European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War

The report evaluates the EU's approach to combating the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and managing explosive remnants of war (ERW). It argues that while the EU has established a Small Arms Strategy and various funding instruments, there is a need for greater policy coherence, a formal extension of mine action assistance to include ERW, and a more comprehensive approach that links security and development. The document specifically examines the situation in North Africa, highlighting gaps in border management and the need for technical assistance in stockpile management and mine clearance.

• The EU Small Arms Strategy, adopted in December 2005, establishes SALW as a distinct policy area and aims to integrate small arms action into the EU's overall external relations, focusing on weak or collapsing states.
• Current European Community (EC) mine action assistance is limited because it principally addresses anti-personnel mines; unexploded ordnance (UXO) is only covered when found in conjunction with such mines, and abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO) is not covered at all.
• The report recommends that the EU formally extend its mine action assistance to include all types of landmines, including anti-vehicle mines, and all explosive remnants of war.
• The EU lacks overarching policy guidelines for the coordinated provision of assistance on small arms, landmines, and ERW, which has previously led to ad hoc decisions and imbalanced funding.
• The European Development Fund (EDF) is the primary source of European funding for small-arms-related assistance, often integrated into larger post-conflict recovery programmes like Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR).
• The Stability Instrument, introduced in 2007, is the only new financial instrument that specifically details action on small arms, mine action, and ERW, allowing for assistance in both crisis and stable conditions.
• In North Africa, illicit small arms trafficking is closely linked to the trafficking of humans and drugs, often utilizing the same criminal gangs and routes.
• North African states generally lack specific national legislation to regulate arms brokering, and there is a recognized need for new laws to address extra-territorial brokering.
• Many North African countries face significant challenges with explosive remnants of war dating back to the Second World War, but they lack comprehensive centralized records of incidents and casualties.
• Egypt and Libya have expressed a preference for compensation from EU Member States for Second World War remnants rather than traditional assistance, citing a lack of provided minefield maps.
• The EU's 1998 Code of Conduct on Arms Exports is described as one of the most sophisticated multilateral instruments globally, though some new Member States still have poor export control regimes.
• The report identifies a need for the EU to better align its small arms and counter-terrorism policies, as firearms and explosives are primary tools of terrorism.

APA

Peace Research Institute Oslo (2006). European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bc4fae39-b082-4294-96fd-50807e617f53/The Efficacy of EU Export Control Measures Concerning Small Arms and Light Weapons.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Peace Research Institute Oslo. European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War. 2006. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bc4fae39-b082-4294-96fd-50807e617f53/The Efficacy of EU Export Control Measures Concerning Small Arms and Light Weapons.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Peace Research Institute Oslo |title=European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War |date=June 2006 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bc4fae39-b082-4294-96fd-50807e617f53/The Efficacy of EU Export Control Measures Concerning Small Arms and Light Weapons.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{peaceresearchinstituteoslo2006european, author = {{Peace Research Institute Oslo}}, title = {{European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2006}, month = jun, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bc4fae39-b082-4294-96fd-50807e617f53/The Efficacy of EU Export Control Measures Concerning Small Arms and Light Weapons.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }