An Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is necessary to better regulate the international flow of conventional arms which currently lacks transparency and accountability. An effective ATT should establish common international standards for authorising international transfers of conventional arms, based on already existing commitments under international law including international human rights and humanitarian law.
Open-Ended Working Group - 2009
The Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) will meet at UN Headquarters in NY on the following dates:
Organisational Session: 23 January 2009
First Session 1: 2 - 6 March 2009
Second Session: 13 - 17 July 2009
Arms Trade Treaty Resolution - 2008 General Assembly
In 2008, prompted by the report of the GGE, and building on the resolution adopted in 2006, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing an Open-Ended Working Group to further consider an ATT.
Group of Governmental Experts - 2008
A Group of Government Experts (GGE) was appointed to further examine the issue and report back to the General Assembly in 2008. The group, which was chaired by Ambassador Roberto García Moritán of Argentina, concluded its work after meeting for three sessions at UN Headquarters in 2008. The group's report was submitted to the 63rd session of the General Assembly.
Secetary General's Consultation - 2007
After the Resolution was adopted by the General Assembly, the UN Secretary General collected Member States' views on the feasibility, scope, and parameters of a legally binding treaty on international transfers of conventional arms.You can view the state's submissions here. Civil Society held a parallel process called the People's Consultation on the ATT.
Arms Trade Treaty Resolution - 2006 General Assembly
In 2006, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution to start work on an ATT. This successful result is the culmination of work by governments, organisations and individual campaigners from around the world, including the Control Arms campaign and more than one million people who joined its Million Faces Petition.
More information
Arms Trade Treaty resolution
UN General Assembly, December 2006
Member States' views on an ATT
A/62/278 (2007)
People's Consultation on an ATT
Report of the Group of Governmental Experts
A/63/334 (2008)
Arms Trade Treaty resolution (español / français)
UN General Assembly, December 2008 UN Arms Embargoes: An overview of the last 10 years |
