The European Parliament adopted a resolution on small arms and light weapons. The resolution had been tabled by the ALDE, Greens/ALE, EPP-ED, UEN, GUE/NGL and PES groups. It refers to the continuing proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which exacerbates armed conflict and instability, facilitates terrorism, undermines sustainable development and the rule of law, and contributes to grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Members note that the UN Member States will meet in June 2005 for the third substantive session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Tracing Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons, and express concern about the lack of EU commitment in the UN tracing negotiations to the creation of follow-up mechanisms to the tracing instrument that would allow the development of relevant best-practice guidelines to complement minimum global standards. Parliament recommends that the Council and Member States promote a dynamic review mechanism for the negotiated UN tracing instrument, including the creation of a technical experts' group mandated to draft best-practice guidelines on the marking, record-keeping and tracing of small arms, light weapons, and related ammunition.

It encourages the six EU Member States which have not yet signed the UN Firearms Protocol to do so without delay, noting that by the end of April 2004, the UN Firearms Protocol had come into force as a legally binding instrument once Poland and Zambia became the 40th and 41st countries to ratify it. The Protocol is the first global instrument to commit UN Member States to regulating the manufacture, export, import and transit of firearms.

Parliament urges the Council and Member States actively to build a regional and international consensus on global standards for arms transfers based on existing obligations of States in international law, and on the need for an international Arms Trade Treaty. It recommends in this context that the Council and Member States encourage strong debate at the Second Biennial Meeting of States in July 2005 on the UN Programme of Action with the objective of ensuring that negotiations on an Arms Trade Treaty start directly after the 2006 UN Review Conference on the Programme of Action.

Furthermore, the Council and Member States are asked to relaunch their efforts to build a regional and international consensus on the need for an international treaty on the control of small arms and light weapons brokering. Parliament regrets the slow progress of the UN broad-based consultations on combating illicit brokering of small arms and light weapons and the lack of a firm commitment to negotiating an international agreement on arms brokering controls.

Lastly, it proposes that its responsible committee be authorised to draw up an own-initiative report in time for the 2006 UN Review Conference with the aim of scrutinising EU actions and policy with regard to small arms and light weapons and further engaging the Council and Member States on their relevant policies at regional and international level.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on small arms and light weapons. The resolution had been tabled by the ALDE, Greens/ALE, EPP-ED, UEN, GUE/NGL and PES groups. It refers to the continuing proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which exacerbates armed conflict and instability, facilitates terrorism, undermines sustainable development and the rule of law, and contributes to grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Members note that the UN Member States will meet in June 2005 for the third substantive session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Tracing Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons, and express concern about the lack of EU commitment in the UN tracing negotiations to the creation of follow-up mechanisms to the tracing instrument that would allow the development of relevant best-practice guidelines to complement minimum global standards. Parliament recommends that the Council and Member States promote a dynamic review mechanism for the negotiated UN tracing instrument, including the creation of a technical experts' group mandated to draft best-practice guidelines on the marking, record-keeping and tracing of small arms, light weapons, and related ammunition.

It encourages the six EU Member States which have not yet signed the UN Firearms Protocol to do so without delay, noting that by the end of April 2004, the UN Firearms Protocol had come into force as a legally binding instrument once Poland and Zambia became the 40th and 41st countries to ratify it. The Protocol is the first global instrument to commit UN Member States to regulating the manufacture, export, import and transit of firearms.

Parliament urges the Council and Member States actively to build a regional and international consensus on global standards for arms transfers based on existing obligations of States in international law, and on the need for an international Arms Trade Treaty. It recommends in this context that the Council and Member States encourage strong debate at the Second Biennial Meeting of States in July 2005 on the UN Programme of Action with the objective of ensuring that negotiations on an Arms Trade Treaty start directly after the 2006 UN Review Conference on the Programme of Action.

Furthermore, the Council and Member States are asked to relaunch their efforts to build a regional and international consensus on the need for an international treaty on the control of small arms and light weapons brokering. Parliament regrets the slow progress of the UN broad-based consultations on combating illicit brokering of small arms and light weapons and the lack of a firm commitment to negotiating an international agreement on arms brokering controls.

Lastly, it proposes that its responsible committee be authorised to draw up an own-initiative report in time for the 2006 UN Review Conference with the aim of scrutinising EU actions and policy with regard to small arms and light weapons and further engaging the Council and Member States on their relevant policies at regional and international level.