On 19 November 2018, the Council adopted the EU Strategy against illicit firearms, small arms and light weapons and their ammunition entitled ‘Securing Arms, Protecting Citizens’ (the ‘EU SALW Strategy’).

The EU SALW Strategy recalls that while significant progress has been made in recent years, especially in South-East Europe, the scale of accumulation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and ammunition, inadequate storage conditions, widespread illicit possession and gaps in implementation continue to limit the effectiveness of firearms and SALW control efforts in parts of the Western Balkans, impacting security in that region as well as in the EU.

On 10 July 2018, the ‘Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and their ammunition in the Western Balkans by 2024’ (the ‘Roadmap’) was adopted at the Western Balkans Summit in London.

The EU SALW Strategy notes that the Union will continue its support to the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) for SALW control activities and take into account regional initiatives, such as the Roadmap.

The goals of the Roadmap agreed by the Western Balkans partners are consistent with the efforts within the Union and the United Nations (UN) to combat the trafficking of SALW and their ammunition. In his 2018 Agenda for Disarmament entitled ‘Securing our Common Future’, the UN Secretary‐General specifically called for the excessive accumulation and illicit trade in conventional arms to be addressed, and for support to country‐level approaches on small arms.

The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the ‘2030 Agenda’) affirms that combating the illicit trade in SALW is necessary for the achievement of many sustainable development goals, including those relating to peace, justice and strong institutions, poverty reduction, economic growth, health, gender equality and safe cities. Therefore, in target 16.4 of Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda, all UN Member States have committed to significantly reducing illicit financial and arms flows.

On 30 June 2018, the third United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects adopted an outcome document in which UN Member States renewed their commitment to preventing and combating the diversion of SALW. UN Member States reaffirmed their willingness to pursue international cooperation and to reinforce regional cooperation, through improved coordination, consultation, information exchange and operational cooperation, involving relevant regional and sub‐regional organisations, as well as law enforcement, border control and export and import licensing authorities.

The project supported by this Decision aims to deepen and complement the assistance by the Union to SALW control. To date, that assistance has been provided by the Union through Council Decisions in support of SEESAC’s work in the Western Balkans region, namely Council Decisions 2004/791/CFSP1, 2010/179/CFSP2, 2013/730/CFSP3 and (CFSP) 2016/23564 and contributes to the achievement of the Regional Implementation Plan on Combating the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and Roadmap goals supported by Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/17885,