Division 5.1 Project objectives

The main objective is to provide technical assistance to a number of beneficiary countries which have demonstrated their willingness to develop their standards and practices regarding arms export control. To do so, the activities to be undertaken will take into account the status of the beneficiary countries, in particular regarding:

• their possible membership of, or application for membership of, international export control regimes relating to the transfer of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies;

• their candidatures for membership of the Union and whether the beneficiary countries are official candidates or potential candidates;

• their capacity as a producer, importer or trading hub in relation to trade in conventional military equipment and technologies;

• the level of maturity of the existing national export control system, with particular consideration given to the progress made as a result of support received under previous arms export control cooperation programmes financed by the Union; and

• their position regarding the ATT.

Where the beneficiary countries addressed are only signatories to the ATT, the activities should — where feasible — seek to ascertain better what the obstacles to ATT ratification are, in particular where those obstacles are of a juridical or regulatory nature and are related to gaps or needs in implementation capacities. Where the countries addressed have taken no steps towards the ATT (neither signature, ratification nor accession), the activities should promote accession thereto, possibly with the support of other beneficiary countries that have ratified the ATT.