Dutch caretaker government has decided to lift restrictions on weapons deliveries to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This decision comes as the Netherlands joins a notable arms treaty involving France, Germany, and Spain, signaling a departure from their previous “presumption of denial” policy.
Previously, permits for arms exports to the mentioned countries were withheld unless there was undeniable proof that the weapons would not be used in the conflicts in north Syria or Yemen.
The government stated that their decision to align with the Franco-German-Spanish treaty is driven by the desire to regulate arms exports based on the criteria outlined by the European Union and the United Nations. In this treaty, mutual trust among the member countries regarding export control assessments negates the need for the “presumption of denial” policy.
