Brussels, 20/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 1 January 2007 the Union will take over the Chairmanship from Botswana of the Kimberley Process Certification System (KPCS). The KPCS is the result of discussions held in 2000 in the South African town of Kimberley. It is a joint initiative between government authorities, the international diamond industry and civil society fighting against “conflict diamonds”, rough diamonds used to finance warfare - after the experience of devastating conflicts in some diamond-producing countries in Africa. After the adoption in December 2000 of a UN General Assembly resolution, followed by an international agreement concluded in 2002, the Kimberley certifications system, in which 44 countries as well as the European Union are participants, entered into forece in January 2003. It aims to impose strict demands on all participants to control the whole of the rough diamond trade and set up tough internal controls on production and marketing with the goal of preventing “conflict diamonds” access into the legal diamond trade. Participatns in the KPCS will only be able to sell or buy rough diamonds from other participants. All exports of raw diamonds must be accompanied by valid certificates granted by other participants that guarantee the diamonds in question are not conflict diamonds. Since its entry into force in January 2003, the KPCS has continued to innovate and strengthen itself both through an annual reporting requirement and through on the spot 'peer review' visits. The Commission, supported by Member States, will use its Chairmanship in 2007 to work to ensure effective implementation of controls by all participants and to close down remaining loopholes. The Commission also intends to promote the active involvement of industry in policing itself. It will also work with the UN on the cases of Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, which are subject to diamond embargoes. In a press release the Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, underlined the fact that, “our aim will be to make the process even more effective in stopping illicit trading in diamonds. We need to dry up this source of income for those who stir up lethal conflicts, and ensure that those who buy diamonds around the world can do so confident that they are not contributing to this terrible trade.” For further information:
(http: //ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/kimb/intro/index.htm). (eh)