Article 1
With a view to the implementation of the EU SALW Strategy and the promotion of peace and security, the project activities to be supported by the Union shall have the following specific objectives:
- continuing to maintain and further enhancing an accessible and user-friendly global information-management system on diverted or trafficked SALW and other diverted or trafficked conventional weapons and ammunition (‘iTrace’) in order to provide policymakers, conventional arms control experts and conventional arms export control officers with relevant information to develop effective, evidence-based strategies and projects against the illicit spread of SALW and of other conventional weapons and ammunition,
- conducting in-field research into SALW and other conventional weapons and ammunition circulating in conflict-affected areas, uploading all collected evidence onto the information-management system, sending formal trace requests to national governments where required, and releasing, when verified (including by formal trace), information publicly on the iTrace system,
- centralising existing policy-relevant documentation on transfers of SALW and of other conventional weapons and ammunition in the global information-management system, including national arms-export reports, country reports to the UN Conventional Arms Register and the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in SALW, the texts of national, regional and international instruments, and verified reports of illicit SALW and other illicit conventional weapons and ammunition transfers compiled by UN sanctions-monitoring groups, civil-society organisations and the international news media,
- increasing awareness by outreach on the findings of the project, promoting the purpose and available functions of iTrace to international and national policymakers, conventional arms control experts and arms-export licensing authorities, and enhancing international capacity to monitor the illicit spread of SALW and of other conventional weapons and ammunition as well as to assist policymakers in identifying priority areas for international assistance and cooperation and to reduce the risk of diversion of SALW and of other conventional weapons and ammunition. Outreach initiatives will also be designed to coordinate information-sharing and build sustainable partnerships with individuals and organisations capable of generating information that can be uploaded onto the iTrace system,
- providing key policy issue reports, drawn from the data generated by field investigations and presented on the iTrace system, about specific areas deserving international attention, including major trafficking patterns of SALW and other conventional weapons and ammunition, and the regional distribution of trafficked weapons and ammunition.
The Union shall finance this project, a detailed description of which is set out in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
1
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (‘HR’) shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.
2
The technical implementation of the project referred to in Article 1 shall be carried out by Conflict Armament Research Ltd (‘CAR’).
3
CAR shall perform its tasks under the responsibility of the HR. For this purpose, the HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with CAR.
Article 3
1
The financial reference amount for the implementation of the project referred to in Article 1 shall be EUR 2 530 684. The total estimated budget of the overall project shall be EUR 3 020 000, which shall be provided through co-financing by CAR and the German Federal Foreign Office.
2
The expenditure financed by the amount set out in paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the procedures and rules applicable to the general budget of the Union.
3
The Commission shall supervise the proper management of the financial reference amount referred to in paragraph 1. For this purpose, it shall conclude the necessary agreement with CAR. The agreement shall stipulate that CAR has to ensure the visibility of the Union's contribution, appropriate to its size.
4
The Commission shall endeavour to conclude the agreement referred to in paragraph 3 as soon as possible after the entry into force of this Decision. It shall inform the Council of any difficulties in that process and of the date of conclusion of the agreement.
Article 4
1
The HR shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Decision on the basis of quarterly narrative reports prepared by CAR. Those reports shall form the basis of the evaluation carried out by the Council. In order to assist the Council in its evaluation of the results of this Decision, an external entity shall carry out an evaluation of the project.
2
The Commission shall report on the financial aspects of the project referred to in Article 1.
Article 5
1
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
2
This Decision shall expire 24 months after the date of conclusion of the agreement referred to in Article 3(3). However, it shall expire six months after the date of its entry into force if no agreement has been concluded within that period.
Done at Luxembourg, 22 October 2015.
For the Council
The President
F. Etgen