“Embargo” against Egypt and weapons used for internal repression [1]

On August 14, 2013, the Egyptian security forces began the evacuation of a sit-in by supporters of President Morsi, deposed by the army on July 3, 2013. The evacuation is particularly violent: around a thousand people die. In response, EU member states adopt three measures: an “embargo” on the "Equipment which might be used for internal repression” without any precise definition of the scope of the embargo; a reassessment of the current arms export licenses and a review of the security cooperation with Egypt. In this Analysis, we will try to assess the way in which the EU Member States have applied such measures and discuss the issue of the definition of “equipment that can be used for internal repression” as well as the legal developments in this area. We will then examine the evolution of European arms exports to Egypt and the situation of human rights on site.