EN Official Journal of the European Union L 327/44

COUNCIL DECISION 2010/765/CFSP

of 2 December 2010

on EU action to counter the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW) by air

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Whereas:

(1) On 13 December 2003, the Council adopted a European Security Strategy identifying five key challenges to be faced by the Union: terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, State failure and organised crime. The consequences of the illicit manufacture, transfer and circulation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their excessive accumulation and uncontrolled spread are central to four of these five challenges.

(2) On 15-16 December 2005, the Council adopted the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition (EU SALW Strategy). The EU SALW Strategy promotes the development of a policy for actively combating illicit network trafficking in SALW (illicit brokers and carriers) using the Union’s air, sea and land space, by devising alert and cooperation mechanisms.

(3) The Action Plan of the EU SALW Strategy also underlines the need to improve the impact of missions of crisis management by including in their mandate measures aiming at the establishment of border controls (or control of the air, land and sea space of the conflict zone) and disarmament.

(4) The EU Council Working Party on Global Disarmament and Arms Controls (CODUN) and the EU Joint Situation Centre (SitCen) have, since 2007, developed an EU initiative to hinder illicit trafficking of SALW by air transport, by enhancing the exchange, among Member States, of relevant information on suspected air-carriers. In establishing such a system of exchange of information, CODUN and SitCen have been collaborating with the Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute (SIPRI) and its Countering Illicit Trafficking – Mechanism Assessment Project (CIT – MAP). Within the framework of this initiative, CODUN recently agreed to consider ways to render this EU initiative more operational and effective, by ensuring the timely updating and processing of relevant information.

(5) The risk posed to international security by the illicit trade of SALW via air was also recognised by other international and regional organisations. The OSCE Forum on Security and cooperation held a special session in 2007 devoted to this topic and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted in 2008 a resolution calling for the completion, adoption and implementation of an OSCE Best Practice Guide on the illicit air transportation of SALW. Similarly, Participating States in the Wassenaar Arrangement adopted in 2007 ‘Best practices to prevent destabilising transfers of SALW through air transport’. In addition, numerous UN Security Council Sanctions Committee Group of Expert reports on West Africa and the Great Lakes region have repeatedly documented the key role played by air cargo companies involved in illicit SALW trafficking.

(6) The action foreseen in this Decision does not pursue any objectives related to the improvement of air transport safety,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. With a view to the implementation of the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition (EU SALW Strategy), the Union shall pursue the following objectives:

(a) improving tools and techniques, at the disposal of relevant crisis management missions, international and third countries’ national authorities and Member States, to effectively screen and target suspect air cargo aircrafts likely to be involved in illicit trade of SALW via air within, from or to third States;

(b) increasing awareness and technical expertise on the part of relevant international and national personnel, of ‘best practices’ in the areas of monitoring, detection and risk management analysis against air cargo carriers suspected of SALW trafficking via air within, from or to third States.

2. In order to achieve the objectives referred to in paragraph 1, the Union shall undertake the following measures:

(a) the development and field testing of a pilot air trafficking risk management dedicated software for relevant crisis management missions, and international and national authorities, including a regularly updated database on, inter alia, air companies, aircraft, registration numbers and transportation routings;

(b) the development and field testing of a secure pilot risk management and information dissemination system;

(c) the development and publication of a manual and accompanying training material, as well as the provision of technical assistance to facilitate the use and adaptation of the pilot software and of the secure risk management and information system, including through the organisation of regional seminars to train relevant crisis management missions, and international and national authorities.

A detailed description of the project is set out in the Annex.

Article 2

1. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR) shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decision.

2. The technical implementation of the projects referred to in Article 1(2) shall be carried out by SIPRI.

3. SIPRI shall perform its task under the responsibility of the HR. For this purpose, the HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with SIPRI.

Article 3

1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the project referred to in Article 1(2) shall be EUR 900 000.

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 expenditure referred to in paragraph 1. For this purpose, it shall conclude a financing agreement with SIPRI. The agreement shall stipulate that SIPRI is to ensure the visibility of the EU contribution, appropriate to its size.

4. The Commission shall endeavour to conclude the financing 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 financing agreement.

Article 4

The HR shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Decision on the basis of regular bi-monthly reports prepared by SIPRI. These reports shall form the basis for the evaluation carried out by the Council. The Commission shall provide information on the financial aspects of the project’s implementation referred to in Article 1(2).

Article 5

1. This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

2. This Decision shall expire 24 months after the date of conclusion of the financing agreement referred to in Article 3(3), or 6 months after the date of adoption of this Decision if no financing agreement has been concluded within that period.

Article 6

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 2 December 2010. For the Council The President M. WATHELET