Besluit 2013/269 - 27 mei 2013 Machtiging van de lidstaten het Wapenhandelsverdrag te ondertekenen - Hoofdinhoud

Towards more responsible arms transfers: the EU and the Arms Trade Treaty

SUMMARY OF:

Council Decision 2013/269/CFSP on authorising Member States to sign, in the interests of the European Union, the Arms Trade Treaty

Council Decision 2014/165/EU authorising Member States to ratify, in the interests of the European Union, the Arms Trade Treaty

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISIONS?

Council Decision 2013/269/CFSP authorises EU countries to sign the Arms Trade Treaty and Council Decision 2014/165/EU authorises them to ratify it.

KEY POINTS

The aim of the Arms Trade Treaty, which was adopted in 2013, is to contribute to international and regional peace, security and stability by regulating the international trade in conventional arms and eradicating the illicit arms trade.

It does this by establishing the highest possible common international standards for the international trade in conventional arms.The treaty applies to all conventional arms within the following categories:

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  battle tanks;
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  armoured combat vehicles;
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  large-calibre artillery systems;
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  combat aircraft;
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  attack helicopters;
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  warships;
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  missiles and missile launchers; and
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  small arms and light weapons.

The treaty aims at a more responsible regulation of arms trade by requiring:

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  exporting countries to carry out a thorough and comprehensive risk assessment before exporting arms. This covers areas such as the risk of human rights violations in the country of destination, the risk of diversion of the exported arms and the possible adverse impact on internal and regional stability;
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  countries to report their arms exports and imports annually. This should improve transparency.

The treaty can thus prevent arms falling into the wrong hands, thereby reducing human suffering and tangibly contributing to international peace, security and stability.

The EU has adopted an implementation support programme. This provides funding to support countries’ efforts to implement the treaty by strengthening their arms transfer control systems.

The treaty entered into force on 24 December 2014.

FROM WHEN DO THE DECISIONS APPLY?

The Decision 2013/269/CFSP has applied since 31 May 2013. The Directive 2014/165/EU has applied since 5 March 2014.

BACKGROUND

The Arms Trade Treaty is the result of a UN resolution in 2006 and aims to provide common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons. Because certain aspects that it covers fall within EU competence, EU countries required the Council’s authorisation to sign and ratify it - the subject of the 2 decisions covered by this summary.

For more information, see

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  Arms Trade Treaty (European Commission)
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  Arms Trade Treaty enters into force: towards more responsible and more transparent arms trade (European Union's external action service)

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Decision 2013/269/CFSP of 27 May 2013 authorising Member States to sign, in the interests of the European Union, the Arms Trade Treaty (OJ L 155, 7.6.2013, p. 9)

Council Decision 2014/165/EU of 3 March 2014 authorising Member States to ratify, in the interests of the European Union, the Arms Trade Treaty (OJ L 89, 25.3.2014, p. 44)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/101 of 22 January 2018 on the promotion of effective arms export controls (OJ L 17, 23.1.2018, pp. 40-47)

Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/915 of 29 May 2017 on Union outreach activities in support of the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (OJ L 139, 30.5.2017, pp. 38-48)

Council Decision 2013/768/CFSP of 16 December 2013 on EU activities in support of the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty, in the framework of the European security strategy (OJ L 341 of 18.12.2013, pp. 56-67)

last update 13.05.2015

Deze samenvatting is overgenomen van EUR-Lex.