The value of the licences issued may therefore exceed the value of actual exports for a variety of reasons; for example, anticipated repeat sales not materialising.
