(11/05/05) Europese Groenen bepleiten Internationaal Wapenverdrag

• 2005-05-11

MEPs debate light weapons and small arms
Greens/EFA urge EU to work harder on global arms trade treaty

In a debate on the European Union's preparation for a UN meeting on small arms and light weapons in July, Raül Romeva, Catalan Green MEP and the European Parliament's Rapporteur on the issue of EU arms exports controls, urged the Council and Commission to give solid commitment to the establishment of a global arms trade treaty, a comprehensive draft of which is now in circulation in the UN headquarters and European capitals. He said:
"We need a global treaty on the trade of arms and it should be binding for all nations, and cover all types of weapons, including ammunition. It should also be accompanied by efficient legislation to mark, trace and register arms – both legal and illegal – from supplier to recipient."

Bart Staes and Angelika Beer, both Green MEP defence specialists, added:
"Member states, especially Belgium and Germany, but others as well, should bring their practices on weapons exports into line with the expected standards of the EU code of conduct. Recent decisions to supply military equipment to third countries serve as an example where the trade in arms is counterproductive with the Union's external policies to promote democracy and economic progress and respect human rights."

On the initiative of the Green/EFA Group, the European Parliament will adopt a resolution on the matter in Brussels at its second Plenary session in May. Raül Romeva will be part of the official EU delegation in New York for the UN conference.

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