OpenLegislation

Division 1 Objectives

United Kingdom

Original text. Later amendments are not shown.

The objective of this Decision is to further implement the new lines for action by the European Union in combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems (the ‘New Lines for Action’), laid down in the Council Conclusions of 8 December 2008, as an elaboration of the 2003 EU WMD Non-proliferation Strategy. According to the New Lines for Action, the Union could benefit from the support provided by a network of non-governmental non-proliferation think tanks in its fight against the proliferation of WMD. The network should bring together foreign policy institutions and research centres specialising in the Union's strategic areas. Such a network could be extended to institutions in third countries with which the Union is conducting specific dialogues in connection with disarmament and non-proliferation.

This network of independent non-proliferation and disarmament think tanks (the ‘Network’) would continue to encourage political and security-related dialogue and the long-term discussion of measures to combat the proliferation of WMD and their delivery systems and the interrelated issues of disarmament within civil societies, and more particularly among experts, researchers and academics.

The work of the Network is extended to issues related to conventional weapons, including SALW, with a special emphasis on measures to ensure the continuous implementation of the EU SALW Strategy. The Network will help to provide fresh ideas on the Union's actions related to conventional weapons, including the illicit trade and excessive accumulation of SALW and their ammunition. This includes not only the reactive dimension of security issues, but also its preventive dimension. Preventing the illegal and unregulated trade of conventional weapons, including SALW, has been recognised as a priority of the Union within the framework of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

The Network shall also address all aspects of export control linked to WMD or conventional weapons, including dual use goods, as well as space security issues.

The Network aims at enhancing the awareness of third countries of challenges related to WMD and conventional weapons proliferation, including the illicit trade and excessive accumulation of SALW and their ammunition, through publications, meetings, conferences, and dedicated education and outreach projects. It aims furthermore at raising awareness of the need to work in cooperation with the Union and in the context of multilateral fora, in particular the United Nations, in order to prevent, deter, halt and where possible, eliminate proliferation programmes of concern worldwide and the illicit trade and excessive accumulation of SALW and their ammunition.

The Union wishes to support this Network as follows:

  • through organising three major annual conferences and — as a side-event — ‘next generation workshops’, with a view to submitting reports and/or recommendations to the representatives of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘HR’),

  • through organising three consultative meetings between representatives of Union institutions, representatives of Member States and academic experts to exchange views on major issues and critical developments in the fields of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms export control with a view to submitting reports and/or recommendations to the representatives of the HR,

  • through the organisation of up to nine ad-hoc seminars for experts and practitioners on the full range of non-proliferation and disarmament issues covering both unconventional and conventional arms, with a view to submitting reports and/or recommendations to the representatives of the HR,

  • through the preparation and publication of up to 20 policy papers, which will cover topics under the mandate of the Consortium and put forward political and/or operational policy options,

  • through continued management and further development of a help-desk facility within the Consortium, to provide ad-hoc expertise on questions related to the full range of non-proliferation and disarmament issues covering both unconventional and conventional arms, for responses within a 2- to 3-week time frame, including the preparation of up to 18 expert papers,

  • through the maintenance and further development of an e-learning course covering all relevant aspects of non-proliferation and disarmament,

  • through the setting-up of up to 36 non-proliferation and disarmament internships for graduate students or young diplomats from the Union and third countries,

  • through the organisation of annual Brussels study visits for the participants in the UN Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament in order to promote and raise the visibility of Union policies in the fields of non-proliferation, disarmament and arms export control,

  • through the development of a pilot training course to raise awareness of proliferation risks, including these stemming from science and technology developments, among graduate and post-graduate students of the natural sciences,

  • through further maintaining, managing and developing an internet platform and related social networks to facilitate contacts, provide a unique forum for European disarmament and non-proliferation research, promote the Network, reach out to the global non-proliferation and disarmament community and promote the educational offers of the Consortium both with respect to on-site training courses and e-learning.