EU Presidency Statement - Thematic session on import - export control

Summary: July 11, 2003: Statement by H.E. Ambassador Carlo Trezza, Permanent Representative of Italy to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, on behalf of the European Union, at the thematic session on import / export control. Biennial meeting of states to consider the implementation of the programme of action on small arms (New York)

Madam President,

I have the honour of taking the floor on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and the EFTA countries of Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

The experience of the last two years (since the adoption of the UN Programme of Action) confirmed that the success of efforts aimed at countering and eradicating the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons deeply relies on effective export controls regulations and their effective implementation. It is evident though that loopholes still exist in this field, and that further action can be taken.

We can not ignore that there is, first of all, a compelling need to prevent the acquisition of small arms and light weapons by terrorist groups and transnational criminal organisations.

Beside the establishment of administrative measures (including licensing and authorisation of relevant transaction, use of authenticated end-user certificates, record keeping), priority must be given to the adoption of appropriate political criteria governing the transfers of small arms and light weapons. The EU therefore encourages delegations to continue discussions on the elaboration of common national and international standards.

In that respect, the European Union believes that export authorisations should be assessed, on a case by case basis, against the following factors:

respect for the international commitments, in particular the sanctions decreed by the UN Security Council, agreements on non proliferation and other subject, as well as other international obligations;
the respect of human rights in the country of final destination;
the internal situation in the country of final destination, as a function of the existence of tensions or armed conflicts;
preservation of regional peace, security and stability;
the national security of exporting State, as well as that of friendly and allied countries;
the behaviour of the buyer country with regard to the international community, as regards in particular to its attitude to terrorism, the nature of its alliances and respect for international law;
the existence of a risk that the equipment will be diverted within the buyer country or re-exported under undesirable conditions;
the compatibility of the arms exports with the technical and economic capacity of the recipient country, taking into account the desirability that states should achieve their legitimate needs of security and defence with the least diversion for armaments of human and economic resources.

Those criteria are duly reflected in the 1998 EU code of conduct on arms exports, which indicates a model approach in this area.

The best practices guidelines on SALW exports adopted in the framework of the Wassenaar Arrangement represent other useful terms of reference for our exercise.

Besides common international standards on export controls, EU partners find it important to enhance international cooperation between States and or International Organizations aimed at improving the quality and the effectiveness of export control regimes.

Finally, the European Union welcomes the Lancaster House Conference on strengthening export controls on small arms and light weapons, organized by the United Kingdom in January 2003. We welcome further efforts within the UN Programme of Action, to create international understanding and common principles for SALW transfers, and support further regional based efforts on these issues, that could report back findings at the 2005 biennial meeting.

Ref: PRES03-212EN
EU source: EU Presidency
UN forum: First Committee (Disarmament and International Security)
Date: 11/7/2003

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