BETA


2007/2582(RSP) Resolution on an arms trade treaty: establishment of common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 123-p2

Events

2007/07/18
   Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2007/06/21
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2007/06/21
   EP - Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
Details

The European Parliament adopted the resolution on an arms trade treaty (ATT) regarding the establishment of common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons. It welcomed the adoption of Resolution A/RES/61/89 by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2006, marking the formal start of a process towards an ATT. All States were urged to emphasise in their submissions that the ATT should codify existing obligations under international law with respect to arms transfers, and especially those covering human rights and humanitarian law. In order for the ATT to be effective, Parliament recommended that all States base their submissions on the following parameters:

- States are responsible for and must regulate all arms transfers that fall within their jurisdiction;

- States must assess all international arms transfers in the light of the following three categories of restriction under existing law: (i) express prohibitions, whereby States must not transfer arms in certain situations based on existing prohibitions on the manufacture, possession, use and transfer of arms; (ii) prohibitions based upon the likely use of the weapons, in particular where the arms are likely to be used to commit serious violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law; (iii) criteria and emerging norms that must be considered when assessing arms transfers, including the question whether the arms will be used for terrorist attacks or violent and/or organised crime, adversely affect sustainable development or regional security or stability, or involve corrupt practices;

-States must agree a monitoring and enforcement mechanism providing for prompt, impartial and transparent investigation of alleged violations of an ATT and appropriate penalties for offenders.

Pending the adoption of an ATT, all States are asked to take efficient measures to stop the irresponsible brokering and transportation of arms, ammunition and associated military and security equipment of all types, including components and dual-use items, as well as the transfer and licensing of foreign production of such equipment to parties who are subject to international arms embargoes or who persistently commit serious violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law.

Parliament categorically denounced trade in arms and ammunition in violation of UN Security Council arms embargoes. It called upon EU Member States to enhance their cooperation with other States in this area. The competent international organisations and the appropriate regional organisations must recommend, in coordination with the air transport industry, appropriate preventive measures.

Documents
2007/06/21
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2007/06/20
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2007/06/20
   EP - Debate in Parliament
Details

The House held a debate on progress towards an arms trade treaty.

The resolution winding up this debate was due to be put to the vote on 21 June 2007.

2007/06/18
   CSL - Resolution/conclusions adopted by Council
2007/06/18
   CSL - Council Meeting

Documents

History

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

docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2007-249&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-6-2007-0249_EN.html
docs/1/body
EC
events/3/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-282
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2007-0282_EN.html
activities
  • date: 2007-06-18T00:00:00 body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 2808
  • date: 2007-06-20T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20070620&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2007-06-21T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=13774&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-282 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0282/2007 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
committees
    council
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 2808 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2808*&MEET_DATE=18/06/2007 date: 2007-06-18T00:00:00
    docs
    • date: 2007-06-20T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2007-249&language=EN title: B6-0249/2007 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2007-07-18T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=13774&j=0&l=en title: SP(2007)3798/2 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
    events
    • date: 2007-06-18T00:00:00 type: Resolution/conclusions adopted by Council body: CSL
    • date: 2007-06-20T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20070620&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament summary: The House held a debate on progress towards an arms trade treaty. The resolution winding up this debate was due to be put to the vote on 21 June 2007.
    • date: 2007-06-21T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=13774&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2007-06-21T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-282 title: T6-0282/2007 summary: The European Parliament adopted the resolution on an arms trade treaty (ATT) regarding the establishment of common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons. It welcomed the adoption of Resolution A/RES/61/89 by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2006, marking the formal start of a process towards an ATT. All States were urged to emphasise in their submissions that the ATT should codify existing obligations under international law with respect to arms transfers, and especially those covering human rights and humanitarian law. In order for the ATT to be effective, Parliament recommended that all States base their submissions on the following parameters: - States are responsible for and must regulate all arms transfers that fall within their jurisdiction; - States must assess all international arms transfers in the light of the following three categories of restriction under existing law: (i) express prohibitions, whereby States must not transfer arms in certain situations based on existing prohibitions on the manufacture, possession, use and transfer of arms; (ii) prohibitions based upon the likely use of the weapons, in particular where the arms are likely to be used to commit serious violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law; (iii) criteria and emerging norms that must be considered when assessing arms transfers, including the question whether the arms will be used for terrorist attacks or violent and/or organised crime, adversely affect sustainable development or regional security or stability, or involve corrupt practices; -States must agree a monitoring and enforcement mechanism providing for prompt, impartial and transparent investigation of alleged violations of an ATT and appropriate penalties for offenders. Pending the adoption of an ATT, all States are asked to take efficient measures to stop the irresponsible brokering and transportation of arms, ammunition and associated military and security equipment of all types, including components and dual-use items, as well as the transfer and licensing of foreign production of such equipment to parties who are subject to international arms embargoes or who persistently commit serious violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law. Parliament categorically denounced trade in arms and ammunition in violation of UN Security Council arms embargoes. It called upon EU Member States to enhance their cooperation with other States in this area. The competent international organisations and the appropriate regional organisations must recommend, in coordination with the air transport industry, appropriate preventive measures.
    • date: 2007-06-21T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure EP 123-p2
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
      procedure/subject
      Old
      • 7.30.02 Customs cooperation
      • 7.30.12 Control of personal weapons and ammunitions
      New
      7.30.02
      Customs cooperation
      7.30.12
      Control of personal weapons and ammunitions
      procedure/subtype
      Old
      Resolution on statements
      New
      Resolution on statement
      activities
      • date: 2007-06-18T00:00:00 body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 2808
      • date: 2007-06-20T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20070620&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
      • date: 2007-06-21T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=13774&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-282 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0282/2007 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
      committees
        links
        other
          procedure
          reference
          2007/2582(RSP)
          title
          Resolution on an arms trade treaty: establishment of common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons
          legal_basis
          Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
          stage_reached
          Procedure completed
          subtype
          Resolution on statements
          type
          RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
          subject