COUNCIL DECISION 2013/730/CFSP
of 9 December 2013
in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe in the framework of the EU Strategy to Combat the Illicit Accumulation and Trafficking of SALW and their Ammunition
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 26(2) and 31(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
(1)
On 13 December 2003, the European 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 conventional weapons, including small arms and light weapons (hereinafter ‘SALW’), and their excessive accumulation and uncontrolled spread are central to four of these five challenges. They fuel insecurity in South East Europe, its neighbouring regions and many other parts of the world, exacerbating conflict and undermining post-conflict peace-building, thus posing a serious threat to peace and security.
(2)
On 15 and 16 December 2005, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition (hereinafter the ‘Strategy’), which sets the guidelines for Union action in the field of SALW. The Strategy identifies the Balkans and South-East Europe as regions particularly affected by the excessive accumulation and spread of SALW. It states that the Union will give priority attention to Central and Eastern Europe and underlines, with specific reference to the Balkans, that support for effective multilateralism as well as for relevant regional initiatives will provide an effective instrument for its implementation. It also specifically promotes the need to participate in the efforts to reduce surplus stocks of SALW left over in Eastern Europe from the Cold War.
(3)
At the 2012 Second Review Conference on the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in SALW in All Its Aspects (hereinafter ‘UN Programme of Action’), which was adopted on 20 July 2001, all UN Member States reaffirmed their commitment to prevent illicit trafficking in SALW and encouraged measures to further enhance the effective role that regional and sub-regional organisations can play in implementing the UN Programme of Action and the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (hereinafter the ‘International Tracing Instrument’).
(4)
The South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC), established in 2002 in Belgrade and functioning under the joint mandate of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Regional Cooperation Council (successor to the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe) assists national and regional stakeholders to control and reduce the spread and misuse of SALW and ammunition, and thus contributes to enhanced stability, security and development in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe. SEESAC places particular emphasis on the development of regional projects to address the reality of cross-border flows of weapons.
(5)
The Union previously supported SEESAC by Council Decision 2002/842/CFSP, extended and amended by Council Decisions 2003/807/CFSP (1) and 2004/791/CFSP (2). Most recently, the Union supported SEESAC arms control activities through Council Decision 2010/179/CFSP (3).
(6)
The Union wishes to finance a further SEESAC Project on Reducing the Threat of the Illicit Spread and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and their Ammunition in South East Europe, to continue its contribution to reducing the risk of their illicit trade in order to achieve the goals described above,
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 small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition, and the promotion of peace and security, the project on Reducing the Threat of the Illicit Spread and Trafficking of SALW and their Ammunition in South East Europe activities to be supported by the Union shall have the following specific objectives:
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to increase the security of stockpiles of SALW and their ammunition in South East Europe,
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to reduce the available stockpiles of SALW and their ammunition through destruction activities in South East Europe,
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to improve marking and tracing through the provision of support to the establishment or enhancement of the existing electronic weapons registration and record keeping systems in South East Europe,
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to enhance controls on SALW and their ammunition through fostering and facilitating knowledge sharing, information exchange and awareness-raising through closer regional cooperation in South East Europe,
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to support the collection of illegal SALW, explosive devices, ordnance and associated ammunition held by the population of South East European countries.
The Union shall finance the project, a detailed description of which 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 implementing this Decision.
2. The technical implementation of the project referred to in Article 1 shall be carried out by SEESAC.
3. SEESAC shall perform its tasks under the responsibility of the HR. For this purpose, the HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with UNDP acting on behalf of SEESAC.
Article 3
1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the project financed by the Union referred to in Article 1 shall be EUR 5 127 650. The total estimated budget of the overall programme shall be EUR 14 335 403. The programme shall be co-financed by the Union, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway and the beneficiary.
2. The expenditure financed by the reference amount set out in paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the procedures and rules applicable to the Union budget.
3. The Commission shall supervise the proper management of the expenditure referred to in paragraph 1. For that purpose, it shall conclude the necessary agreement with UNDP, acting on behalf of SEESAC. The agreement shall stipulate that SEESAC has to ensure the visibility of the Union's contribution, appropriate to its size.
4. The Commission shall endeavour to conclude the 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 agreement.
Article 4
1. The HR shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Decision on the basis of regular quarterly reports prepared by SEESAC. Those reports shall form the basis of the evaluation carried out by the Council.
2. The Commission shall report on the financial aspects of the project referred to in Article 1.
Article 5
1. This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
2. This Decision shall expire 36 months after the date of conclusion of the agreement referred to in Article 3(3). However, it shall expire six months after the date of its entry into force if no agreement has been concluded within that period.
Done at Brussels, 9 December 2013.