Brussels, 11/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council of Monday 8 December 2008 adopted a common position setting out common rules on the control of military equipment and military technology exports. Non-governmental organisations have been calling for such legislation for a long time. The new rules introduce a list of binding selection criteria which will lead to automatic export bans to countries at war, countries that violate human rights and nations likely to contribute to arms proliferation. The French version of the text of the common position can be found online at: http: //register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/fr/08/st15/st15972-re01.fr08.pdf
Several MEPs in the Green/EFA group immediately welcomed the common position, made possible by a French u-turn. France has in fact lifted the veto it had been using to block the text for several years. German Green MEP Angelika Beer welcomed the common position, which will prevent the sale of German submarines to Pakistan. (O.J. trans fl)