Division 1 Rationale for CFSP support

This project aims to enhanced security and safety of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and ammunition stockpiles through the development of an internationally recognised system that would allow independent validation/certification of compliance by States with open international standards, on a voluntary basis, displaying their ability to address and prevent diversion and accidental explosions.

The diversion and illicit proliferation of SALW and ammunition fuels crime, terrorism, armed violence and instability, undermining sustainable development, good governance, law and order, as well as access to education, healthcare, justice and other civil rights. In addition, illicit SALW can be used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender-based violence. The diversion and illicit proliferation of SALW and ammunition has the potential to undermine peace and security, destabilising States and societies and eventually entire regions. In so doing, it undermines progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), but also SDG 5 (gender equality) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities).

The safe, secure and sustainable management of national SALW and ammunition stockpiles is instrumental in curbing illicit proliferation. Ineffective stockpile management is a key factor allowing arms and ammunition to be diverted from licit to illicit markets. Stockpile management is especially precarious in states affected by violent conflict or weak institutions and governance structures. In such contexts, fostering safe, secure and sustainable stockpile management promotes the accountability and responsibility of national authorities for preventing the diversion of SALW and ammunition, which, in turn, contributes to enhancing stability, development and good governance.

The Union and its Member States have been assisting third countries to improve the management and security of national stockpiles by strengthening national legislative and administrative frameworks and institutions that regulate the legitimate supply of SALW and ammunition for defence and security forces and the management of such stockpiles. But the impact of this assistance is difficult to measure. There is currently no international mechanism for allowing third countries to demonstrate their compliance with regulatory requirements and with technical and management standards. This can be problematic for States which have invested in improving their SALW and ammunition management policies and practices but which fail to encourage confidence and trust from international partners because of past track records on diversion and on poor stockpile management and security.

While various international standards, guidelines and best practices for stockpile management and security exist, there is no standardised and internationally recognised methodology for carrying out independent assessments and validation of compliance with these standards. In many sectors – industrial as well as governmental – in order to showcase quality, safety and security of products and services and compliance with international norms, some form of guarantee involving certification or validation is required. The issuance of certificates governed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is a well-known example. The same method can be applied to the safe and secure management of SALW and ammunition stockpiles.

A certification or validation system would allow a State which has invested in stockpile management and security to voluntarily demonstrate that its system for managing SALW and ammunition (i.e. policies and practices) complies with internationally recognised standards. The voluntary certification of national policies and practices would indicate that the risks of accidental explosion and diversion have been addressed and mitigated because implementation of open international standards will have been independently verified. In addition, the guarantee would instil confidence in local communities, as well as among regional and international partners, in the State's ability to effectively govern and manage its stockpiles, without the State having to disclose information pertaining to the nature and size of its SALW and ammunition stockpile. Certification could also be used to inform diversion risk assessments carried out by arms supplying States within the context of arms export control (such as those outlined under Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Article 11 and criterion 7 of Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP^f1).

Furthermore, regarding cooperation and assistance in the field of SALW and ammunition control, validation and certification can provide guidance in programming decisions and inform impact assessment of past assistance activities.

This project is also relevant in the context of the ongoing work of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) that is examining problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus in response to the adoption of UNGA resolution 72/55 of December 2017.