1996E0184 — EN — 19.07.1999 — 002.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COMMON POSITION
of 26 February 1996
defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2of the Treaty on European Union concerning
arms exports to the former Yugoslavia
(96/184/CFSP)
(OJ L 58, 7.3.1996, p. 1)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Decision 98/498/CFSP of 10 August 1998 L 225 1 12.8.1998
►M2Council Decision 1999/481/CFSP of 19 July 1999 L 188 3 21.7.1999
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COMMON POSITION
of 26 February 1996
defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2of the Treaty on
European Union concerning arms exports to the former Yugoslavia
(96/184/CFSP)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular
Article J.2 thereof,
Having regard to Resolution No 1021 adopted on 22 November 1995
by the United Nations Security Council,
Whereas the European Community and its Member States decided on 5
July 1991 to impose an embargo on armaments and military equipmentapplicable to the whole of Yugoslavia,
HAS DEFINED THE FOLLOWING COMMON POSITION:
1. With a view to establishing peace and stability for the people of the
region of the former Yugoslavia, and in particular taking intoaccount the need to ensure the safety of the international troopsand civilian personnel deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Croatia during the implementation of the peace agreement, the
European Union believes that restraint on the part of exportingcountries will be needed even after the UN arms embargo on theStates of the former Yugoslavia is lifted in accordance with UNSecurity Council Resolution No 1021.
2. The Council of the European Union therefore decides that:
(i) during the period of the deployment of SFOR, as well as other
operations including IPTF, the EU embargo on arms, munitionsand military equipment(
1) will be maintained towards Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugo-
slavia.
Transfers of equipment needed for demining activities and
transfers of small arms to the police forces in Bosnia andHerzegovina are not covered by this embargo. States willinform the Council of those transfers;
(ii) subject to the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution No
1021(
2) export licence applications to ►M1 ◄
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Fyrom) shall be
considered on a case-by-case basis.
This provision is adopted on the understanding that the Member
States will show restraint in their arms export policy toward►
M1 ◄the former Republic of Macedonia
(Fyrom) based on the common criteria for arms exportscontained in the 28 and 29 June 1991 Luxembourg European1996E0184 — EN — 19.07.1999 — 002.001 — 2
(1) The abovementioned embargo covers weapons designed to kill and their
ammunition, weapons platforms, non-weapons platforms and ancillary
equipment as listed in the EC embargo list of 8 and 9 July 1991. The
embargo also covers spare parts, repairs, transfer of military technology
and contracts entered into prior to the onset of the embargo.
(2) Paragraph 1 of UN Security Council Resolution No 1021 provides that the
delivery of heavy weapons (as defined in the peace agreement), ammunition
therefor, mines, military aircraft and helicopters shall continue to be prohib-
ited to all the former Yugoslav Republics during the second 90 days
following the submission of the Secretary-General's report on the formalsignature of the peace agreement and until the arms control agreement
referred to in Annex 1b has taken effect. After the submission of a report
from the Secretary-General on the implementation of Annex 1b (agreement
on regional stabilization) as agreed by the parties, all provisions of the UN
arms embargo terminate unless the Security Council decides otherwise.▼M2
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Council and the 26 and 27 June 1992 Lisbon European Council
conclusions. They will also take into account the objectives ofthe European Union policy in the region, fundamentally aimed
at pacification and stabilization in the area, including the need
for arms control and reduction to the lowest level and confi-dence building measures;
(iii) the European Union will deploy efforts to encourage other
countries to adopt a similar policy of restraint.
3. This Common Position shall be re-examined before the end of the
deployment of SFOR.
4. This common position shall enter into force on 13 March 1996.
5. This common position shall be published in the Official Journal.
Done at Brussels, 26 February 1996.
For the Council
The President
S. AGNELLI1996E0184 — EN — 19.07.1999 — 002.001 — 3
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