§ Ms PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements will be made to make available in the United Kingdom the annual report on the EU code of conduct on arms sales. [68110]
§ Mr. Tony LloydI have been asked to reply.
Member States have yet to decide whether the consolidated report to the Council on the operation of the Code should be made public. This is likely to depend on the content of the report, for example whether it contains information which Member States have agreed should remain confidential, such as details of individual licence refusals and consultations between Member States. Any changes to the Code as a result of the report will by definition be made public.
§ Ms PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to extend the principles of the EU code of conduct on arms exports to non-EU nations. [68106]
§ Mr. Tony LloydI have been asked to reply.
Following the adoption of the Code of Conduct in June 1998, the UK drew the Code to the attention of other arms exporting states and, in line with paragraph 11 of the operative provisions, encouraged them to subscribe to its principles. We understand that other EU Member States have taken similar action. The Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus have aligned themselves with the criteria in the Code of Conduct. The UK welcomes the decision of Canada to 515W subscribe to the principles and criteria developed in the Code of Conduct.