Gasic presents Arms Export and Import Control Law

Gasic presents Arms Export and Import Control Law

The Minister called on MPs to vote for the Law, whose objective is to protect Serbia's defence, security and foreign policy interests and international credibility.

Gasic noted the need to adopt the Law for the purpose of aligning the national legislation with new EU rules and procedures and implementing international agreements, conventions and regimes.

’’The need to create a legal framework to ensure a firmer system of control in this field and eliminate potential undesirable arms exports and trade is also one of the reasons why the bill must be adopted’’, he said.

’’In addition, the Law on Foreign Trade in Weapons, Military Equipment and Dual-Use Goods, which is currently in force, was adopted in 2005 and applied to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro - meanwhile, all countries in the region have passed national legislation in this field’’, the Minister said.

The seven-part Lawincludes regulations on conditions for exports and imports of arms and military equipment and providing brokerage services and technical assistance, regulations on permits, transport and transit of arms and military equipment, as well as on supervision and penal, transitional and final provisions.

Minister Gasic also explained a Bill on confirming an agreement between the Serbian and Algerian governments on exchange and protection of secret defence information.

Serbian Minister of Defense Bratislav Gasic said Thursday that the defense industry is registering a foreign trade surplus and that Serbia is the largest arms and military equipment exporter in South Eastern Europe.

"Export revenues will be used to modernize Serbia's armed forces and invested in the renewal of the existing defense industry facilities, and finally, substantial funds will be allocated to research and development in the field of arms and military equipment,” Gasic said at the Parliament, presenting the Law on Export and Import of Arms and Military Equipment.

The number of permits for export and import of controlled goods issued by the ministry in charge of foreign trade is constantly rising, as well as their value, he said, specifying that 190 permits were issued in the period from 2007 to June 30, 2014.

The minister pointed out that in 2013 the exports of arms and military equipment were 15 times higher than the imports, which led to a significant trade surplus in this sector.