Division 1 Background and rationale for Union support

This Decision builds on earlier Council Decisions that support the UN process leading to the Arms Trade Treaty (‘ATT’) and the promotion of its effective implementation and universalisation^f1. The ATT was adopted on 2 April 2013 by the UN General Assembly and entered into force on 24 December 2014.

The declared objective of the ATT is to ‘establish the highest possible common international standards for regulating or improving the regulation of the international trade in conventional arms and prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms and prevent their diversion’. Its declared purpose is ‘contributing to international and regional peace, security and stability; reducing human suffering and promoting cooperation, transparency and responsible action by States Parties in the international trade in conventional arms, thereby building confidence among States Parties’. The ATT's objective and purpose are therefore compatible with the Union's overall ambition with regard to foreign and security policy as enshrined in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union.

Further to the adoption of the ATT in 2013, the main challenges now lie in its effective implementation and universalisation.

Export control assistance and outreach is crucial to addressing those challenges and are therefore the central elements of this Decision. With regard to export control assistance, this Decision addresses specific partner countries and leaves open the scope for possible assistance to new countries that request it.

Regarding the nine specific partner countries (Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Philippines, Georgia, Peru, Jamaica, Colombia, Costa Rica), this Decision provides for the further development of cooperation initiated by the first phase of implementation support activities as funded by Decision 2013/768/CFSP.

Regarding the scope for requesting beneficiary countries, this Decision is based on the same proven activities carried out under Decision 2013/768/CFSP:

• dedicated assistance programmes whereby beneficiary countries will be assisted in a tailored and far-reaching manner to meet the requirements of the ATT. Assistance will be developed, according to an assistance roadmap, to be agreed with the beneficiary countries, that will specify priorities for action, ensure local ownership and indicate commitment where relevant, towards ratification of the ATT;

• ad hoc assistance activities that will address beneficiary countries with limited and more specified needs. Those ad hoc assistance activities will enable the Union to address requests for assistance in a flexible and reactive manner.

Finally, referring to the challenge of universalisation of the ATT, this Decision includes a regional outreach component that builds upon the nine specific partner countries with the participation of the most relevant regional organisations. Another lever in the support of universalisation is outreach through the annual conference of ATT States Parties.

This Decision therefore provides a comprehensive set of assistance and outreach activities in order to contribute to addressing the challenges of effective implementation and universalisation. It builds upon the results and lessons learnt of the earlier phase funded by Decision 2013/768/CFSP and demonstrates the continued and committed support to the ATT by the Union and its Member States.