Brussels, 03/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 4 July, MEPs called for a more uniform interpretation and application of the Council common position on arms exports, arguing that the eight criteria on the common position are currently interpreted and applied differently in member states.
In the “Common position on arms exports: implementation of the Council's common position 2008/944/CFSP” that they adopted (369 votes for, 109 against, 166 abstentions), MEPs regretted that the European Union still does not have a common policy on arms transfers to third countries. Parliament believes that the common position should contain a list that is regularly updated and accessible to the public, which indicates how far exports to certain countries of destination comply with the eight criteria.
Parliament also wants the powers of the COARM working group for analysing arms export inspections to be increased. MEPs would like an improved system to be put in place that facilitates regular and updated information exchanges between member states on arms transfers between states that were previously subject to embargoes.
MEPs said that “it is up to member states and the High Representative to ensure coherency between the common position and foreign policy”.
MEPs welcomed the adoption of the United Nations international treaty on the arms trade and underlined the “importance of efficient and credible implementation” of this treaty. They also called on member states to focus their efforts at international level on comprehensive compliance with the text and its entry into force as soon as possible. (CG/transl.fl)