{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2018-1788/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2018-1788/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2018/1788",
  "legislation_title": "Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1788 of 19 November 2018 in support of the South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) for the implementation of the Regional Roadmap on combating illicit arms trafficking in the Western Balkans",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2018-1788",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1788\nof 19 November 2018\nin support of the South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) for the implementation of the Regional Roadmap on combating illicit arms trafficking in the Western Balkans\nTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 28(1) and 31(1) thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nOn 16 December 2005 the European Council adopted the EU Strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition (‘the EU SALW Strategy’), subsequently revised in 2018, which set the guidelines for Union action in the field of small arms and light weapons (‘SALW’). The EU SALW Strategy noted that the Union will, as a priority, support regional initiatives to combat illicit SALW and their ammunition, providing financial and technical support for regional and national organisations responsible for implementing relevant regional instruments. The EU SALW Strategy mentioned the Balkans as a priority region for support.\n(2)\nOn 17 May 2018, at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia, the EU leaders agreed on the Sofia Declaration, to which the Western Balkans partners aligned themselves, and which includes the commitment to enhance significantly operational cooperation in the fight against international organised crime in priority areas such as firearms, drugs, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings.\n(3)\nThe Western Balkans region remains one of the sources of illicit arms trafficking into the Union.\n(4)\nOn 13 June 2018 the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (‘the High Representative’) presented a Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council on elements towards an EU strategy against illicit firearms, SALW and their ammunition entitled ‘Securing Arms, Protecting Citizens’.\n(5)\nOn 10 July 2018 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hosted the 5th Western Balkans Summit in London, which adopted the ‘Regional Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of SALW/firearms and their ammunition in the Western Balkans by 2024’ (‘the Roadmap’), which was prepared by the SALW commissions of the Western Balkans in the framework of the Franco-German donor coordination initiative on illicit firearms trafficking in the Western Balkans. Those commissions are preparing their action plans for the implementation of the Roadmap.\n(6)\nThe United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted on 25 September 2015, affirmed that sustainable development cannot be realised without peace and security and that illicit arms flows are amongst the factors which give rise to violence, insecurity and injustice.\n(7)\nAt the third UN conference to review progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, held in June 2018, UN Member States undertook to strengthen partnerships and cooperation at all levels in preventing and combating the illicit trade in SALW, and to promote and strengthen border cooperation and regional and subregional coordination.\n(8)\nThe goals of the Roadmap agreed by the Western Balkans partners are consistent with the efforts within the Union and the UN to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition. Therefore, the Union should support the Western Balkans in implementing the Roadmap.\n(9)\nSEESAC, established in Belgrade in 2002 and functioning under the joint mandate of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which is the successor to the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, assists national and regional stakeholders in controlling and reducing the spread and misuse of SALW and ammunition, and thus contributes to enhanced stability, security and development in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe. SEESAC places particular emphasis on the development of regional projects to address the reality of cross-border flows of weapons.\n(10)\nThe Union previously supported SEESAC by means of Council Decision 2002/842/CFSP, extended and amended by Council Decisions 2003/807/CFSP and 2004/791/CFSP, as well as by means of Council Decision 2010/179/CFSP, Council Decision 2013/730/CFSP, extended by Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/2051, and Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356.\nThe agreement concluded pursuant to Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356 expires on 29 December 2019.\n(11)\nThe Union considers SEESAC to be the preferred implementing partner for the implementation of the Roadmap in the Western Balkans, because of its proven experience and established network, the proven quality of its work and its coordinating role in the preparation of the Roadmap.\n(12)\nIn addition, this Union action should provide support for countering illicit arms trafficking in the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Council Decision 2002/842/CFSP of 21 October 2002 concerning the implementation of Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP with a view to a European Union contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons in South East Europe (OJ L 289, 26.10.2002, p. 1)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Council Decision 2003/807/CFSP of 17 November 2003 extending and amending Decision 2002/842/CFSP concerning the implementation of Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP with a view to a European Union contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons in South East Europe (OJ L 302, 20.11.2003, p. 39)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "Council Decision 2004/791/CFSP of 22 November 2004 extending and amending Decision 2002/842/CFSP implementing Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP with a view to a European Union's contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons in South East Europe (OJ L 348, 24.11.2004, p. 46)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "Council Decision 2010/179/CFSP of 11 March 2010 in support of SEESAC arms control activities in the Western Balkans, in the framework of the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition (OJ L 80, 26.3.2010, p. 48)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "Council Decision 2013/730/CFSP of 9 December 2013 in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe in the framework of the EU Strategy to Combat the Illicit Accumulation and Trafficking of SALW and their Ammunition (OJ L 332, 11.12.2013, p. 19)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f6",
      "text": "Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/2051 of 16 November 2015 amending Decision 2013/730/CFSP in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe in the framework of the EU Strategy to Combat the Illicit Accumulation and Trafficking of SALW and their Ammunition (OJ L 300, 17.11.2015, p. 19)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f7",
      "text": "Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356 of 19 December 2016 in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South-East Europe in the framework of the EU Strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition (OJ L 348, 21.12.2016, p. 60)."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2018/1788/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:12:56.706066+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}