B4-0033, 0058, 0064, 0081, 0086 and 0104/98

Resolution on a European code of conduct on the export of arms

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the export or transfer of arms,

A. whereas the existing common EU criteria governing arms exports, agreed by the Council in 1991-1992, are being applied by each individual Member State according to its own interpretation and have not prevented the flow of arms from EU Member States to countries which violate human rights, to regions of instability and military aggressors ,

B. noting with satisfaction that the code of conduct on arms exports to non- member countries which fail to respect human rights or to regions in a state of war has been included among the priorities of the British Presidency and that several Member States have declared themselves in favour of its adoption,

C. noting that one of the central aims of the proposals for this code of conduct is to avoid situations in which a denial by one partner is quietly undercut by another,

D. convinced that any such EU code of conduct will be all the more successful when the other main arms exporters, such as the USA, but also the Russian Federation and China, agree to similar rules,

1. Welcomes the support voiced by many Member States for a common EU arms export policy and expects that the terms of this code of conduct will be formulated in such a way as to make it an effective instrument in restricting the flow of arms from the Union to countries which violate human rights, regions of instability and military aggressors;

2. Therefore insists that the proposed code of conduct should apply to exports and licensed production of a comprehensive list of goods and technologies, while narrowing as much as possible the scope for Member States' interpretations with regard to the granting or denial of individual export licences and especially that it should include a clear undercut mechanism;

3. Urges the Council and Member States, when establishing the code of conduct, to consider the need for reinforcement of the eight common criteria and calls upon the Council and the Member States to include in the code of conduct a clear list of sensitive destinations, a system of verifying and monitoring end-use provisions, as well as a system of mutual information and consultation on the granting and denial of export licences;

4. Calls on the Council to adopt such a code as a common position leading to a series of Joint Actions according to Article J of the EU Treaty;

5. Calls on the Council to involve Parliament actively in the drawing up of the code of conduct, to review annually the implementation of the code and present its findings to Parliament for debate;

6. Calls on the Member States to insist that the code of conduct include measures to improve the transparency and parliamentary scrutiny of arms export policy;

7. Calls on the Council and the Member States to encourage third countries, especially the associated countries, to sign the code of conduct and to take steps with a view to obtaining similar policies by other main arms exporters;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the Member States.