Introduction

In common with most industrial countries, Sweden imposes controls on the export, not only of defence material but also on other strategic or dual-use products which have both civilian and military uses. In addition to their established civilian functions, these products can also be used in the production or facilitation of weapons of mass destruction and other defence material or for other military purposes.

Efforts to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction have been a significant element of foreign policy since the Second World War. For some time, Sweden has been an active participant in international efforts for peace, détente and armaments control. From Sweden's point of view, control originally related to nuclear weapons as laid down in Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which came into force in 1970. This Treaty was then complemented by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in 1974, an export control arrangement in the field of nuclear technology of which Sweden has been a member since the mid 1970s. In 1991, Sweden joined the MTCR, an international confederation which exercises controls on the export of equipment and technology in the field of missiles.

In 1985 international co-operation was initiated in what is known as the Australia Group for coordinating the controls imposed by the various participating countries on the export of chemical precursors, biological agents and production equipment. This co-operation was initiated to prevent the development and production of biological and chemical weapons. Sweden became a member of this group in 1991.

The UN Convention against Biological Weapons from 1972 which prohibits all development, production and storage of biological weapons and organic toxins for military purposes, was ratified by Sweden in 1975.

The UN Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) came into force in April 1997 and prohibits all possession, development, production and use of chemical weapons and orders the destruction of all existing stocks of chemical weapons. Sweden ratified this convention in 1993.

Since the end of the 1940s, there have been controls on the export of advanced technology to the state-trading countries of that time within the framework for what is known as the COCOM cooperation associated with NATO. COCOM was abolished in 1994 and negotiations to formulate a new export control arrangement began, focusing on preventing the export of products which might contribute to destabilising defence material in different parts of the world. In 1995 the Wassenaar Arrangement was established for this purpose and was signed by Sweden the same year. Sweden held the chair in this arrangement during 1996-1999.