Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 28(1) and 31(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

The Arms Trade Treaty (‘ATT’) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 2 April 2013. The ATT was subsequently opened for signature on 3 June 2013 and entered into force on 24 December 2014. All Member States are parties to the ATT.

The ATT aims to establish the highest possible common international standards to regulate legal trade in conventional weapons and to prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in conventional arms and prevent their diversion. Key challenges are its effective implementation by States Parties and its universalisation, bearing in mind that regulating the international arms trade is by definition a global endeavour. To contribute to addressing these challenges, the Council adopted Decision 2013/768/CFSP^f1 on 16 December 2013, thereby enlarging the export control-related assistance portfolio of the Union with activities specific to the ATT.

Activities carried out under Decision 2013/768/CFSP have addressed sixteen beneficiary countries and have covered a wide range of areas relevant to the establishment and development of a national arms transfer control system as mandated by the ATT. Cooperation has started promisingly with a number of countries that had never before been addressed under other Union export control-related assistance activities, thereby reflecting the global nature of the ATT. Follow-up is therefore advisable towards this sub-set of countries to ensure that progress is sustained and to encourage regional outreach by these beneficiary countries themselves.

In addition to the continuation of activities with beneficiary countries addressed under Decision 2013/768/CFSP, it is advisable to pursue a demand-driven approach whereby assistance activities could be activated at the request of countries having identified needs with regard to ATT implementation. Such an approach has proven to be fair and successful in providing assistance to countries that have expressed commitment and ownership regarding the ATT through their requests for Union assistance. This Decision therefore retains a specific number of activities that will be available upon request.

Controls developed for the implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004), and under the Union dual-use export control assistance programmes, contribute to the overall capacity to effectively implement the ATT since, in many instances, the laws, administrative procedures and agencies in charge of dual-use export control overlap with those in charge of conventional arms export control. It is thus crucial to ensure close coordination between activities carried out in dual-use goods export controls and activities supporting the implementation of the ATT.

The overall large number of activities provided for in this Decision justifies using two implementing entities so that workload can be efficiently shared. The German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) has been entrusted by the Council and the Commission with the implementation of earlier export-control related projects. BAFA has accordingly developed a large body of knowledge and expertise. Expertise France is in charge of EU P2P dual-use goods related projects funded under the IcSP. Its role in implementing this Decision will help ensure proper coordination with dual-use related projects,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: