Arms Trade Treaty - EU statement - Item 6: Transparency and Reporting

European Union

Arms Trade Treaty

12^th Conference of States Parties, Geneva, 24-28 August 2026

Item 6: Transparency and Reporting

Madam President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Republic of Moldova, and Georgia, as well as the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this statement.

The EU thanks Ms. Winkelried Salazar of Peru for effectively chairing the Working Group meetings and for the draft report, which accurately captures our work and the issues we must address. We would like to offer a few remarks on selected topics.

Following the ATT Secretariat's presentation, the EU expresses deep concern over the continued low rate of reporting. We reiterate our view that effective reporting can be enhanced through technical assistance combined with political outreach. This approach helps address identified national obstacles and can encourage simultaneous reporting by regional States as a confidence-building measure. A proposed sounding board could be considered to provide an environment to gather necessary positions and offer solutions in an informal and confidential way. We recognize the central role and experience of the ATT Secretariat, as well as the trust it enjoys among States Parties regarding reporting.

We also appreciate the Secretariat's efforts to convene regional, sub-regional, and bilateral meetings to facilitate the exchange of information on diversion. We encourage all interested States to engage with the Secretariat on of such topics. In recognition of this valuable expertise, the EU has made this task a key work-stream in our ongoing support to the Secretariat for the 2025-2027 period. We congratulate on the most recent regional meeting for South America convened by the Secretariat in Brazil in June.

The EU and its Member States attach great importance to transparency in the arms trade. We publish detailed data on our arms exports every year, following comprehensive national data collection and processing by the European External Action Service. The 27th EU Annual Report on exports of military technology and equipment for 2024 was released in April 2026 and is publicly available in a searchable online database on the EU website. This database serves as a useful tool for all stakeholders to further enhance transparency. We encourage other regional and national bodies to implement similar systems, and we are open and ready to share our experience.

While we strive for the highest levels of transparency, we remain mindful of national security considerations. These can pose challenges to the transparency of legitimate transfers of arms and ammunition from some EU Member States under the European Peace Facility to Ukraine. These transfers aim to help Ukraine exercise its inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter against armed aggression by the Russian Federation. Furthermore, these transfers-accompanied by thorough ex-ante risk assessments and monitoring after delivery - remain fully aligned with the legal obligations of EU Member States under EU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP on arms exports, the Arms Trade Treaty, and the Wassenaar Arrangement Initial Elements.

In conclusion, the EU supports all recommendations proposed in the Working Group Chair's report, including the creation of an informal sounding board group.

Thank you, Madam President.

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   North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.