ABSTRACT
French arms-export policy changed course again in the early years of the twenty-first century, as a perceived decrease in demand for French defence manufacturers’ products provoked calls for more state support, which in turn led to the implementation of a new reform agenda. But despite the publication of the Fromion report and de Lajugie’s appointment, it was only after Nicolas Sarkozy took office as president, in May 2007, that the next reforms to French arms-export policy took place. Under Sarkozy, the highest levels of the French state became actively involved in seeking to boost arms exports. A Quai d’Orsay official recalled that during Sarkozy’s time in office there was particular pressure exerted on those in charge of arms-export controls to process defence companies’ export-licence applications more quickly. The Sarkozy government was determined to expedite the licensing system for arms exports, for example adopting the goal of processing half of all export-licence applications electronically by mid-2008.
