Bureaucracy stops Steyr: 9.5 million euros loss of order for arms exports!

Bureaucracy stops Steyr: 9.5 million euros loss of order for arms exports!

Steyr, Österreich - Steyr Arms, a renowned Austrian weapon manufacturer, has lost a significant large order from Tunisia due to bureaucratic hurdles and lack of export permits. The tender included the delivery of four assault rifles and a training weapon and promised an order volume of 9.5 million euros. In addition, between 20 and 25 million euros should be made available for spare parts over the next 25 years. Despite an extension of the deadline, Steyr Arms did not receive a permit from the responsible Austrian authorities, which ultimately led to the loss of the order. According to [OE24] (https://www.oe24.at/buerocrade-huerden--cost-steyr-million order/635458842), the company already submitted the export application on December 20, 2024.

The weapons were originally required until the beginning of March 2025. In order to meet the requirements, it was necessary to send three sample rifles to Tunisia. The loss of the order is particularly unfortunate because the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior Aktiv Steyr Arms was invited to participate in the tender for over 8,000 assault rifles. After the approval was not available in time, Tunisia extended the deadline for submitting until April 16 and finally until May 6, 2025. The company turned to several ministries, but received no feedback.

bureaucratic hurdles and the approval process

The request of an export permit is legally prescribed in Austria for weapons of war. This approval must be granted by the Ministry of the Interior in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. When the application was rejected, the ministries referred to data protection and official taggness, which also complicated the situation. The Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Association also did not respond to Steyr Arm's call for help, which increased the feeling of isolation of the company.

The problem around Steyr Arms is not isolated, but reflects a bigger problem in the Austrian armaments industry. Austrian companies are known as important arms exporters; In 2021, they delivered weapons worth 306 million euros abroad, more than any other EU country. In particular, the concise role of Austrian companies such as Glock, which was discussed internationally in the media in 2022, illustrates that national export control must be critically questioned in the target countries in view of the different security situation, how [Profile] (https://www.profil.at/oesterreich/glock-steyr-und-co wie-oesterreiche-die-welt-waffen-versorgen/402472088) reports.

transparency and problem of permits

The framework conditions for export control in Austria are subject to the 2011 Foreign Affairs Act and the War Material Act. Applications must be examined in agreement between the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Foreign Ministry. However, clear communication and transparency are often missing, since the Ministry of Economic Affairs does not provide any reasons for rejected export applications. The Steyr managing director Gerhard Unterganschnigg emphasizes the need for an independent authority for export permits to avoid the difficulties resulting from the current regulation. According to bmeia, Austria is also a member of international control regimes who strive for responsible use of arms exports.

The current situation illustrates how bureaucratic hurdles can endanger the competitiveness of the Austrian arms industry. The impending loss of a million -dollar mandate could not only have economic consequences for Steyr Arms, but also represents a challenge for the entire national armaments industry. The pressure on those responsible for creating a more transparent and efficient export permit is greater than ever.