The Italian arms export law makes a distinction between two categories of weapons:
1) For military use (licences and deliveries) whose export is regulated by Law 185/1990
2) Small arms and ammunitions for security and personal defence, sport and hunting whose export is regulated by Law 110/1975.
A recent overview of arms export to Israel can be found in a document by OPAL (Osservatorio Permanente sulle Armi Leggere di Brescia – Italy). The document also contains an extrapolation of arms from the Brescia (Brixia) District where well-known arms factories such as Beretta Holding are based.
According to these figure Italy export more in the category of “smal arms” than of “military weapon” to Israel. This is based on reporting from the available official sources:
1) President of the Ministries Council (Office of the Prime Minister) Annual Report on arms export (various years)
2) ISTAT (National Institute of Statistics) Reports (various years) based on data from the Chamber of Commerce.
However one should take into account the Bilateral Military Agreement under which weapons can be exported to Israel without reporting to the Parliament. The 2005 Agreement creates the possibility for acquisitions and joint production of weapons such as bombs, mines, rockets, torpedoes, tanks, explosives and equipment for electronic warfare. Despite being repeatedly asked in previous legislatures that the exchange of weapons under this agreement is reported in the Annual Report (pursuant to Law 185/90), the Government has always opposed. As a consequence, all transfers and co-productions that are subject to this bilateral agreement military are not reported.
