The EU is actively implementing the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and giving effect to the measures listed in Chapter III thereof, such as rendering multilateralism more effective and promoting a stable international and regional environment.

The EU is committed to the multilateral treaty system, which provides the legal and normative basis for all non-proliferation efforts. The EU policy is to pursue the implementation and universalisation of the existing disarmament and non-proliferation norms. The EU will assist third countries in the fulfilment of their obligations under multilateral conventions and regimes.

Promotion of a stable international and regional environment is a condition for the fight against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). To this end, the EU will foster regional security arrangements, regional arms control and disarmament processes.

Positive and negative security assurances can play an important role: they can serve both as an incentive to forego the acquisition of WMD and as a deterrent. The EU will promote further consideration of security assurances.

Proliferation of WMD is a global threat, which requires a global approach. However, as security in Europe is closely linked to security and stability in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, the EU believes that it has the duty to contribute to the security and stability in this region.

The Joint Declaration of the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean of 13 July 2008, establishing the Union for the Mediterranean, reaffirmed the common aspiration to achieve peace as well as regional security as set out in the Barcelona Declaration adopted at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference of 27-28 November 1995, which, inter alia, promotes regional security by acting in favour of nuclear, chemical and biological non-proliferation through adherence to and compliance with a combination of international and regional non-proliferation regimes and arms control and disarmament agreements such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, and/or regional arrangements such as weapons-free zones, including their verification regimes, as well as by fulfilling in good faith their commitments under arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation conventions.

The parties to the Union for the Mediterranean will pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East zone free of WMD — nuclear, chemical and biological — and their delivery systems. Furthermore the parties will consider practical steps, inter alia, to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons as well as excessive accumulation of conventional arms.

The Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements between the EU and Mediterranean partners foresee the establishment of a regular political dialogue, which will enhance regional security and stability and cover all subjects of common interest, in particular peace, security, democracy and regional development.

On 19-20 June 2008, the EU organised a seminar in Paris on ‘Middle East Security, WMD Non-Proliferation and Disarmament’, which brought together representatives of States of the region and EU Member States as well as academics and national nuclear energy agencies. Participants encouraged the EU to promote the continuation of the debate in various fora, and to gradually move to a more formal format that would include discussions among government officials, building on the Barcelona Framework, but doing so in a geographically more inclusive format.

The 2010 NPT Review Conference emphasised the importance of a process leading to full implementation of its 1995 Resolution on the Middle East (the 1995 Resolution). To that end, the Conference endorsed practical steps, inter alia, consideration of all offers aimed at supporting the implementation of the 1995 Resolution, including the offer of the EU to host a follow-up seminar related to the one organised in June 2008.

The 2010 NPT Review Conference further recognised the important role played by civil society in contributing to the implementation of the 1995 Resolution and encouraged all efforts in this regard.

The 20th EU-GCC Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting held in Luxembourg on 14 June 2010 welcomed the successful outcome of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. The participants reiterated support for the establishment of a zone free of all WMD and their means of delivery in the Middle East, including the Gulf region,