Annual report on export of defence materiel 2022 published

In 2022, the Ministry of Defence granted 269 licences for permanent exports and for transfers of defence materiel to 47 countries. A total of 342 licences were granted, 63 of which concerned, for example, intro-ductory, warranty and service exports. The total value of the permanent export and transfer licences granted was EUR 119 million. Examined by region, most licences were granted for exports to European countries, and when examined by country, the highest numbers of licences were granted to Sweden, the United States and France. As to Sweden, most transfer licences were granted for ammunition for official use. Most licences were granted in the category of precision rifles and their accessories (approx. 29 per cent of the total value of licences granted).
The value of actual exports was EUR 125 million in 2022, an increase by 70 per cent from the previous year. The three largest export countries were Latvia, Norway and Estonia. Exports to Latvia comprised mainly the ground vehicle category. Examined by region, the vast majority of exports took place in the European Union and nearly 90 per cent of all exports took place in Europe.
The annual report on exports of defence materiel applies to commercial exports and, therefore, it does not contain information on defence materiel assistance provided by Finland to Ukraine as part of international assistance. Fourteen licences were granted for commercial exports to Ukraine.
When considering a licence application, a case-by-case overall consideration is applied, based on national legislation and international commitments binding on Finland. The Council of the European Union's common position on defining common rules for the control of exports of military technology and equip-ment (2008/944/CFSP) and the Arms Trade Treaty play a key role. Licence applications are processed in a cross-sectoral export working group where the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the foreign and security policy assessment.
The entire annual report on the export of defence materiel in 2022 is available on the website of the Ministry of Defence (in Finnish). In the near future, it will also be taken to the Government's joint publication archive Valto.
Inquiries: Ministerial Adviser Riikka Pitkänen, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 054.