UK joins defence exports treaty with European allies

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The Agreement on Defence Export Controls, which the UK has joined alongside France, Germany and Spain, will make it easier to grant export licenses between our nations, reinforcing the UK’s close cooperation with its European allies on developing the continent’s defence industries.

The UK is committed to reinforcing its leading role in NATO and defending Europe’s security, including through boosting defence trade and industrial cooperation with its allies. This will reduce the administrative burden of granting export licenses, opening opportunities for UK businesses, helping boost economic growth and supporting high-skilled jobs across the country. 

Joining the Agreement will facilitate the UK’s defence cooperation with some of our closest European partners and will ensure better coordination on defence exports to other countries. It will provide more certainty for British businesses and supply chains involved in multinational defence programmes, whilst preserving UK sovereignty over key military capabilities.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) outlined the ambition to see the UK become Europe’s leading defence exporter, bolstering our prosperity and security.

Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: "The UK’s defence industry is essential to ensuring that our Armed Forces can keep us secure at home and strong abroad. This agreement will strengthen our crucial defence businesses and make it easier to export to Germany, France and Spain.

"On the back of our frigate deal with Norway and Typhoon deal with Türkiye this new Treaty will make it easier for the UK to export our world class platforms. When the government said we would make defence an engine for growth we meant it, and this Treaty is yet more evidence of us delivering for British jobs and security."

Since the SDR’s publication, the UK has already signed agreements with our NATO allies to export Type 26 frigates to Norway for £10 billion and Typhoon fighter jets to Türkiye for up to £8 billion, both securing thousands of jobs across the UK.

The government is making defence an engine for growth across the country including through the Defence Industrial Strategy’s commitments to create a new Office for Defence Exports and boosting the help available to businesses through UK Export Finance.