Arms Trade Treaty - EU Key Messages : Working Group on Effective Treaty Implementation

26.04.2021
Geneva

Mr. Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, the Republic of North Macedonia[*], Montenegro*, Serbia* and Albania*, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the Republic of Moldova and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

At the outset, we want to commend your work in steering the debates, which are important means for States Parties to achieve transparency and build confidence in the faithful implementation of the Treaty obligations. We thank you for holding this meeting, although the ongoing unfavorable situation does not allow us to meet in person. Our open and transparent discussions about implementation, including about challenges encountered in national decision-making processes and thoughtful implementation of assessment criteria, are of key significance for the strength of the Treaty.

The EU underlines the essential contribution that a responsible arms trade policy makes to the maintenance of international peace and security and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. In accordance with the 2008/944 EU Common Position, which inter alia establishes eight criteria against which applications for the export of conventional arms are to be assessed, we are therefore committed to promoting cooperation and convergence among EU Member States‘ policies in order to prevent the export of military technology and equipment which might be used for internal repression or international aggression or contribute to regional instability.

Following the review of the EU Common Position on arms exports in 2019, the EU and its Member States are currently implementing several concrete initiatives as announced in the Council Conclusions of 16 September 2019. A searchable online database is now available on the website of the European External Action Service that allows all stakeholders to consult and analyse the data on Member States’ arms exports in a user-friendly manner. The EU supports Member States to collect and report relevant information on their actual exports. Finally, the EU is working on a database for licensing officers that would collect information on destination countries that could be relevant in the decision making process.

On 19 April 2021, the EU decided to provide new funding for the effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). With a contribution of EUR 1.37 million, the EU will finance three projects implemented by the ATT Secretariat in Geneva in order to strengthen Treaty implementation and local expertise regarding the ATT.

Concretely, the EU’s support will enable the following actions:

  • Training local and regional ATT experts to deliver implementation assistance and reduce reliance on external consultants;
  • Creating a database to match Treaty implementation needs and resources; and
  • Building IT and communications mechanisms to help States Parties’ points of contact and the ATT Secretariat collaborate more effectively.

The project also strengthens the ATT Secretariat’s institutional capacities to provide sustainable support to the States Parties. The project is part of the EU’s recently adopted broader strategy to strengthen the EU's contribution to rules-based multilateralism, by promoting global peace and security. We look forward to intensifying, the already close cooperation with the ATT Secretariat in the context of this new project.

Although we are convinced that implementation is a national responsibility, any assistance that can be provided to States in this regard, is both valuable and useful. In this context, let us recall that the EU will continue its ambitious implementation project on the Promotion of Effective Arms Export Controls, implemented by BAFA and Expertise France. This project has been instrumental in advancing the implementation of the ATT outside the EU, in particular in the establishment of national control systems and national control lists, drafting and reviewing of the legislative and regulatory framework, prevention of diversion, and in the reinforcement of customs and law enforcement.

Mr. Chair,

In the end, let us underscore the importance that export control practitioners, and experts attend and contribute to the discussions on implementation. With the hope to return to a normal business model soon, we are looking forward to welcoming to Geneva all representatives from capitals at the next Conference of States Parties.

Thank you, Mr. Chair

[*] The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.