Arms Trade Treaty - EU Statement - Item 5: Treaty Implementation

Arms Trade Treaty - EU Statement - Item 5: Treaty Implementation

European Union

Arms Trade Treaty

12^th Conference of States Parties, Geneva, 24-28 August 2026

Item 5: Treaty Implementation

Madam President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania¹, Republic of Moldova, and Georgia, as well as the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this statement.

Let me start by expressing appreciation to France for chairing the Group and to France and Sierra Leone for facilitating the Sub-working Groups. The EU once again commends the efforts of the Chair and facilitators for allowing a well-structured discussion to collect practicable feedback on several very pertinent topics, and for the clear-cut report and proposed recommendations. Among them:

We acknowledge the recognition that illicit brokering poses significant challenges due to the complexities involved in regulation and enforcement. In principle, the EU agrees that specific elements can be addressed in upcoming discussions on "enforcement arrangements" and the "general regulation of actors involved in arms transfers," incorporating relevant logistical actors and organizations where feasible. We are prepared to advance our work on vital topics, including minimum regulatory elements, definitional parameters, and the geographic scope of brokering. Effective national control over arms transfers must inherently encompass arms brokering regulations structured to eliminate legal loopholes between national systems. The EU has applied this approach since 2003 through common standards for all Member States alongside export licensing controls. The two decades of experience accumulated by EU Member States can greatly assist our collective efforts within the ATT framework.

Furthermore, discussions within the WGETI highlighted the critical need for comprehensive national control lists, emphasizing that current gaps across several States Parties require urgent attention. The EU reiterates that states should maintain control lists that are convergent and mutually compatible. This serves as the foundational vocabulary for international arms trade control and enables effective assistance from experts experienced in managing such systems.

The EU firmly believes in these benefits, having operated the EU Common Military List since 2003 and actively supporting partner states in developing national lists-a topic detailed during a side event on August 25. We also endorse the call for engagement with the World Customs Organization (WCO), particularly regarding the practical identification of controlled items and enforcement mechanisms. We successfully collaborate with the WCO as an implementer of a small arms and light weapons (SALW) control project supporting members of the League of Arab States.

Regarding risk assessment, the EU appreciates the opportunity to share our methodologies at the WGETI meeting and welcomes the report's emphasis on forward-looking, evidence-based analysis, alongside cooperation and information-sharing among States Parties-elements central to the EU framework. The EU supports the recommendation encouraging the Sub-working Group to pursue its work on the application of Articles 6 and 7.

Concerning the role of industry in promoting responsible international arms transfers, the EU supports the continuation of consideration of a list of reference materials and possible voluntary guidance linking human rights and international humanitarian law due diligence by industry actors and ATT implementation. We stand ready to participate in the upcoming consultations coordinated by the ATT Secretariat.

The EU would also like to express full support to other recommendations and proposed documents regarding gender-based violence, and inter-agency cooperation.

Let me conclude by using this opportunity to reiterate the EU commitment to both substantive and inclusive formula of deliberations in the ATT, especially regarding its implementation, where observers, in particular civil society and industry, are granted proper space to engage and present their valuable insights, and differences between their perspectives and views and those of States Parties should be respected. In this vein, the EU wishes to express its support to the proposed Code of Conduct for the ATT meetings, and the trust that the Code will further foster open, inclusive, subject-matter-focused, and respectful exchanges of views, promoting their quality and responsible participation.

Thank you, Madam President.

1. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.