Austria as EU Presidency, SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) and the European Union are hosting an outreach seminar for countries of the Western Balkans which apply the criteria of the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports on the control of exports of conventional arms and dual use items, to take place on 4 May 2006 in Vienna.
The EU has intensified its cooperation with third countries in the area of export control of conventional arms and dual use items over recent years. Dual use items can be used for civil as well as military purposes, amongst other things for programmes for the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. By supporting third countries regarding the strengthening of export controls the EU wants inter alia to contribute to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This is also the aim of a pilot project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro which has been financed by the EU and is supported by SIPRI. The seminar in Vienna falls into the framework of this project.
The countries of the Western Balkans have shown great interest in cooperation with the EU regarding the practical implementation of the Code of Conduct on arms exports and have in this context to a large extent incorporated the requirements of the Code into their national legislation. On the basis of a “lessons learned” approach the seminar should contribute to an open and practice-orientated exchange of opinions and experiences regarding the concrete application of the criteria of the Code between participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro on the one hand and representatives from EU Member States, EU Accession Countries and EU Institutions on the other hand.
In June 1998 the European Union became the first group of states to accept a regional Code of Conduct. The EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports is a politically binding instrument that seeks to create "high common standards" for all EU Member States to use when making arms export decisions and to increase transparency among EU Member States on arms exports. The Code lays down eight criteria for the export of conventional arms as well as a procedure for denials. These eight criteria have to be considered in every single case. Since its adoption the Code has contributed significantly to the harmonisation of national arms export control policies.
The seminar consists of four parts: Status-quo in the Western Balkans; Implementing arms export controls in the EU; Implementing the EU dual-use acquis; Implementing the EU acquis as a non-member state: challenges and opportunities. Austria as EU Presidency looks forward to an inspiring and useful exchange of information.
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