Today the European Parliament will take a decisive vote for the future of Europe, a vote that will bury or endorse the European Defence Fund. The European Network Against the Arms Trade (ENAAT) calls upon MEPs to stop EU militarisation and save the EU peace project. Will EU parliamentarians save or end the European peace … Read More
Press release
Italian government revokes bomb export licenses to Saudi Arabia and UAE
“The Italian government revokes bomb export licenses to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates: civil society organizations welcome the decision The export of Italian weapons used in the horrific conflict in Yemen has been permanently stopped. These exports were authorized by licenses issued by the Italian export authority UAMA after the conflict in Yemen … Read More
On Europe Day, GCOMS and ENAAT call the EU to fund peace, not arms dealers
Read the full Press Release in English, French and Spanish On Europe Day, the Global campaign on Military Spending (GCOMS) and the European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) call the EU to fund peace, not arms dealers The way out from the COVID-19 crisis: will the EU work for peace or prepare for war? 8 May 2020, … Read More
Activists protest presence of war criminals at European conference
Today, arms industry representatives and European policy makers are meeting at the European Defence Agency’s annual conference: “Taking European Defence Cooperation to the Next Level”. A Freedom of Information request filed by the Belgian NGO Vredesactie shows that more than 230 arms company representatives received an invitation to the conference. A dozen NGOs and peace organisations … Read More
New report by Vredesactie shows complicity of European states in war in Yemen
Press release New report shows complicity of European states in war in Yemen A report published today by the peace organisation Vredesactie shows the full extent of European arms exports to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The war has led to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and has been mostly sustained by European … Read More
UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia unlawful, says Court of Appeal
British campaigners have welcomed a Court of Appeal decision to overturn a 2017 High Court judgment which allowed the UK government to continue licensing the export of arms to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen. The appeal hearing took place in April 2019. The judgment comes amidst global concern over the use of these weapons … Read More
EU Defence Fund provisional agreement sets dangerous precedent against democratic functioning of the EU
Yesterday the Industry & Research Committee (ITRE) of the European parliament (EP) adopted the provisional agreement reached with the EU Council on a European Defence Fund for 2021-2027. As it currently stands, this compromise text sets a dangerous precedent against the democratic functioning of the EU and in particular against the oversight role of the … Read More
EP allows EU militarisation and the development of controversial weapons
Today the European Parliament adopted the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) proposed by the European Commission in June 2017, as a precursor of the future European Defence Fund. The European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT) is highly concerned by the adoption of such programme to subsidize the arms industry. By accepting the EDIDP, the … Read More
Over 700 researchers call on colleagues to speak out against EU military research programme
Today a coalition of science and peace organisations has launched the European initiative Researchers for Peace. Over 700 scientists and academics, most from 19 EU countries, have signed an online statement which calls on the EU to stop funding military research. They invite their colleagues in the research community to add their support. www.researchersforpeace.eu Read … Read More
The European Defence Fund will merely benefit the industry and trigger arms race in autonomous weapons, says ENAAT
Today the European Commission released its proposals for the Security and Defence heading under the next EU long-term budget. They confirm an unprecedented funding level for security and military priorites, with a Defence Fund jumping by 2200%. “The European Defence Fund will subsidize private actors for the Research & Development of controversial weaponry, which will … Read More
12