HL Deb 18 February 1999 vol 597 cc88-9WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What priority they are giving to enabling the 13 associate members of the European Union to establish effective control over arms exports, including end uses, and to prevent the illicit trafficking in weapons and ammunitions. [HL964]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Her Majesty's Government plans to hold bilateral talks with a number of EU associate members on export controls in the near future.

The UK welcomed the decision of the associate members to align themselves with the principles of the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and of the EU Programme for Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking in Conventional Arms. In addition, the EU has agreed a joint action on small arms proliferation. This includes a commitment to combat illicit trafficking of small arms in affected states and to provide financial and technical assistance to relevant programmes and projects. We hope that the associate members of the EU will similarly align themselves with this joint action.