Illicit weapons and ammunition – global reporting mechanism

SUMMARY OF:

Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment

Decision (CFSP) 2015/1908 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit small arms and light weapons and other illicit conventional weapons and ammunition to reduce the risk of their illicit trade (‘iTrace II’)

Decision (CFSP) 2017/2283 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit small arms and light weapons and other illicit conventional weapons and ammunition to reduce the risk of their illicit trade (‘iTrace III’)

Decision (CFSP) 2019/2191 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit conventional arms and their ammunition to reduce the risk of their diversion and illicit transfer (‘iTrace IV’)

Decision (CFSP) 2023/387 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit conventional arms and their ammunition to reduce the risk of their diversion and illicit transfer (iTrace V)

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COMMON POSITION AND THE DECISIONS?

The common position sets out European Union (EU) rules to control the export of items of military technology and equipment.
The decisions renew EU funding for iTrace, a user-friendly global information management system on diverted or trafficked small arms and light weapons* (SALW) and ammunition.

KEY POINTS

Exporting military technology and equipment

The 2008 common position sets eight criteria for assessing export applications for military technology and equipment included on the EU’s common military list.

Small arms and light weapons

The illicit transfer of SALW contributes to a worsening of terrorism and organised crime and is a major factor in triggering and spreading conflicts, as well as contributing to the collapse of governments.
The EU has supported iTrace to monitor the movement of illicit SALW; an integral part of solving these problems.

iTrace

The EU first provided funding for iTrace with Decision 2013/698/CFSP (see summary).
This decision supports the EU strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition.
The iTrace project is to be implemented by the non-governmental organisation Conflict Armament Research (CAR) under the responsibility of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The High Representative reports on the implementation process to the Council of the European Union, while the European Commission reports on the financial aspects.
The EU has renewed its support for the different phases of the project through subsequent decisions, including most recently the 2023 decision on iTrace V, as requested by the EU global strategy.

iTrace V

The iTrace V project has been allocated €6.2 million from the EU budget. CAR and the German Federal Foreign Office will cover additional costs.
It has a number of objectives including:
- continuing to maintain and enhance iTrace to provide policymakers, arms control experts and arms export control authorities with relevant information to develop effective, evidence-based strategies and projects against the spread of illicit SALW;
- training and mentoring national authorities in conflict-affected countries to develop sustainable national illicit conventional arms identification and tracing capacity, and to encourage sustained cooperation with the iTrace project;
- increasing the frequency and duration of in-field research into SALW illegally circulating in conflict-affected countries;
- tailoring support to EU Member State arms export control authorities and arms control policymakers;
- increasing awareness on the findings of the project;
- providing key policy issue reports, drawn from the data generated by field investigations and presented on the iTrace system, about specific areas deserving international attention;
- the continued tracing of conventional arms and their ammunition (with the cooperation of Member States and non-EU countries) to find out how they end up in the hands of unauthorised users.

FROM WHEN DO THE COMMON POSITION AND THE DECISIONS APPLY?

The common position has applied since 8 December 2008.
Decision (CFSP) 2015/1908 concerning iTrace II has applied since 22 October 2015.
Decision (CFSP) 2017/2283 concerning iTrace III has applied since 11 December 2017.
Decision (CFSP) 2019/2191 concerning iTrace IV has applied since 19 December 2019.
Decision (CFSP) 2023/387 concerning iTrace V has applied since 20 February 2023.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

Arms export control (European External Action Service).

KEY TERMS

Small arms and light weapons. Any portable lethal weapon. Small arms include handguns, shotguns, assault rifles and light machine guns. Light weapons include heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and anti-tank guns.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP of 8 December 2008 defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment (OJ L 335, 13.12.2008, pp. 99–103).

Successive amendments to Common Position 2008/944/CFSP have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/1908 of 22 October 2015 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit small arms and light weapons and other illicit conventional weapons and ammunition to reduce the risk of their illicit trade (‘iTrace II’) (OJ L 278, 23.10.2015, pp. 15–25).

Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2283 of 11 December 2017 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit small arms and light weapons and other illicit conventional weapons and ammunition to reduce the risk of their illicit trade (‘iTrace III’) (OJ L 328, 12.12.2017, pp. 20–31).

Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/2191 of 19 December 2019 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit conventional arms and their ammunition to reduce the risk of their diversion and illicit transfer (‘iTrace IV’) (OJ L 330, 20.12.2019, pp. 53–70).

Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/387 of 20 February 2023 in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit conventional arms and their ammunition to reduce the risk of their diversion and illicit transfer (‘iTrace V’) (OJ L 53, 21.2.2023, pp. 19–36).

See consolidated version.