2003/543/CFSP: Council Decision 2003/543/CFSP of 21 July 2003 concerning the implementation of Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP with a view to a European Union contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean
Date: 2003-07-21
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Caribbean Islands, European arms policy, South America, arms control, arms limitation, financial aid, firearms and munitions, international security, stockpiling of weapons, technical cooperation

24.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 185/59

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

COUNCIL DECISION 2003/543/CFSP

of 21 July 2003

concerning the implementation of Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP with a view to a European Union
contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light
weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP of 12 July 2002
on the European Union's contribution to combating the desta-
bilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light
weapons (1), and in particular Article 6 thereof, in conjunction
the Treaty on
with the second indent of Article 23(2) of
European Union,

Whereas:

(1) With Council Decision 2001/200/CFSP (2), the European
Union decided to contribute to combating the uncon-
trolled accumulation and spread of small arms and light
weapons, which posed a threat to peace and security
and reduced the prospects for sustainable development,
inter alia in Latin America and the Caribbean. The contri-
bution of the European Union under that Decision to
the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarma-
ment and Development in Latin America and the Carib-
bean (UN-LiREC) in Lima, acting on behalf of the United
Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA), has
been effective in ensuring preparatory activities and
initial implementation of certain elements in the field of
combating the uncontrolled accumulation and spread of
small arms and light weapons in the region. In order to
continue these activities, UN-LiREC and DDA have
appealed for follow-up assistance from the European
Union.

(2)

(3)

In pursuing the objectives set out in Article 1 of Joint
Action 2002/589/CFSP, the European Union envisages
operating within the relevant international forums and
in a regional context as appropriate to render assistance
through international organisations, programmes and
agencies as well as regional arrangements.

UN-LiREC, acting on behalf of DDA, pursues, in its func-
tion as a Regional Clearing-House on Firearms, Ammu-
nition and explosives in Latin America and the Carib-
bean, the overall objective to provide States in the region

(1) OJ L 191, 19.7.2002, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 72, 14.3.2001, p. 1.

with assistance in implementing regional agreements
and regulations and developing a coordinated approach
to prevent firearms trafficking and improve capabilities
and capacities in the region through a number of
specific projects.

The objectives of the different UN-LiREC projects are to
train the trainers in law enforcement academies, develop
equipment in order to improve the control of the legal
firearms trade, prevent and combat illicit trafficking of
firearms in Latin America and the Caribbean, facilitate
destruction of surplus weapons and improvements of
stockpile management, as well as to support parliamen-
tarians
in improving legislation related to firearms,
ammunition and explosives.

Activities under these projects will be undertaken by
UN-LiREC and the Organisation of American States in
cooperation with other institutions.

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

The European Union therefore intends to offer continued
financial assistance to the activities of UN-LiREC in
accordance with Title II of Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP.

The Commission will ensure an adequate visibility of the
contribution of
the European Union to the projects,
including by appropriate measures taken by UN-LiREC,

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1.
The European Union shall contribute to combating the
destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light
and the Caribbean through
weapons
continued support to the activities planned by UN-LiREC.

in Latin America

L 185/60

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.7.2003

For this purpose, the European Union shall provide finan-
2.
cial support to the United Nations Department for Disarma-
ment Affairs (DDA), on behalf of which UN-LiREC is acting,
for projects aimed at training the trainers (instructors) in law
enforcement academies through the development of specific
courses and simulation exercises, developing equipment with
the view of facilitating efforts to improve the control of the
legal firearms trade, preventing and combating their illicit traf-
ficking in Latin America and the Caribbean, facilitating destruc-
tion of
stockpile
surplus weapons and improvements of
in
management,
improving legislation on control mechanisms related to fire-
arms, ammunition and explosives.

supporting parliamentarians

as well

as

this Decision. To that end,

3.
The Commission shall be entrusted with the implementa-
the Commission shall
tion of
conclude a financing agreement with DDA, on behalf of which
UN-LiREC is acting, on the conditions for use of the European
Union contribution, which will take the form of a grant. The
financing agreement to be concluded will stipulate that UN-
LiREC, DDA and the partners of UN-LiREC shall ensure visibi-
lity of the contribution of the European Union to the project,
appropriate to its size.

Article 2

The financial reference amount for the purposes referred

1.
to in Article 1 shall be EUR 700 000.

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 3

The Commission shall submit regular reports on the implemen-
tation of this Decision to the relevant Council bodies, in accor-
dance with Article 9(1) of Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP. This
information will in particular be based on regular reports to be
provided by UN-LiREC/DDA under its contractual relationship
with the Commission, as stipulated in Article 1 above.

Article 4

1.
This Decision shall take effect on 1 August 2003; expen-
diture incurred in the implementation of this action shall be
eligible as of that date. It shall expire on 31 July 2004.

This Decision shall be reviewed 10 months after the date

2.
of its adoption.

Article 5

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

Done at Brussels, 21 July 2003.

For the Council

The President

F. FRATTINI