Worldwide investments in CLUSTER MUNITIONS

How does the legislation define ‘investment’ or ‘financing’?
– The text of Law no. 95 does not define “financial assistance.” In that respect the draft proposal of 26
April 2010 defines the scope of financial assistance more precisely. The latter prohibits the provision of
any form of financial support, including granting any type of credit, issuing financial guarantees, equity
participation, acquisition or subscription of securities issued by companies producing antipersonnel
mines or cluster munitions. It forbids Italian and foreign companies in Italy from financing companies
performing a range of activities relating to antipersonnel mines, cluster munitions and submunitions.
– The reference to the prohibition of “financial assistance” in the law is due to an approved amendment
to the original text. As a consequence, financial assistance to the production, development, storage, etc.
of cluster munitions or parts thereof is a national crime. However, the current text seems to leave the
possibility open that it only applies to the Italian level. The Italian Campaign to Ban Landmines warns
that the law still makes it possible to offer financial assistance on an international level.
To whom does the legislation apply?
– The law stipulates that “Whoever [...] financially assists, encourages or induces others to engage in
such activity, is punished with imprisonment from three to twelve years and a fine of 258,228 Euro to
516,456 Euro.”
How is the legislation enforced?
– The Italian law defines penalties, but does not provide for supervision or monitoring tools. The
implementation order will have to regulate all of these issues and will be decisive for the law’s scope.
The 26 April 2010 draft proposal is more detailed. It wants the Bank of Italy to appoint a third party
to monitor compliance and to publish a list of companies involved in the production, use, repair,
promotion, sale, distribution, import, export, storage, possession or transportation of cluster munitions.
2.3.4 Liechtenstein
BACKGROUND
The Principality of Liechtenstein signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Oslo on 3 December 2008.
Liechtenstein ratified the convention on 4 March 2013. 659 At the same time, the Parliament of Liechtenstein
approved an amendment to the Law on Brokering War Material which entered into force on 1 September
2013. The amended law prohibits brokering and direct and indirect financing of prohibited war material,
including cluster munitions. 660
Due to the Customs Union Treaty between Liechtenstein and Switzerland, “the development, manufacture,
purchase, acquisition, transfer, import, export, transport, and stockpiling and possession of cluster
munitions is governed by Swiss legislation in Liechtenstein.” Therefore, the amendments to Switzerland’s
Federal Law on War Material, which the Swiss parliament passed in March 2012, also apply in
Liechtenstein. 661
LEGISLATION
The prohibition is set out in Articles 7b and 7c, governing direct and indirect investment. Their wording
is similar to that of the Swiss legislation. 662
“Art. 7b Prohibition of direct financing
1 The direct financing of the development, manufacture or acquisition of prohibited war material is
prohibited.
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