Social Democrats pledge to curb German arms exports

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel vowed on the 18 May 2014 a much more cautious approach to licensing arms exports, unnerving the sizeable defence industry and signalling a change in policy from the previous coalition government under which sales rose.

German arms exports have come under scrutiny in recent years because of the increasing sums involved and because a greater number of arms are heading to non-European Union or NATO partners, and potentially unstable regions.

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