http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/eudn/2012/699

on the Union support for the activities of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation in order to strengthen its monitoring and verification capabilities and in the framework of the implementation of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 26(2) and Article 31(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1)

On 12 December 2003, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (the Strategy), Chapter III of which contains a list of measures that need to be taken both within the Union and in third countries to combat such proliferation.

(2)

The Union is actively implementing the Strategy and is giving effect to the measures listed in Chapter III thereof, in particular through releasing financial resources to support specific projects conducted by multilateral institutions, such as the Provisional Technical Secretariat of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO).

(3)

On 17 November 2003, the Council adopted Common Position 2003/805/CFSP on the universalisation and reinforcement of multilateral agreements in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and means of delivery1. That Common Position calls, inter alia, for the promotion of the signature and ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

(4)

The States Signatories of the CTBT have decided to establish a Preparatory Commission, endowed with legal capacity, and which has standing as an international organisation, for the purpose of carrying out the effective implementation of the CTBT, pending the establishment of the CTBTO.

(5)

The early entry into force and universalisation of the CTBT and the strengthening of the monitoring and verification system of the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO are important objectives of the Strategy. In this context, the nuclear tests carried out by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in October 2006 and May 2009 further underlined the importance of the early entry into force of the CTBT and the need for an accelerated building-up and strengthening of the CTBT monitoring and verification system.

(6)

The Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO is engaged in identifying how its verification regime could best be strengthened, including through the development of noble gas monitoring capabilities and efforts aimed at fully involving States Signatories of the CTBT in the implementation of the verification regime.

(7)

In the framework of the implementation of the Strategy, the Council has adopted three Joint Actions and one Decision supporting the activities of the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO, namely Joint Action 2006/243/CFSP2 in the area of training and capacity building for verification, and Joint Action 2007/468/CFSP3, Joint Action 2008/588/CFSP4 and Decision 2010/461/CFSP5 in order to strengthen the monitoring and verification capabilities of the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO.

(8)

That Union support should be continued.

(9)

The technical implementation of this Decision should be entrusted to the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO which, on the basis of its unique expertise and capabilities through the network of the International Monitoring System (comprising over 280 facilities in 85 countries) and the International Data Centre, is the sole international organisation having the ability and legitimacy to implement this Decision. The projects as supported by the Union can only be financed through an extra-budgetary contribution to the Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: