Human Rights and Democracy - Official Documents

user, and how similar equipment has been used in the past. We consult a number of
other actors and sources of information, both inside and outside the Government,
including reports from international and local NGOs and media reports, to reach a
balanced view.
Once approved, export licences are kept under review and every licence is
scrutinised in light of changing facts on the ground. We have a cross-Whitehall
mechanism in place to revoke licences swiftly if a significant change in prevailing
conditions means that it would be against the Criteria for the licence to remain in
force.
In 2010, the UK demonstrated that it continues to place human rights considerations
at the heart of the export licensing process. Between 1 January and 30 September,
18 export licences were refused under Criterion 2, which prevents the export of
equipment when there is a clear risk of its use for internal repression, either
exclusively or jointly with another criterion. Case studies based on actual export
licence applications are published in the Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls.
These demonstrate how human rights, among other criteria, are factored into
assessments and provide an insight into how the Government assesses licence
applications on a case-by-case basis. For example, an export licence for the supply
of armoured vehicles to the Yemeni Ministry of Defence was considered early in
2010. Following reports in 2010 that violations of human rights had occurred in
Yemen, and our concern that the items specified in the licence application might be
used for internal repression (Criterion 2) or aggravate existing tensions in Yemen
(Criterion 3), the licence was refused.
UK export controls also apply to small arms and light weapons, the use of which can
destroy livelihoods, displace entire communities and hamper social and economic
development.
Cluster munitions
Cluster munitions can have a terrible humanitarian impact on civilian populations and
can impose many decades of post-conflict suffering. The Convention on Cluster
Munitions, adopted in December 2008, aims to build an international consensus that
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