# Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/2111 of 9 December 2019 in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South-East Europe reducing the threat of illicit small arms and light weapons and their ammunition, Division: Description

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

This component will support capacity building of the regional authorities to perform both preventive and repressive activities necessary to successfully identify, thwart and counter trafficking of firearms, ammunition and explosives from and through their jurisdiction. The European Agenda on Security identified the fight against trafficking in firearms as one of its priority actions. It called for a review of the legal framework and reinforcement of the fight against firearms trafficking. Sources of illicit firearms and explosives trafficking are diverse, and controls at the external border and police and customs cooperation remain of paramount importance, as set forth in the EU SALW Strategy. At the SEE regional level, the Union and its Member States will assist in strengthening law enforcement capabilities in order to identify, disrupt and prevent trafficking networks and prevent firearms from reaching terrorists and criminals via the illicit market, inter alia by blocking the illicit financing and transport of arms and enhancing the role of border police, customs and port authorities. Due to the cross‐border nature of arms trafficking, it is particularly important to provide support also to the neighbouring countries.
Strengthened cross‐border control is one of the central requirements for a comprehensive approach towards combating illicit trade and flows of firearms, essential components, ammunition and explosives in the Western Balkans.. Effective border controls serve not only as a deterrent to crime in all its facets, but also as a confidence‐building measure. Strict and effective border control is a foundation to any long‐term programme of national and regional security. A preliminary assessment of the capacities of border services of the jurisdictions was performed under Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356 and the focus was primarily on the administrative and technical capacities of the border police. The strengthening of overall capacities is necessary to effectively suppress the trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives across borders. That preliminary assessment has shown in particular the lack of targeted training on detection of firearms at borders, except for BiH, as the border police services have limited equipment to conduct detection at border posts as well as at the green border. Furthermore, weapons are more frequently produced from new materials, and these cannot be detected by metal detectors or detected by dogs that are trained to smell gun powder.
The assistance within this component will focus on the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and procurement of equipment for border services and criminal police for suppression of trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. Additionally, thematic trainings at the level of jurisdictions and regional workshops will take place. The proposed activities will complement the work of SEEFEN and be closely coordinated with other ongoing Union‐supported actions in SEE, primarily the EU Policy Cycle for organised and serious international crime and specifically the operational action plans of EMPACT Firearms, as well as the activities of Europol, Frontex and Interpol.
It will do so through:
the provision of equipment and training for border management in countering illicit arms trafficking in support of border police authorities in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and the Republic of North Macedonia;
the provision of equipment and training for criminal police in countering illicit arms trafficking in support of criminal police authorities in Albania, BiH, Kosovo (***), Montenegro, Serbia and the Republic of North Macedonia.
Project results/implementation indicators:
development of up to 6 SOPs per border service;
equipment for suppression of illicit arms trafficking procured, and training for usage of equipment provided;
organisation of up to six thematic trainings per border service;
organisation of up to four regional workshops for border services;
up to 6 SOPs for criminal police developed per jurisdiction;
provision of equipment for criminal police, and training for usage of equipment;
organisation of up to six thematic trainings for criminal police per jurisdiction;
organisation of up to four regional workshops for criminal police.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2019/2111/annex/division/3/division/3.2/division/2 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2019-2111/annex/division-3/division-3.2/division-2
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.