# Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/1424 of 4 August 2017 in support of OSCE activities to reduce the risk of illicit trafficking and excessive accumulation of small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition in the Republic of North Macedonia and in Georgia, Introduction: Introductory text

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/1424
of 4 August 2017
in support of OSCE activities to reduce the risk of illicit trafficking and excessive accumulation of small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition in the Republic of North Macedonia and in Georgia
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 28(1) and 31(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
On 15 and 16 December 2005, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (‘SALW’) and their ammunition (‘EU SALW Strategy’). The EU SALW Strategy underlined that in order to minimise the risk posed by the illicit trade in and excessive accumulation of SALW, particular attention should be paid to the enormous accumulation of SALW stockpiled in some parts of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, and the ways in which they are disseminated in conflict zones.
(2)
The EU SALW Strategy identifies among its objectives the fostering of effective multilateralism so as to forge mechanisms, whether international, regional or within the Union and its Member States, for countering the supply and destabilising spread of SALW and their ammunition. In its Action Plan, the EU SALW Strategy singles out the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as one of the regional organisations with which cooperation should be developed.
(3)
The EU SALW Strategy contains dedicated provisions on the support to be provided to the OSCE action to combat the illicit trade in SALW and their ammunition and the destruction of OSCE participating States' surplus stocks. In particular, the Union is participating in the efforts to reduce surplus stocks of SALW and conventional ammunition left over from the Cold War in Eastern Europe through cooperation with the OSCE whose help has been requested by participating States concerned.
(4)
In 2000, the OSCE participating States adopted the OSCE Document on SALW by which they committed themselves to combatting illicit trafficking of SALW in all its aspects. That Document also emphasises the destabilising effects that the excessive accumulation of SALW and its poor stockpile management and security can have on national, regional and international security.
(5)
Furthermore, in 2003, the OSCE participating States adopted the OSCE Document on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition (SCA) recognising thereby the security and safety risks posed by the excessive accumulation of conventional ammunition. In order to address these risks, they decided to establish a practical procedure for the provision of assistance for the destruction of surplus conventional ammunition and/or upgrading stockpile management and security practices.
(6)
The OSCE Documents on SALW and SCA identify destruction as the preferred method for the disposal of surplus SALW and conventional ammunition.
(7)
In 2016, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Georgia addressed the OSCE participating States at the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation with a request for assistance under the OSCE Documents on SALW and SCA in improving the security of SALW and the destruction of conventional ammunition.
(8)
The Union previously supported OSCE activities by means of Council Decision 2012/662/CFSP. The Decision, whose implementation ended in 2015, funded activities such as the destruction of SALW surpluses, improvement of security and management of weapons stockpiles, development of appropriate tools for record keeping of weapons, and enhancement of conventional arms transfer controls;
(9)
On 19 December 2016, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356. The new phase of the South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (‘SEESAC’) project will build upon the achievements under Council Decision 2013/730/CFSP while maintaining the holistic approach to tackling the threat posed by SALW in the region. In particular, the project will work to coordinate with initiatives in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia seeking to increase stockpile management capacities of the police,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2017/1424/introduction (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2017-1424/introduction
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.