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Resolution on the first annual review of the EU Code of Conduct on the export or transfer of arms
Thursday 7 October 1999
The European Parliament,
- Having regard to its previous resolutions on an EU Code of Conduct on the export or transfer of arms, especially its resolution of 14 May 1998 and the resolution adopted by the ACP/EU Joint Assembly on 21 April 1998,
- having regard to the Joint Action adopted by the Council on the European Union's contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons,
- having regard to the EU programme for preventing and combating illicit trafficking in conventional arms of June 1997,
A. welcoming the initiation of the first annual review of the Code of Conduct on the export or transfer of arms, adopted by the Council on 8 June 1998, and noting that this first review provides the opportunity to set substantive and procedural precedents and identify areas where the Code needs to be strengthened,
B. appalled by the atrocities in East Timor and continuing human rights abuses in West Timor and other parts of Indonesia and considering that these events lend added urgency to the need for effective controls to prevent arms exports to countries where gross violations of human rights are endemic,
C. recalling its view that multilateral consultation mechanisms which ensure that all Member States are swiftly informed of approvals and denials of export licences, effective common mechanisms for the monitoring of end-use agreements, control of licensing agreements and European legislation governing arms brokering by EU nationals, are all indispensable elements of a responsible and effective regime of arms export controls,
D. recalling its concern that the implementation of the EU Code on arms exports should take place with a maximum of transparency, including parliamentary scrutiny at EU level through the presentation to Parliament of the consolidated report on the annual review of the EU Code for consideration and debate,
E. noting with concern that no comprehensive common list of military and dual-use goods to which the Code will apply has yet been adopted,
F. reiterating its belief that the Code of Conduct will be more successful when other main exporters such as the USA, the Russian Federation and China and the associated countries agree to similar rules, and noting the work undertaken by Nobel Peace laureates to develop an international code on arms exports,
1. Notes with satisfaction that the consolidated report of the annual review process has been published in full and looks forward to scrutinising and expressing a view on it;
2. Calls upon the Member States to publish their national reports without delay and make them available for scrutiny and debate by national parliaments;
3. Urges the Council to treat as a matter of urgent priority the agreement and adoption of a common control list of military, security, policy and dual-use equipment and services, in the interest of consistent and comparable licensing and reporting procedures across Member States; such a control list must detail those goods and services whose manufacture, promotion, transfer or use are prohibited;
4. Calls upon the Council to ensure that the EU Code is extended to apply to licensed production agreements outside the EU concluded by EU-based defence manufacturers;
5. Urges the associated countries to endorse and implement such a Code of Conduct;
6. Reiterates its call on the Council to ensure that all Member States are swiftly informed of approvals and denials of export licences through multilateral consultation mechanisms;
7. Calls upon the Council to expedite discussions on the establishment of common EU controls on the activities of EU nationals acting as arms brokers;
8. Calls upon the Council to report upon its endeavours to encourage other arms-exporting States to subscribe to the principles of the Code of Conduct;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the Member States.
Source: Official Journal of the European Communities, C 107, 7 October 1999, pp. 104-06
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