The European Security Strategy adopted by Heads of State and Government on 12 December 2003 outlines five key challenges to be addressed by the Union in the post-Cold War environment: terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, State failure, and organised crime. The consequences of the uncontrolled circulation of conventional weapons are central to four of these five challenges. The Strategy underlines the importance of export controls to contain proliferation.

On 5 June 1998, the Union adopted a politically binding Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, setting common criteria to regulate the legal trade in conventional weapons. The Code was regularly updated.

The EU Strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition, adopted by the European Council on 15 and 16 December 2005, provides that the Union, at regional and international levels, supports the strengthening of export controls and the promotion of the criteria of the Code of Conduct on Arms Exports by, inter alia, helping third countries to draft relevant national legislation and promoting measures to improve transparency.

In accordance with Article 7 of Common Position 2008/944/CFSP and in order to maximise the effectiveness of the Common Position, Member States have agreed to work within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) to reinforce their cooperation and to promote their convergence in the field of exports of military technology and equipment. The principles and criteria of Common Position 2008/944/CFSP have been officially supported by several third countries.

Article 11 of Common Position 2008/944/CFSP states that Member States have to use their best endeavours to encourage other arms exporting States to apply the criteria contained in that Common Position.

The Union and its Member States are bound by confidentiality in their information exchange on arms export policy, in particular with beneficiary third countries.

On 6 December 2006, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, with the support of all Member States of the European Union, adopted Resolution 61/89, entitled ‘Towards an arms trade treaty: establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms’, thereby formally starting the UN process for the negotiation of an Arms Trade Treaty.

On 12 January 2010, the UN General Assembly, with the support of all Member States of the European Union, adopted Resolution 64/48, entitled ‘The Arms Trade Treaty’, convening the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty to sit for four consecutive weeks in 2012 to elaborate a legally binding instrument on the highest possible common international standards for the transfer of conventional arms.

While the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty of July 2012 did not agree on a final text of the Treaty, it nonetheless achieved considerable progress as reflected in the draft of the Treaty text presented by the President of the Conference on 26 July 2012. The Union fully supports the swift completion of negotiations in early 2013 through the convening of a final shorter UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, under the same rules as those followed in the first Conference, to conclude negotiations on the Treaty on the basis of the President’s draft text of 26 July 2012.

The Council adopted, in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012, conclusions in support of the negotiation of an Arms Trade Treaty, underlining the importance of cooperation in this process with other States and regional organisations.

Over the past years, the Union has been providing assistance to improve export controls of dual-use goods in third countries, in the framework of projects undertaken under EU financial instruments other than the CFSP budget.

The German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (hereinafter ‘BAFA’) had been entrusted by the Council with the technical implementation of Decision 2009/1012/CFSP and successfully completed the organisation of all activities foreseen therein in January 2012. BAFA has also been identified as the implementing agency of EU-funded projects on export controls on dual-use goods under the Instrument for Stability. Against this background, the selection of BAFA as the implementing agency of further Union activities in the field of export controls is justified by its proven experience, qualifications and necessary expertise related to the implementation of relevant acquis of the Union and its promotion vis-à-vis third countries and will enhance the continuity and overall coherence of Union assistance in this field,