Sweden shuts defense export agency

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The Swedish government has terminated its Defense & Security Export Agency, transferring many of its tasks to the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, or FMV.

The termination of the agency took effect on Jan. 1 following a decision reached last April. About one-quarter of the staff of the Defense & Security Export Agency, or FXM, were part of the transfer. Remaining agency personnel were given notice.

FXM tasks transferred to FMV include sales of surplus military equipment; central government tendering procedures for inter-governmental agreements (government sales agreements for Gripen fighters, for example); and export support tasks for other defense agencies that are undertaken after requests from private companies.

FXM tasks phased out with the agency included export-promoting operations.

"In the budget bill for 2015, the government considered that the necessary export support in the defense sector can be implemented within another agency structure," FXM said.