2001/850/CFSP: Council Decision of 29 November 2001 implementing Joint Action 1999/34/CFSP with a view to a European Union contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons in Albania
Date: 2001-11-29
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Albania, European arms policy, arms control, arms limitation, fight against crime, firearms and munitions

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 318/1

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

COUNCIL DECISION

of 29 November 2001

implementing Joint Action 1999/34/CFSP with a view to a European Union contribution to
combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons in Albania

(2001/850/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to Joint Action 1999/34/CFSP of 17 December
1998 on the European Union's contribution to combating the
destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light
weapons (1), and in particular Article 6 thereof, in conjunction
with Article 23(2) of the Treaty on European Union,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

the European
In Common Position 97/357/CFSP (2)
Union expressed its
intention to help Albania to
promote the democratic process, the return to political
stability and internal security.

The excessive and uncontrolled accumulation and spread
of small arms and light weapons poses a threat to peace
and security and reduces the prospects for sustainable
development; this is acutely the case in Albania.

In pursuing the objectives set out in Article 1 of Joint
Action 1999/34/CFSP, the European Union envisages
operating within the relevant
fora to
promote confidence-building measures and incentives to
encourage the voluntary surrender of surplus or illegally
held small arms, as well as local development projects
and other economic and social

international

incentives.

The Small Arms and Light Weapons Control Programme
in Albania established under the United Nations Devel-
opment Programe (UNDP) is intended to convince the
population to turn in its private weapons voluntarily,
emphasising the importance of disarmament for stability
and development, and informing the population of the
laws in this field and of government policy in relation to
the collection and control of small arms.

(5)

The European Union considers that a financial contribu-
tion to the project would pursue the aims of influencing
public opinion in favour of civilian disarmament and

(1) OJ L 9, 15.1.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 153, 11.6.1997, p. 4.

reducing the socio-economic and social impact of small
arms and light weapons, as well as creating a stable and
secure environment for sustainable human development.

(6)

(7)

(8)

The European Union considers that this project covers
matters relating to the supply of, and demand for, small
arms and light weapons and is part of the follow-up to
the Programme of Action to prevent, combat and eradi-
cate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in
all its aspects adopted by the United Nations Conference
on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in
all

its aspects (New York, 9 to 20 July 2001).

The European Union therefore intends to provide finan-
cial assistance in accordance with Title II of Joint Action
1999/34/CFSP.

The Commission has agreed to be entrusted with the
implementation of this Decision,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

in Albania by means of

The European Union shall contribute to promoting the
1.
collection of arms
information
programmes, as well as to the collection and management of
data and statistics on weapons-related incidents, research into
the socio-economic impact of the circulation of small arms, the
registration and control of small arms, support for policy-
makers and development of the comprehensive programme for
the control of small arms and light weapons, and support for
cooperation and information-sharing between States.

2.
For this purpose the European Union shall give financial
support to the UNDP ‘Small Arms and Light Weapons Control
Programme’

in Albania.

L 318/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

4.12.2001

Article 2

The Commission shall be entrusted with the implementation of
this Decision. To that end, the Commission shall conclude a
financing agreement with the UNDP on the use of the Euro-
pean Union contribution, which will take the form of a grant.
Amongst other things, this grant will cover the salaries of an
international technical representative for small arms and of two
national experts, for a twelve-month period, and the purchase
of vehicles and equipment necessary for implementing the
project.

Article 3

The financial reference amount for the purposes referred

1.
to in Article 1 shall be EUR 550 000.

The management of

the expenditure financed by the
2.
amount specified in paragraph 1 shall be subject
to the
Community procedures and rules applicable to the general
budget of the European Union.

Article 4

The Commission shall keep the Council
the
follow-up to the action, amongst other things on the basis of

informed of

regular reports to be supplied by the UNDP under its contrac-
tual relationship with the Commission.

Article 5

This Decision shall take effect on the date of its adoption.

1.
It shall expire on 31 December 2002.

This Decision shall be reviewed ten months after the date

2.
of its adoption.

Article 6

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal.

Done at Brussels, 29 November 2001.

For the Council

The President

M. VANDERPOORTEN