Activites

• 2002/04/11 Final act published in Official Journal
• 2001/10/03 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0496/2001 summary

    The European Parliament adopted the resolution by Mr Gary TITLEY (PES, UK) on the EU policy on arms export. (Please refer to the previous text).�

• 2001/10/02 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2001/09/11 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0309/2001
• 2001/03/15 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2000/12/29 Non-legislative basic document published
  • 13177/1/2000 summary

    PURPOSE : to present the second annual report according to the operative provision 8 of the European Union Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. CONTENT : the European Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, adopted on 8 June 1998, set up a mechanism for information exchange and consultation among the Member States based on common criteria. The European Code of Conduct provides for an annual review procedure. This document constitutes the second annual report: it reviews the second year of implementation of the Code of Conduct. The second year was marked by consolidation of the first year's achievements and also by further progress, particularly in the priority area defined in the first report which was published in 1999. Finally, since the implementation of the Code of Conduct is part of a long-term process of convergence and harmonisation of arms exports control policies, this report sets out guidelines which the Member States have adopted for the future. The first report stated that considerable progress had been made over a short period of time and that the results of the Code's implementation during the first year of its existence were already positive. In the second year the Code was substantially strengthened and the first year's achievements consolidated. It was marked by a considerable increase in the number of notified denials and consultations. This evolution is evidence of Member States' resolve to put into practice a new form of transparency in arms export control to act in greater concern in this area. The first annual report identified four key areas for consideration and action by the Member States in the short term, with a view to strengthening the Code and ensuring greater transparency. Progress made in these areas during the second year of the Code's implementation is presented below: 1) common list of military equipment: the first report emphasised that top priority needed to be given to finalisation of the common list of military equipment provided for in operative provision 5 of the Code because that list was to be the cornerstone of the Code of Conduct. This list was adopted and published in 2000 and it represents a major positive development contributing significantly towards making the Code more effective. Member States will now use the common list's references in denial notifications, thereby clarifying and simplifying their information exchanges on these matters. The common list has the status of a political commitment in the framework of the CFSP. 2) essentially identical transactions: the second priority identified in the first report was the development of a common understanding of what constitutes an essentially identical transaction. That concept is, in fact, central to the Code of Conduct's operative section. Member States have continued discussion of this matter within the COARM working party and propose to continue exchanging information and harmonising on these matters. Progress has been made, but a common understanding has yet to be agreed. The common list will henceforward be the agreed basis for seeking a common understanding if what constitutes an essentially identical transaction. 3) more elaborate denial notifications: the first reportpointed to the need for denial notifications to give a fuller description of the reasons for denial in order to facilitate understanding of the general thinking behind each other's denial's. Member States have agreed that denial notifications should include the following particulars: country of destination, full description of goods, the buyer, description of the end-use, reasons for denial, and the date of denial. 4) embargoes on arms exports: the Member States shall continue to exchange information on national interpretations of embargoes imposed by the UN, the EU and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Lastly, the results achieved in the area of exchanges of information between Member States after two years of implementation of the code are already considerable. The application should nevertheless be deepened and consolidated. The Member States have thus identified a number of guidelines on issues on which decisions should be taken or to which attention should be given in the near future: finalisation of a common list of non-military security and police equipment; development of exchanges of information on national control policies for the export of arms in certain countries or regions regarded as requiring special vigilance; harmonisation of the procedures implemented in the framework of the operational provisions of the Code; harmonisation of national annual reports on the application of the Code of Conduct; coordination of the Member States' national positions in multiannual bodies dealing with arms export control issues; - promotion of the principles of the Code of Conduct in third countries.�

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: 13177/1/2000
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A5-0309/2001
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0496/2001

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)