Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the high level of arms sales by European Union members to the Middle East over the past five years. [5227/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commits us to support a binding and comprehensive global treaty on the arms trade, covering all weapons and ammunition and Ireland will be actively engaged in the negotiations to this end at the United Nations. The Government therefore strongly supports the process of developing strict controls on arms and works actively to promote the objective of strengthening arms controls globally, particularly to areas of concern such as the Middle East. In this regard, I welcome the significant downward trend in the volume and value of arms exports from the EU to the Middle East, which declined almost 65% in the period 2004 to 2007, the latest year for which statistics are available.

EU Member States have consistently committed to promoting the "highest possible standards of conduct and enhanced export control practices" when selling weapons. Member States have pledged to base their arms exports on the "shared principles of responsibility, transparency and restraint" and actively encourage other States that export weapons to do the same. On 8 December 2008, the Council adopted Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment. This Common Position, which is legally binding on Member States, provides that every application for a licence to export items on the EU Common Military List shall be assessed against eight criteria.

These criteria cover matters such as respect for the international obligations and commitments of Member States, in particular the sanctions adopted by the UN Security Council or the European Union; respect for human rights in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country of international humanitarian law; the internal situation in the country of final destination — existence of tension or armed conflict; preservation of regional peace, security and stability; national security of Member States and of friendly and allied countries; terrorism and respect for international law; the risk of diversion, either within the buyer country or by re-export; the compatibility of the particular equipment with the level of development of the country in question. There is provision for liaison and consultation among Member States in assessing licence applications, and of course denials are notified to all Member States in the interests of transparency and consistency.