Denis Naughten
Ceist:70 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current status of the EU code of conduct on arms transfers; the plans there are to review this code; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27469/00]
Written Answers. - Arms Trade.
Willie Penrose
Ceist:76 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps that have been taken to meet the commitment given in the review of An Action Programme for the Millennium to advocate restraint in the international arms trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27504/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 76 together.
The implementation of the European Union code of conduct on arms exports reflects progress towards strengthened co-operation and harmonisation between member states in the field of conventional arms exports.
The basis for the code was laid during Ireland's European Union Presidency in 1996 and it was adopted in 1998. The code did not go as far as we would have wished, and that was made clear at the time; however, the Union is now taking a number of steps to broaden and deepen its scope: it is now being promoted as a common standard for adoption also by third countries outside the Union who are engaged in arms exports; at the end of June a common list of military equipment to be subjected to export controls was agreed. This has already been incorporated into Irish legislation by the Control of Exports Order 2000; and work is ongoing on a list of non-military equipment to be controlled for human rights reasons, in line with criterion two of the code. The work on this list is expected to be finalised shortly.
The code is subject to an ongoing process of review. An annual report based on national inputs has recently been completed. Such reports contribute to greater transparency and openness.
Recommendations for the further development of the code will be prepared. In this context we will be pressing for further initiatives of the kind that I have described.