The Union should aim for a high degree of cooperation in all fields of international relations, in order, inter alia, to preserve peace, prevent conflicts and strengthen international security, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

On 12 December 2003, the European Council adopted the European Security Strategy identifying global challenges and threats, and calling for a rule-based international order based on effective multilateralism and well-functioning international institutions.

The European Security Strategy acknowledges the United Nations Charter as the fundamental framework for international relations and advocates strengthening the United Nations (‘the UN’) and equipping it to fulfil its responsibilities and to act effectively.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 51/45 of 10 December 1996 urged all States to pursue vigorously an effective, legally-binding international agreement to ban the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (‘the Convention’) was opened for signature on 3 December 1997 and entered into force on 1 March 1999. It constitutes the only comprehensive international instrument dealing with all aspects of anti-personnel mines, including their use, stockpiling, production, trade, clearance and victim assistance.

On 3 December 2009, the States Parties to the Convention adopted the Cartagena Action Plan 2010-2014 (‘the Cartagena Action Plan’) on the universalisation and implementation of all aspects of the Convention. They thereby recognised and further encouraged the full participation in and contribution to the implementation of the Convention by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (‘the ICBL’), the International Committee of the Red Cross (‘the ICRC’), national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (‘the IFRC’), the UN, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (‘the GICHD’), international and regional organisations, mine survivors and their organisations, and other civil society organisations, as provided for in action No 62 of the Cartagena Action Plan.

On 3 December 2010, the States Parties to the Convention adopted the ‘Directive of the States Parties to the Implementation Support Unit’ (‘the ISU’) in which the States Parties agreed that the ISU should provide advice and technical support to States Parties on the implementation and universalisation of the Convention, facilitate communication among the States Parties, and promote communication and information regarding the Convention both towards States not parties to the Convention and to the public. The ISU was mandated to liaise and coordinate as appropriate with relevant international organisations participating in the work of the Convention, including the ICBL, the ICRC, the IFRC, the UN and the GICHD.

On 2 December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/29 on the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. The General Assembly recalled that at the Second Review Conference of the Convention the international community had reviewed the implementation of the Convention, and that the States Parties to the Convention had adopted the Cartagena Action Plan, stressing the importance of the full and effective implementation of, and compliance with, the Convention, including through the implementation of the Cartagena Action Plan. The States Parties to the Convention invited all States that had not yet done so to ratify or accede to the Convention, and urged all States to remain seized of the issue at the highest political level and to promote adherence to the Convention through bilateral, sub-regional, regional and multilateral contacts, outreach, seminars and other means.

In 2012 and 2013, Meetings of the States Parties to the Convention will take place. The international community will then gather in 2014 for the Convention’s Third Review Conference to assess progress in the implementation of the Cartagena Action Plan. By that time it will be expected that the implementation of the Action Plan will have brought about a substantial contribution to progress towards ending the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines,