Political elites and their offices in both the UK and the EU meet with representatives from arms manufacturers and defense lobbyists with very high frequency.

These meetings are often a routine part of government and are not isolated events. The defense industry enjoys what has been described as "unparalleled access" to the highest levels of government, far exceeding that of many other sectors or civil society groups.

UK's "Open-Door" Policy

In the UK, the frequency of these meetings is particularly high and deeply institutionalized. 

• Ministerial Meetings: An analysis of ministerial meeting data from November 2009 to October 2019 by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) found that ministers and top civil servants from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and other relevant departments met with arms companies on average 1.64 times a day.

• BAE Systems: One company, BAE Systems, had a total of 1,238 meetings with government officials during that period, more than any other private company. They also had more meetings with the Prime Minister than any other firm.

• Institutionalized Access: The UK government has an agency within the Department for Business and Trade, UK Defence & Security Exports, which is designed to promote arms exports. This creates a permanent, institutionalized channel for industry interests at the heart of government. Furthermore, senior industry executives are often seconded to the MoD, blurring the lines between government and industry.

The high frequency of these meetings, often held behind closed doors, is a defining characteristic of the relationship between the UK government and the arms industry.

EU's Growing Frequency

In the EU, the frequency of these meetings has risen significantly as the bloc has accelerated its defense integration and increased defense spending. 🇪🇺

• Lobbying Surge: Following recent geopolitical events, defense contractors' spending on EU-level influence has surged by nearly 40%. This increase directly correlates with a rise in meetings with key EU officials.

• Key Officials: According to data from the EU Transparency Register, major players like Airbus, Leonardo, Rheinmetall, and Thales are increasingly present in meetings with representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament.

• Targeting Committees: Lobbying is highly focused on specific individuals and committees. For example, the European Defence Fund (EDF) is a primary target, and defense firms actively meet with officials to shape its rules and funding allocations.

While the EU's Transparency Register provides some visibility into these meetings, much of the lobbying takes place informally or with lower-level officials, where transparency rules are often weaker. . This makes a precise count difficult, but a clear trend of increasing and frequent interaction is evident.

Comparison with Other Stakeholders

The frequency of meetings with defense lobbyists far outpaces that with many other groups, creating a power imbalance.

• Outnumbering NGOs: In both the UK and the EU, defense lobbyists and their trade associations have significantly more meetings with political elites than civil society organizations, peace groups, or NGOs. This disproportionate access gives the industry a dominant voice in policy debates, often excluding alternative perspectives.

• The Revolving Door: The frequency of meetings is also fueled by the "revolving door," where former politicians, military officials, and civil servants move into lucrative positions with arms manufacturers. These individuals use their insider knowledge and personal networks to secure meetings and influence policy, often bypassing official transparency measures.

In conclusion, political elites and their offices in the UK and EU meet with defense lobbyists with remarkable frequency. This high level of access is a key driver of the industry's influence on defense policy and reflects a deeply embedded, and often opaque, relationship between the military-industrial complex and government.