Gerard Collins
Question:58 Mr. Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the issue of the control of arms exports to third countries will be put on the agenda for the forthcoming EU Intergovernmental Conference. [5444/95]
Written Answers. - Arms Exports Control.
The Deputy will be aware that the Treaty on European Union identifies a number of issues for consideration at the European Union Intergovernmental Conference in 1996. In Title V of the Treaty, which sets out the provisions on a common foreign and security policy, it is specified that Article J.4, concerning questions related to the security of the Union, may be revised at the Intergovernmental Conference. It is also stated that the Conference convened to review the security provisions under Article J.4 shall examine whether any other amendments need be made to provisions relating to the common foreign and security policy. Clearly, the intention reflected in the Treaty on European Union is that the Intergovernmental Conference would deal essentially with amendments to the treaty, rather than with specific policy areas such as the control of arms exports to third countries.
The agenda of the Intergovernmental Conference has not yet been established. Member states and the Commission are free to bring forward for consideration at the Intergovernmental Conference proposals for changes to the Treaty on European Union falling within the areas already identified for review or outside of those areas. In this context, Ireland will consider whether it would be appropriate for the issue of the control of arms exports to be raised at the Intergovernmental Conference.
The Government is seriously concerned at the effects of arms exports, especially to developing countries, and has already raised this issue in the European Union as well as in other international fora. Under the common foreign and security policy, EU member states increasingly inform and consult each other on matters of arms export policy, which remain national policies at this stage. This process should contibute to the development of more effective controls on the export of arms from EU countries.