Belgium and the Trade in Arms

Even though Belgium is a small country, it does play a role in international trade in conventional arms. According to SIPRI, for 1998-2007, Belgium ranked 20 in the list of the largest arms exporters. Moreover, some Belgian industries, for instance FN Herstal in Wallonia or Barco in Flanders, have a position of worldwide leadership in some arms markets and associated technologies.

However, on several occasions, Belgium has also defended pioneers and decisive positions to improve the instruments for arms control. Belgium was the first country to acknowledge the binding nature of the European Code of Conduct on arms exports by incorporating it in its legislation in 2003. Belgium played a prominent role in the adoption of the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel mines (1995) and of the International treaty to ban cluster munitions (2008).

GRIP undertakes a permanent critical analysis of the Belgian politics in the field of production, trade in arms and possession of weapons. GRIP updates two databases; the first one on arms transfers in Belgium, and the second one on key figures for the arms industry in Belgium.

Arms transfers (1993 - 2012)
The Federal and Regional government reports to their respective Parliament in accordance with the laws and decrees on import, export, transfers and actions against arms, ammunitions, military and policing equipment trafficking and the related technology.
Reports non available on the federal government website *	Reports available on the official website of the Walloon government	Reports available on the official website of the Flemish government	Reports non available on the website of the Brussels Government
Annuel 2012	Annuel 2012
2e semestre 2011 1er semestre 2011	Annuel 2011	Annuel 2011 1er semestre 2011	Annuel 2011 1er semestre 2011
2e semestre 2010 1er semestre 2010	Annuel 2010	Annuel 2010 1er semestre 2010	2e semestre 2010 1er semestre 2010
2e semestre 2009 1er semestre 2009	Annuel 2009	Annuel 2009 1er semestre 2009	Annuel 2009 2e semestre 2009 1er semestre 2009
2e semestre 2008 1er semestre 2008	Annuel 2008	Annuel 2008 1er semestre 2008	Annuel 2008 2e semestre 2008 1er semestre 2008
Annuel 2007	Annuel 2007	Annuel 2007 1er semestre 2007	Annuel 2007 2e semestre 2007 1er semestre 2007
2e semestre 2006 1er semestre 2006	Annuel 2006	Annuel 2006 1er semestre 2006	Annuel 2006
Rapport du 1/9/2003 au 31/12/2005	Annuel 2005	Annuel 2005 1er semestre 2005	Annuel 2005
	Annuel 2004	Rapport du 1/9/2004 au 31/12/2004 Rapport du 30/8/2003 au 31/8/2004	Rapport du 1/9/2003 au 31/12/2004
	Rapport du 1/9/2003 au 31/12/2003	Rapport du 30/8/2003 au 29/2/2004
Rapport annuel 2002
Rapport annuel 2001
Rapport annuel 2000
Rapport annuel 1999
Rapport annuel 1998
Rapport annuel 1997
Rapport annuel 1996
Rapport annuel 1995
Rapport annuel 1994
Rapport annuel 1993
Rapport annuel 1992

* Until 2002, federal reports are on total transfers for Belgium. Since 2003 and the regionalisation plan, only the transfers under the competence of the federal (the army and the police) are concerned.