98/289/CFSP: Common Position of 23 April 1998 defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union, relating to preparation for the second Preparatory Committee for the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons
Date: 1998-04-23
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Conference on Disarmament in Europe, common position, disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear weapon

30.4.98

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

L  129/1

(Acts  adopted  under  Title  V  of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union)

COMMON  POSITION

of  23  April  1998

defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union, relating to
preparation  for  the  second  Preparatory  Committee  for  the  2000  Review  Conference  of  the
Parties  to  the  Treaty  on  the  non-proliferation  of  nuclear  weapons

(98/289/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  the 
importance  attached  by  the
European Union to the Treaty on the non-proliferation of
nuclear  weapons  as  the  cornerstone  of  the  nuclear
non-proliferation  regime,

Whereas  on  25  July  1994  the  Council  adopted  Decision
94/509/CFSP  concerning 
joint  action  regarding
the 
preparation for the 1995 Conference of the States Parties
to  the  Treaty  on  the  non-proliferation  of  nuclear
weapons (1);

Whereas  the  1995  Review  and  Extension  Conference  of
the  Parties  to  the  Treaty  on  the  non-proliferation  of
nuclear  weapons  adopted  decisions  on  the  indefinite
extension  of  the  Treaty  on  the  non-proliferation  of
nuclear weapons, on principles and objectives for nuclear
non-proliferation  and  disarmament,  on  the  strengthening
of the review process for the Treaty, and on a resolution
on  the  Middle  East;

Whereas at the first session of the Preparatory Committee
for  the  2000  Review  Conference  of  the  Parties  to  the
Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, held
in  New  York  on  7  to  18  April  1997,  it  was  agreed
provisionally  to  hold  a  second  session  on  27  April  to
8  May  1998  in  Geneva  and  a  third  session  on  12  to
23  April  1999  in  New  York;

contribution 
nuclear-related  export  controls (2);

the  promotion  of 

to 

transparency 

in

to 

Whereas,  on  the  basis  of  negotiating  Directives  adopted
by  the  Council  on  1  December  1997,  negotiations  on  an
additional  Protocol 
the  Verification  Agreement
between  the  non-nuclear  weapon  States  of  the  European
Atomic  Energy  Community  (Euratom),  Euratom  and  the
International  Atomic  Energy  Agency  (IAEA),  on  an
additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement between
France,  Euratom  and  the  IAEA,  and  on  an  additional
Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement between the United
Kingdom,  Euratom  and  the  IAEA  have  been  concluded;

Whereas, in the light of the outcome of the 1995 Review
and  Extension  Conference  and  of  the  first  session  of  the
Preparatory  Committee,  it  is  appropriate  to  update  and
develop  further  the  objectives  set  out  in  Joint  Action
94/509/CFSP,  and  the  initiatives  carried  out  under  its
terms,

HAS  DEFINED  THIS  COMMON  POSITION:

Article  1

The  objective  of  the  European  Union  shall  be  to
strengthen  the  international  nuclear  non-proliferation
regime  by  promoting  the  successful  outcome  of  the
Non-proliferation 
2000  Review
Conference.

Treaty 

(NPT) 

Article  2

Whereas  on  29  April  1997  the  Council  adopted  Joint
Action  97/288/CFSP  concerning  the  European  Union’s

For  the  purposes  of  the  objective  laid  down  in  Article  1,
the  European  Union  shall:

(1)  OJ  L  205,  8.8.1994,  p.  1.

(2)  OJ  L  120,  12.5.1997,  p.  1.

L  129/2

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

30.4.98

—  where  appropriate,  pursue  efforts  to  convince  States
which  are  not  yet  parties  to  the  NPT,  in  particular
those States which operate unsafeguarded facilities, to
accede  to  it,  where  possible  before  2000,

—  encourage  participation  in  the  remaining  Preparatory
the  NPT  2000  Review

Committee  sessions  of 
Conference  and  in  the  Conference  itself,

—  help  build  consensus  in  the  Preparatory  Committee
sessions  and  in  the  NPT  2000  Review  Conference  on
substantive  issues  in  order  to  facilitate  a  structured
and balanced review of the operation of the NPT and
the
the  agreed  elements  contained 
expand 
Chairman’s  Working  Paper  of  the  first  session  of  the
Preparatory  Committee,  bearing 
the
the  decision  on  principles  and
importance  of 
objectives 
and
for 
disarmament  adopted  by  the  1995  Review  and
Extension  Conference  and  using  this  document  as  a
starting  point.

non-proliferation 

in  mind 

nuclear 

in 

Union,  with  a  view  to  encouraging  participation  in
the  NPT  2000  Review  Conference,

—  demarches  by  the  Presidency,  under  the  conditions
laid down in Article J.5(3) of the Treaty on European
Union,  with  regard  to  States  Parties,  in  order  to  urge
their  support  for  the  objectives  set  out  in  Article  2,

—  the  pursuit  of  agreement  by  Member  States  on  draft
proposals  on  substantive  issues  for  submission  on
behalf of the European Union during the strengthened
review  process  for  consideration  by  States  Parties  to
the  NPT  which  may  ultimately  form  the  basis  for
recommendations 
the  NPT  2000  Review
Conference.

to 

Article  4

This common position shall take effect on the date of its
adoption.

Article  3

Article  5

Action  taken  by  the  European  Union  for  the  purposes  of
Article  2  shall  comprise:

—  where  appropriate,  demarches  by  the  Presidency,
under the conditions laid down in Article J.5(3) of the
Treaty on European Union, with a view to promoting
the  universality  of  the  NPT,

—  demarches  by  the  Presidency,  under  the  conditions
laid down in Article J.5(3) of the Treaty on European

This  common  position  shall  be  published  in  the  Official
Journal.

Done  at  Luxembourg,  23  April  1998.

For  the  Council

The  President

N.  GRIFFITHS