The Italian government proposes to change the law of 185/90, reduces transparency and restrictions on weapons exports. Resistance and civil society condemns the risk of promoting war crimes at the expense of protocol and regulatory obstacles. The debate on reform is postponed in March.
Il The government wants to change Act 185 of the 1990Ie, what Regulates the export of Italian weapons It today imposes transparency and checks of sales abroad. Reform, such as the opposition’s associations and high -speed corporations criticized BT, AVS EM5SThis will now reduce the duties of the banks to contact parliamentary control and export -related financial activities, so it is very difficult to find the flow of weapons.
“Transparency in arms trade is a fundamental principle, but today we will lose it,” says Francesco Vignerka, coordinator Italian peace and unarmed networkA fanpage.it.
Opposition parties and numerous civil society organizations are thus accusing the government of wanting to eliminate the existing protection to promote the interests of the war In compliance with the risk of international rules and constitutional policies.
What includes in reform
The bill changes the 185/90 frame and eliminates some basic pillars. Important Problems are concerned about three aspects: one Reducing parliamentary controlA Less transparency And a Center for decisions for government. The exports of weapons are currently being explored by many corporate organizations and the parliament receives an annual report, which allows you to find the role of banks in the financing of these operations. With reform, this relationship is reduced and weakened, so it is very difficult to monitor the flow of Italian weapons abroad. In addition to that, there will be another important element, that is, reinstatement Intermediate panel for exchanges of arms . In fact, this means that the government has a free hand in deciding who should sell weapons, without realizing it to parliament or public opinion.
To be weakenedUnit (Uma), department Foreign Ministry This is currently evaluating and providing export authentication, ensuring that the national and international standards are complied with. With the new law, the role of the UAA will be reduced, which makes it more difficult for independent control over export measures.
“With the reason for facilitating the procedures, a mechanism is introduced to prevent export effectively, reduces control over weapons and complies with international standards,” condemns Francesco Vignerka.
A law rather than European and international standards
The changes in the 185/90 law will contradict the various obligations made from Italy internationally. By 2024, the European Commission report on corruption in the security sector illustrates how the lack of opaque and restrictions is favorable to illegal procedures. The reform of the government will accurately go in the opposite direction and reduce the chance of increasing the gray parts of the weapons trade and checking the international regulations. This rule does not make any notes The UN In the trade of Italy in 2014, it is responsible for imposing rigorous criteria for preventing selling weapons to countries involved in conflict, or the government has rejected any scheme that includes a reference to a reference to the government. Confirms what you want, “Vignerka said.
Also a step back is worrying The involvement of special NGOs In monitoring and condemning the weapons trade, so far, the companies have played together. With reform, the government will eliminate any reference to this conversation so that it will further reduce the possibility of independent control.
The tip of the banks and the absence of transparent business
One of the most controversial aspects of reform is to eliminate the duty of banks to contact the financial measures relating to the export of weapons. Act 185/90 actually imposes on credit companies to send data to the Ministry of Economic Ministry, and then they include the annual report Parliament. This system ensures minimum transparency in transactions related to the sale of weapons. However, with the new law, this information can no longer be accessed so that the financial flow of this sector cannot be detected.
“This is only a help to arms merchants,” Vignerka condemns. “Before it is already difficult to compete with some functions, but at least we have a footprint. If this reform has passed, it is almost impossible to stop them, but we will end them unknowingly.”
The role of the Genoa port
When the government pushes to change the law of 185/90, In the Italian ports grows up against arms trafficking: A Genoail Autonomous Joint port workers (Calp) has been in the front row for months to prevent exports of weapons intended for war countries.
Jose niviA spokesman for CALP expresses strong concern in the change of 185/90 in arms exports. This law, which was born to regulate war trade, has been a fan page for many years. According to the joint venture, the latest legislative maneuvers are aimed at promoting the interests of large corporations in the military and the removal of existing recent obstacles.
“The law 185/90 has been made mad for a moment, at least compared to the policies of subsequent governments,” says Nivo. “He imposed the most stringent limitations for arms export, and as a obstacle to the producers in this field, they always find the way to avoid it, or pretend it is not,” it underlines how the state has properly avoided restrictions.
Tip of export control control
For many years, the Palp He has presented many manifestations to honor the Act 185/90 and organize physics in ports: “Who should respect these rules? Priority? Port? Customs? Customs? He asks Nivo.” But if customs are not carried out from the sea to land, the law does not violate. However, there is an article of the law that prohibits sending and exporting weapons from Italy to countries involved in armed conflict.
Now, the change of 185/90 will not only further reduce the obstacles but it will be removed The obligation to report on the annual arms export: “They want to destroy every trace of where the Italian weapons end, the soldiers who sell and provide white paper to the economic interests of the military sector,” Calp’s spokesman denounces.
Interaction
According to Nivoi, the attempt to re -write the law is a sign of a wide coordination between the government Armed lobby: “When the government begins to change the laws to promote Leonardo, Finganderi or other companies in this field, it is in trouble.
But the most significant case is that according to the Calp spokesman, Defense Minister Kaido Crocateto. Is controlled by the state ”.
Meanwhile, in December 2023, Italy exported weapons Israel For the value of 1.3 million euro, it has already reached an export of 6.3 billion to conflict areas. The 185/90 law and the Constitution discusses the fact that the constitutional countries are forbidden to sell weapons responsible for violating human rights or human rights.
What are the next moves
After the days of the conflict Foreign Commissions and the protection of the roomThe debate on reform was official Adjourned to March: Opposition parties, thanks to the act of strong brackets, have been able to earn time to try to prevent action. During the Bureau, group leaders of Green and Left (AVS) Alliance, 5 Star Movement (M5S) and Democratic Party (BT) have to regret a law that guarantees transparency and control over arms exports for more than thirty years Re -emphasized the need.
In a joint reference, “the use of and weakening the law 185/90 will indicate the policies of our Constitution and the international agreement on weapons.” “We hope the government abandons all kinds of compulsions: it is a serious mistake to affect the law, which is recognized by the consent of all political forces in the identity of transparency.”
Now there is a month to pressure the opposition to the government and raise awareness about the risks of this reform. If the government does not accept significant changes, the conflict in the classroom in March will be even more difficult.
