The interactive map shows which countries have arms export restrictions in place against Saudi Arabia and/or other countries/members of the war coalition in Yemen.
War in Yemen - Made in Europe
Austria → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia
Austria has no official government figures on arms exports. During the parliamentary debate over the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi former Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said that "since the start of the 2015 offensive Vienna has "no longer supplied war material to [Saudi Arabia]". It is important to note however that Austria makes a distinction between war material and military equipment: small arms and armoured vehicles, for example, do not fall under the category of "war material".
Belgium → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and the UAE; Flanders also other countries of the Saudi-led coalition
There is no official ban on arms exports in Belgium, but the Flanders region has not approved any new export licences to Saudi Arabia since 2016, and the Walloon Region since the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. However, exports that had already been approved will be delivered regardless (between October 2018 and April 2019 Wallonia delivered 146 million euro worth of arms and ammunition to Saudi Arabia). According to the Minister-President, Flanders also stopped authorizing new arms sales to countries with involvement in the Yemen War. In 2017 two component deliveries to Germany were denied approval on the grounds that Kuwait as member of the Military Coalition was the end customer. Wallonia also stopped issuing licences to arms exports to United Arab Emirates as of early 2018.
Netherlands → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Already before the Khashoggi-Murder Netherlands had announced in March 2018 it would no longer authorize licences for arms exports to Saudi Arabia, unless it could be proven that they would not be used in the Yemen War. At the end of 2018 export restrictions were extended to the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, both countries involved in the Yemen war; the restrictions for Egypt were lifted in July 2019 citing that Egypt's role in the Yemen War was too small to justify it. Supply of components to partner countries is however exempt from these restrictions, even if the end-product is to be supplied to the above-mentioned countries and and it cannot be ruled out that the products will be used in the Yemen war. Military goods that do not require export licences and transit exports, i.e. exports from other countries via the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are also not barred. In this way Czech Republic, for example, exported 57 million bullet munitions via the port of Rotterdam to the United Arab Emirates in December 2018.
Bulgaria
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Czech Republic
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Denmark → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Upon the assassination of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi Denmark announced that it would no longer approve any new arms export licences to Saudi Arabia. This regulation has also been extended to the United Arab Emirates as of January 2019.
Finland → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and the UAE
In November 2018 Finland announced that it would no longer issue new export licences for military equipments to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates on grounds of the Khashoggi-murder and the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen.
France
France, as one of the major arms exporters to Saudi Arabia, seemingly has no reservations about further approving licences and delivering armaments to Riyadh: President Macron even described German government’s decision to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia as “pure demagogy”. Correspondingly, France has no arms-sales restrictions for Saudi Arabia or any other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Germany → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia until 31.03.2020
In early 2018 social and christian democrats stated in the coalition agreement that they would "no longer authorize exports to countries as long as they are directly involved in the Yemen war" - however this plan was not implemented. Only the murder of Yamal Khashoggi resulted in an export ban of direct arms-sales to Saudi Arabia. Arms manufacturers were also asked not to make use of export licences already granted. However, these regulations are limited in time, with last extension in September 2019 until the end of March 2020. Supplies to joint projects represent a loophole, and since March 2019 they have been allowed to be made again, even if the final recipient country is Saudi Arabia. However, partner countries such as Great Britain or France should obtain assurances from the government in Riyadh that the weapons will never be used in the Yemen war. Neither the United Arab Emirates nor the other countries of the Yemen War Alliance are part of these restrictions and will continue to be supplied with German military equipment despite their "direct" involvement in the Yemen War.
Greece
Greece has no export restrictions on Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition. At the end of 2017, after long protests Greek government stopped selling 66 million Euros worth of rockets and ammunition to Saudi Arabia.
Ireland
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Italy → Export ban on aerial bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia and the UAE
In December 2018, Italy’s Prime Minister announced his intention to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia because of the Khashoggi-Murder and the country’s involvement in the Yemen War. Six months later in June 2019, Italian Parliament passed a motion to ban exporting aircraft bombs, missiles and their components to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Previous licences for the supply of bombs, such as for Rheinmetall subsidiary Rheinmetall RWM-Italia, are suspended.
Norway → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia, restrictions on the sale of weapons and ammunition to the UAE
Norway is one of the pioneers of the arms export ban to Saudi Arabia: according to the Norwegian government, no arms and ammunition sales to Saudi Arabia had ever taken place. A further export ban was introduced on other defense goods and dual-use items in November 2018. Norway also announced in January 2018 that it will no longer authorize weapon or ammunition exports to the United Arab Emirates.
Poland
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Portugal
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Romania
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Slovakia
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Slovenia
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Spain
According to the Swedish peace-research institute SIPRI, Spain is one of the leading arms suppliers to Saudi Arabia. Indeed, Spain seems to want to stick to this position and therefore it has no restrictions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Yemen Military Coalition, beyond not new authorisations since 2019 on the so called “lethal weapons” to Saudi Arabia.
Sweden → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and the UAE
According to government sources, no new export licenses for military equipment have been issued from Sweden to Saudi Arabia since 2013. Since 2017 this also applies to the United Arab Emirates. However, old contracts and follow-up deliveries are still running.
Switzerland → Arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Switzerland has export restrictions for Saudi Arabia and the UAE: War material with the potential of being used in the Yemen War may not be exported. However, exports of certain war material (in particular ammunition and spare parts for air defence systems) is permitted, when it can be proven that these will not be used in the Yemen war. This, however, only applies if the export applications are based on existing contracts.
United Kindom → Court order to stop issuing export licenses for goods that can be used in the Yemen War
The United Kingdom, after the United States the country that is most rearming Saudi Arabia, has continued to hold firm on its arms exports to Saudi Arabia after the assassination of journalist Kashoggi. In July 2019 an appeal lodged by the non-governmental organisation CAAT alleging that Saudi Arabia's arms licences were in breach of EU directives was upheld by the court of appeals. No new export licenses for military equipment that could be used in the Yemen War may be issued for the time being, according to the court ruling, as there is a clear risk the arms might be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Export licences that have already been issued must also be checked to see whether they have been issued on the correct legal basis, which means whether international humanitarian law has been or is being violated by these exports - and this ultimately means in particular the air attacks on Yemen. The British Government has already appealed against this ruling, but it remains in force until a decision is made by the next higher instance
Croatia
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Montenegro
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Albania
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Macedonia
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Hungary
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Serbia
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Ukraine
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Belarus
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Turkey
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Lativa
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Estonia
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Lithuania
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Moldavia
No information
Bosnia Herzegovina
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Kosovo
No arms export restrictions for Saudi Arabia or other countries of the Saudi-led coalition.
Malta
No information.
Cyprus
No information.
Iceland
No information.
Luxembourg
No information.
Yellow: Export restrictions on arms licences to Saudi Arabia
Red: No export restrictions on arms licences to Saudi Arabia