EU Support of SEESAC Disarmament and Arms Control Activities in South East Europe 2024/3006
In support of regional and global peace and security, SEESAC is implementing a three-year project, funded by the European Union under Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/3006, aimed at reducing the threat of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition in South-East Europe and Ukraine.
Building on the strong foundation established through previous EU Council Decisions (CFSP) 2010/179, 2013/730/CFSP, (amended by 2015/2051), 2016/2356, (amended by 2019/2113), 2018/1788 (amended by 2021/2161 and 2022/1654), 2019/2111 (amended by 2024/381), and 2022/2321, this new phase contributes to further advancements in regional cooperation, institutional capacity development, and evidence-based policymaking at both the strategic and operational levels.
Project Objectives
The overarching goal of the project is to strengthen arms control through a comprehensive and integrated approach, focusing on three key areas:
1. Facilitation of regional cooperation and support for evidence-based policymaking on SALW control, thus further contributing to the reduction of the threat of illicit proliferation of SALW The project reinforces regional cooperation and supports the development of evidence-based SALW control policies by:
- Facilitating regular regional coordination through meetings of SALW Commissions and the South-East Europe Firearms Experts Network (SEEFEN), which represent the backbone of the regional approach to SALW control in South-East Europe.
- Providing tailored technical assistance to authorities to harmonize and standardize SALW legislative and regulatory frameworks with EU Acquis and international obligations.
- Strengthening SALW-related data collection and analysis, through tools such as the Armed Violence Monitoring Platform (AVMP), thus enabling informed decision-making.
- Mainstreaming gender into arms control policies, ensuring that institutional responses address the different impacts of SALW on women, men, girls, and boys.
2. Further support to capacity building of law enforcement and border authorities in preventing and countering illicit arms and explosives trafficking
The project enhances the capacity building of law enforcement and border authorities in preventing and countering and illicit arms and explosive trafficking through:
- the development of SOPs and provision of training for border management in countering illicit arms trafficking in support of customs authorities.
- the provision of equipment and training for border and criminal police in countering illicit arms trafficking in support of border and criminal police authorities.
3. Improvement of capacities for physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) through infrastructure security upgrades, surplus reduction and training
To reduce the risk of proliferation through the enhancement of weapons and ammunition stockpile security and reducing surplus stocks of SALW, the project supports
- Infrastructure upgrades to enhance the security of police evidence rooms and storage facilities.
- The destruction of surplus and/or confiscated weapons, reducing the number of arms in circulation.
- Specialized training in PSSM for relevant personnel to improve safety and accountability in weapons management.
Beneficiaries
The project covers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, and Kosovo1.
Broader contribution
This project is a key contribution to the implementation of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap, now extended to 2030, and supports broader EU and UN efforts including the EU SALW Strategy, EU Action Plan on Firearms Trafficking, the EU Policy Cycle for organised and serious international crime (EMPACT Firearms), the Arms Trade Treaty, the United Nations (UN) Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in SALW in all its Aspects, the International Tracing Instrument, the UN Firearms Protocol, UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women and peace and security, the UN Disarmament Agenda, in particular Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda on peaceful and just societies, as well as contributing to the implementation of the Pact for the Future adopted by the UN General Assembly on 22 September 2024.
Through this initiative, SEESAC continues to advance regional coordination, increase transparency, and reduce the risks posed by the proliferation of firearms, ultimately contributing to a safer, more secure region and beyond.