Defence Expenditure: Data Issues and Sources

The validity, utility and comparability of different defence-spending figures in France is assessed. Several institutions provide defence-spending data, yet they rely on different sources to either supply or estimate these figures, as well as on each country's characterization of what constitutes defence-spending. Despite the importance of such a measure in the comprehension of defence-spending trends, a lack of standardization in the definition of defence-spending can be observed. In the case of France, official data related to defence expenditures are marked by (a) the non-inclusion of pesions, (b) the inclusion of research and development costs in the defence budget, and (c) the inclusion of the ‘gendamerie’ as a part of the defence forces.