Eight European countries exported arms to Libya despite the risk of human rights violations. The Parliament is calling for more transparency in the arms trade.

Reporter: Arms trade and trafficking

Greater transparency  in the arms trade.

After the EU arms sales scandal  with Libya,

the EP wants more information  about exports to third countries

of weapons  for military and civilian use.

This is the seat of the Liège  Metalworkers' Union in Belgium.

It represents around 15,000 workers  from the defence sector.

A recent scandal has rocked Herstal,  the major arms factory in Wallonia.

In this video Libyan rebels are showing  weapons used by Gaddafi's army.

The weapons were manufactured  in Belgium, near Liège.

represent next to nothing  in the entire Libyan military arsenal.

We've done the maths  and they account for 0.003%.

These licences were granted  at a time when the entire world

believed that Libya  had come back into line.

The bulk of the Libyan arsenal  comes from China and Russia,

and was delivered without any controls,  so let's stop this hypocrisy.

In 2009 the Walloon government  authorised the export

of rifles, pistols and grenades  worth over 11 million euros to Libya.

Officially they were intended to protect  a humanitarian mission in Darfur.

So how did they end up being used  by Gaddafi's army to suppress the revolt?

It's what we call  an irresponsible transfer.

It's a transfer that is not illegal  since it's been authorised by a state,

but its legality is dubious  because certain risks are involved.

This case is quite flagrant because Libya  has been linked with illegal trafficking.

So, a rather mild interpretation  of the European criteria for arms exports.

In 2008 the European Union  approved a set of binding rules.

Governments should refuse  export licences

if there is a risk of human rights  being violated

or if there is instability  in the region.

Strict rules exist, but it is up  to the individual states to decide.

During 2009 we have evidence  of exports of arms and other material

to Libya  from at least eight EU countries.

but there were also exports from Italy,  the UK, France and Bulgaria.

The defence industry is, after all,  a major business concern in Europe.

Let's consider, for example,  pistols and rifles.

They're light arms accused of fuelling  conflicts in developing countries.

The US is the major exporter  on a global level,

but it is followed by Italy, Germany,  Austria and Belgium.

Russia, China and Iran  are also three major producers

but they provide few details  of their exports.

In Europe pistols and rifles  are produced for military use,

Parliament now wants more transparency  in the trade of weapons for civilian use.

and 74% of these  are in the hands of civilians.

European states will now have to declare  exports of arms for civilian use.

This will be a way  of curbing potential misuse.

It doesn't matter whether weapons  and associated equipment

were destined for use in leisure activities  or for military and police purposes.

We have evidence,  for instance in Egypt,

that items that were intended  for leisure use

have been used by security and police  against the population.

the UN is preparing a treaty  on the international arms trade

banning arms exports to countries  where human rights are at serious risk.

Remains to be seen if these good  principles end up being applied.