20 The European network of independent
non-proliferation think tanks
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| Council Decision promoting the European network of independent non-proliferation think tanks, in support of the implementation of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
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| Legal base
| Articles 26(2) and 31(1) TEU; unanimity
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| Document originated
| 23 January 2014
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| Deposited in Parliament
| 23 January 2014
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| Department
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration
| EM of 23 January 2014
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| Previous Committee Report
| None |
| Discussion in Council
| 10 February 2014 Foreign Affairs Council
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| Committee's assessment
| Politically important
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| Committee's decision
| Cleared |
Background
20.1 On 12 December 2003, the European
Council adopted the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons
of Mass Destruction (WMD). The proliferation of WMD, and especially
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery,
were seen as a growing cause for concern, which could threaten
the EU, directly or indirectly, including its broader interests
(expatriate communities and economic interests). In response,
it was argued, the EU should adopt a forceful, multilateral approach,
in cooperation with the United States and its other partners.
Export controls and the support of multilateral institutions charged
with verification and upholding of compliance with the treaties
are considered fundamental.
20.2 The WMD strategy implementation
plan is accordingly based on:
— resolute action against
proliferators;
— universalisation and, when
necessary, strengthening of the main treaties, agreements and
verification arrangements;
— fostering the role of the
UN Security Council;
— enhancing political, financial
and technical support to verification regimes;
— strengthening export control
policies and practices;
— enhancing the security of
proliferation-sensitive materials, equipment and expertise in
the European Union against unauthorised access;
— strengthening identification,
control and interception of illegal trafficking;
— reinforcing EU cooperative
programmes with other countries, targeted at support for disarmament,
control and security of sensitive materials, facilities and expertise;
— integrating the WMD non-proliferation
concerns into the EU's other activities and policies to increase
their effectiveness; and
— cooperating closely with
the United States and other key partners.[96]
20.3 On 8 December 2008, the Council
adopted a document entitled "New lines for action by the
European Union in combating the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and their delivery systems" (referred to as the
"New Lines for Action"); this stated that WMD proliferation
continued to constitute one of the greatest security challenges,
and non-proliferation policy to constitute an essential part of
the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Within the New Lines
for Action, the Council underlined that EU non-proliferation action
— including the 2005 EU Small Arms and Light Weapons Strategy
— would benefit from the support provided by a non-governmental
non-proliferation network, bringing together foreign policy institutions
and research centres specialising in the Union's strategic areas;
its creation would improve policy dialogue in non proliferation
Member States, provide the EU High Representative with a long
lasting policy resource, and improve policy making in the EU and
Member States.
Council Decision 2010/430/CFSP
20.4 On 26 July 2010, the Council adopted
Decision 2010/430/CFSP which established the European Union Non-Proliferation
Consortium network of independent think tanks. The Consortium
brings together more than 60 think tanks and research centres.
The draft Council Decision
20.5 The draft Council Decision seeks
to enhance the implementation of the EU Weapons of Mass Destruction
(WMD) Non-proliferation Strategy by continuing the promotion and
support of the EU network of independent non-proliferation think
tanks' activities for a further three years.
The Government's view
20.6 In his Explanatory Memorandum
of 23 January 2014, the Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)
explains that the UK is represented in the Consortium by the International
Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), an independent global
think-tank researching political and military conflict:
"The IISS is responsible for
the largest portion of the budget and there are a large number
of UK academics and researchers who are Consortium members. As
the EU intends to use the Consortium to help develop and shape
its non-proliferation policies, this means that UK research is
better able to inform EU non-proliferation policy-making."
20.7 The Minister's comments focus on
the following points;
— the value that the Consortium
could bring to the Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free
Zone (MEWMDFZ) process, which remains crucial to the Government's
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) objectives; previous seminars
have provided a useful platform for dialogue on this complex issue;
hosting a workshop to train young diplomats from the Middle East,
on what a future MEWMDFZ might look like, would be able to build
on this experience;
— with the 2014 NPT Preparatory
Committee and 2015 NPT Review Conference nearing, a carefully
handled workshop under the guidance of the Consortium could also
provide further impetus and help to build intra-regional relationships,
which as Co-convenors of the MEWMDFZ Conference would be particularly
welcome. The Minister will engage with the Consortium to help
ensure that its aims for further workshops on the MEWMDFZ align
with those closely involved with agreeing the scope for a MEWMDFZ
Conference;
— the useful conference arranged
by the Consortium before the negotiations leading to the signing
of the Arms Trade Treaty in June 2013, which helped EU Member
States to reach out to other regions in a coordinated and constructive
way and prepare their positions in advance of the final successful
negotiations; following entry into force of the Treaty, effectively
implementing the ATT is one of the UK's top Counter Proliferation
priorities;
— the Consortium proposals
to promote to the EU's SALW Strategy (meetings, seminars and providing
assistance to non-EU states) will engender a better understanding
of the SALW strategy and build expertise; its work will also ensure
continuous implementation of the EU SALW strategy and help to
develop new aspects of EU work to cover both the preventative
and reactive areas relating to SALW, including the illicit trade
and excessive accumulation of SALW;
— the Consortium has established
four managing think tanks plus a network of more than 60 think
tanks and research centres combining almost the entire non-governmental
expertise in the EU;
— the Consortium depends
entirely on EU support and has no independent financial resources
or legal authority to raise other funds; and
— not extending the EU Non-Proliferation
network contract would signal a lack of UK interest and commitment
to sustaining a leadership role in the non-proliferation field;
EU and UK counter-proliferation objectives would lose impetus
and supporting expertise gained over the previous three years.
20.8 The Minister goes on to explain
that the Council Decision:
— aims to support continuation
of the following specific activities:
· providing means for the organisation
of three annual consultative meetings and up to seven ad hoc
seminars for experts and practioners on the full range of non-proliferation
and disarmament issues covering both unconventional and conventional
arms;
· providing means for the holding
of three major annual conferences with non-EU states and civil
society to promote the EU WMD Non-Proliferation Strategy and the
EU SALW Strategy; and
· addressing topics proposed
by Member States and the EEAS in the overall Consortium research
activities.
— and will support three new
projects:
· setting up a help-desk facility
within the Consortium to provide ad hoc expertise to questions
related to the full range of conventional and unconventional arms
issues;
· providing means for the management
and the development of an internet platform to facilitate contacts
and foster research dialogue among the network of think tanks
analysing issues related to the prevention of proliferation of
WMD and conventional weapons, including SALW; and
· providing means to raise
awareness and develop expertise in non-proliferation and institutional
capacity in think tanks and governments in the Union and third
countries.
20.9 The Minister notes that the projects
under this Council Decision will be funded from the CFSP budget
with a budget of €3.6 million over three years (the UK currently
contributes approximately 17% into the CFSP budget). This substantial
increase over the previous budget (which was € 2.182 million
over the previous three years) has, the Minister says, been agreed
by all other EU Member States and is largely because of the three
additional projects.
20.10 By way of example, the Minister
says:
"The new 'Help-desk' function will
enable the EU to mobilize expertise at short notice from across
the network on topics on which there is a need for community-wide
consultation and action. For example, if Democratic Peoples' Republic
of Korea (DPRK), were to test launch a new missile, Consortium
experts could rapidly provide an independent assessment of the
implications."
Conclusion
20.11 Important as combating WMD
proliferation is, we would not normally regard a well thought
out, modestly-funded and properly controlled proposal of this
nature of sufficient political or legal importance as warranting
being drawn to the attention of the House — which is why
we cleared the 2010 Council Decision.
20.12 However, combating WMD proliferation
has moved up the political agenda; the Consortium has plainly
done much valuable work; and one of the UK's leading "think
tanks" is playing the leading role. We concur with the Minister's
endorsement of this proposal.
20.13 We now clear the Council Decision.
96 See http://register.consilium.europa.eu/doc/srv?l=EN&t=PDF&gc=true&sc=false&f=ST%2015708%202003%20INIT&r=http%3A%2F%2Fregister.consilium.europa.eu%2Fpd%2Fen%2F03%2Fst15%2Fst15708.en03.pdf
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