Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-18-Speech-3-086"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-06-18"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Security strategy for the European Union, including implementation of the United Nations programme to combat the illegal trade in light weapons2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030618.7.3-086"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-06-18-Speech-3-0872
lpv:speaker	lp:Johan Van Hecke2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Vlaamse liberalen en democraten (2003-01-27--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2003-01-13--2004-07-19)3 member; BUDG (2003-01-13--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (2002-11-11--2004-07-19)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (2002-02-06--2004-07-19)3 member; ELDR (2002-09-18--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the statistics are sufficiently known. Some half a billion small arms and light weapons are in circulation worldwide, more than half of which are illegal. In 46 of the 49 major conflicts since 1990, weapons of this kind were used. These weapons are also largely responsible for the phenomenon of child soldiers. Small arms and light weapons are easy to come by, in some places for USD 15; they are easy to operate, easy to conceal and transport and, above all, are ever so deadly. According to an independent study in 2001, small arms claim the lives of more than 1 000 people, mainly innocent people, every day. Internationally, there are hardly any rules in the area of the production and spread of small arms and light weapons. The Ottawa Treaty on the use of anti-personnel mines forms an exception to this. Unfortunately, we have to establish that the largest producers of small arms and light weapons, namely the US, Russia and China, are also the most fervent opponents to international legislation in the style of Ottawa. In order to get a real grip on the proliferation of small arms, transparency is what is first and foremost required. The UN register for conventional weapons should be opened to this category of weapons. The rules on arms exports must be stepped up. The application of identifying marks during the production of new weapons must become compulsory, so that their origins can be traced more easily. I share Commissioner Patten's view that the 1998 European code of conduct should serve as a model for a worldwide, binding agreement on arms exports and transfers. During the UN Conference next July, the European Union should take the lead in the fight against the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons. Indeed, there is a risk that all efforts in the field of conflict prevention will be in vain if the root causes are not tackled."@en1

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