16/12/2008 Political Affairs and Democracy
In his report on private military and security firms and the erosion of the state monopoly on the use of force, adopted today by the Political Affairs Committee, Wolfgang Wodarg (Germany, SOC) criticises the shift in public security obligations to the private sector. At present, there are thought to be over one million people working as private soldiers or security officers in over one hundred countries. In 2006, the turnover in this sector was estimated at 200 billion US dollars.
Mr Wodarg warns against the uncontrolled activities of European private military and security companies, whose practices often run counter to the principles upheld by European states and undermine the moral standing and international reputation enjoyed by those states.