Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/97Dangos y teitl llawn

Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/97

of 21 January 2019

in support of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention in the framework of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 28(1) and 31(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1) On 12 December 2003, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (the ‘EU Strategy’), Chapter III of which contains a list of measures to combat such proliferation.

(2) The Union is actively implementing the EU Strategy and is giving effect to the measures listed in Chapter III thereof, in particular those measures related to reinforcement, implementation and universalisation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC).

(3) On 27 February 2006, the Council adopted Joint Action 2006/184/CFSP(1) in support of the BTWC, in the framework of the EU Strategy. Seven more States became States Parties to the BTWC since the adoption of Joint Action 2006/184/CFSP. That Joint Action expired on 26 August 2007.

(4) On 20 March 2006, the Council adopted the EU Action Plan(2) on biological and toxin weapons, complementary to Joint Action 2006/184/CFSP in support of the BTWC. That Action Plan provides for an efficient use of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) and the UN Secretary-General's Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological weapons.

(5) On 10 November 2008, the Council adopted Joint Action 2008/858/CFSP(3) in support of the BTWC, in the framework of the EU Strategy. Three more States became States Parties to the BTWC since the adoption of Joint Action 2008/858/CFSP and several States benefited from assistance provided by Union experts. That Joint Action expired on 13 November 2008.

(6) The Sixth Review Conference of the States Parties to the BTWC decided to establish the Implementation Support Unit (ISU), with a five-year mandate (2007-2011), within the Geneva Branch of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in order to provide administrative support for meetings agreed by the Sixth Review Conference as well as support for the comprehensive implementation and universalisation of the BTWC and the exchange of CBMs.

(7) On 18 July 2011, the Council adopted Decision 2011/429/CFSP(4) on the position of the Union at the Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the BTWC.

(8) The Seventh Review Conference of the BTWC decided to renew the mandate of the ISU for another five-year term (2012-2016) and decided to expand its tasks to include the implementation of the decision to establish and administer the database for assistance requests and offers, facilitating the associated exchange of information among States Parties, and to support, as appropriate, the implementation by States Parties of the decisions and recommendations of the Seventh Review Conference.

(9) On 23 July 2012, the Council adopted Decision 2012/421/CFSP(5) in support of the BTWC, in the framework of the EU Strategy. Six more States became States Parties to the BTWC since the adoption of Decision 2012/421/CFSP and several States benefited from assistance provided by Union experts.

(10) On 16 November 2015, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2015/2096(6) on the position of the Union at the Eighth Review Conference of the States Parties to the BTWC.

(11) The Eighth Review Conference decided to renew the mandate of the ISU agreed to at the Seventh Review Conference, mutatis mutandis, for the period from 2017 to 2021.

(12) On 18 January 2016, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2016/51(7) in support of the BTWC, in the framework of the EU Strategy. Since the adoption of Decision (CFSP) 2016/51 several ratifications and accessions have increased BTWC Membership to 182 and several States have benefited from assistance provided by Union experts,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(1)

Council Joint Action 2006/184/CFSP of 27 February 2006 in support of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, in the framework of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (OJ L 65, 7.3.2006, p. 51).

(2)

EU Action Plan on biological and toxin weapons, complementary to the EU Joint Action in support of the BTWC (OJ C 57, 9.3.2006, p. 1).

(3)

Council Joint Action 2008/858/CFSP of 10 November 2008 in support of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), in the framework of the implementation of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (OJ L 302, 13.11.2008, p. 29).

(4)

Council Decision 2011/429/CFSP of 18 July 2011 relating to the position of the European Union for the Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction (BTWC) (OJ L 188, 19.7.2011, p. 42).

(5)

Council Decision 2012/421/CFSP of 23 July 2012 in support of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), in the framework of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (OJ L 196, 24.7.2012, p. 61).

(6)

Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/2096 of 16 November 2015 on the position of the European Union relating to the Eighth Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (BTWC) (OJ L 303, 20.11.2015, p. 13).

(7)

Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/51 of 18 January 2016 in support of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) in the framework of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (OJ L 12, 19.1.2016, p. 50).