Support for SEESAC Disarmament and Arms Control Activities in South East Europe (SEESAC)

Duration

2020-2024

Beneficiary/ies

Ministries of Interior, Police Services, Ministries of Economy, Customs Administrations, Prosecution Offices, and other relevant institutions in South East Europe. Direct project beneficiaries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and North Macedonia.

Donor/s

European Union - EU Council Decision 2019/2111, amended by EU Council Decision 2024/381

Funding Amount

EUR 11,819,605

Funding gaps (if any)

N/A

Objective/s

The project is contributing to:

• Strengthened regional cooperation, knowledge exchange and information‐sharing on SALW control through Regional Meetings of SALW commissions and SEEFEN;
• Comprehensive support for the capacity building of border police and criminal police services of the Western Balkans for countering illicit trafficking and possession of firearms through training, Standard Operating Procedures and provision of equipment;
• Further enhancement of capacities for PSSM.

Contributing to the Roadmap goal/s

Contributing to the Roadmap overall targets

Goal 1:

• Ensure full legal and regulatory framework is in place with regards to FAE producers.
• Fully harmonize arms control legislation with EU legal framework and in line with international agreements/standards.

Goal 2:

• Standardize and institutionalize data collection on firearms, by gender and age, regarding legal and illegal SALW/firearms interdictions, armed violence incidents, ballistic evidence, and other firearms related data resulting in periodic regional FAE.
• Strengthen tasking, coordination and monitoring functions of the Firearms Focal Points, to ensure effective policies on Prevention, Mitigation, Reaction, and Suppression of firearms misuse, trafficking and uncontrolled proliferation.
• Increase national analytical capacities and institutionalize firearms data analysis.

Goal 3:

• Ensure full implementation and monitoring of legal, policy and procedural framework on trafficking of FAE.
• Prevent trafficking (smuggling, illicit trade and transit) of FAE through improved processes, equipment and training of targeted law enforcement units.
• Substantially strengthen control, monitoring and prevention of diversion of legal trade through improved capacities, procedures and transparency.
• Strengthen existing bilateral, regional and international mechanisms and encouraging new forms of good practice to counter trafficking of firearms.

Goal 4:

• Increase awareness and reduce the misuses of firearms in violence against women, domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.

Goal 5:

• Substantially increase number of seized firearms, ammunition and explosives.
• Ensure that legal measures are in place allowing legalization and voluntary surrender of firearms.

Goal 6:

• Systematically destroy all surplus stockpile FAE in an environmentally benign manner.
• Systematically and publicly destroy all seized FAE.

Goal 7:

• Ensure safe and secure SALW/firearms and ammunition storage facilities designated based on identified needs and in accordance with international standards.

Key activities implemented up to date

Continuation of facilitation of regional cooperation and support for evidence‐based policy‐making on SALW control, thus further contributing to the reduction of the threat of illicit proliferation of SALW

• Operational cooperation on combatting illicit arms trafficking in South East and East Europe facilitated through the South East Europe Firearms Experts Network: The 13^th , 14^th and 15^th Meeting of South East Europe Firearms Experts Network (SEEFEN) were held in November 2020, June and October 2021, with participation from law enforcement officials including ballistic experts, customs administration, prosecutors, criminal and border police representatives from Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine. 16^th SEEFEN meeting was held on 31 May - 1 June 2022 in Tirana, the 17^th SEEFEN meeting was held on 1-2 November 2022 in Skopje, the 18^th SEEFEN meeting was organized in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 13-14 June 2023. The 20^th SEEFEN meeting took place in Tirana on 14-15 May 2024, while the 21^st  on 19-20 November 2024 in Jahorina.
• Cooperation on SALW control at the strategic level in South East and East Europe facilitated through the regional platform of SALW Commissions: The 13^th and 14^th Regional Meetings of SALW Commissions were held in April and October 2021. The 15^th and 16^th Regional meetings of SALW Commissions took place in July and December 2022. The 17^th and 18^th Regional Meetings of SALW Commissions Meeting were held in Sarajevo on 6 July 2023, and in Tirana on 21 December 2023, respectively. The 19^th SALW Commissions meeting meeting was organized on 11 July 2024 in Podgorica, and the 20^th  on 12 December 2024 in Skopje. These meetings bring together representatives of institutions from the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine. In addition, the delegation from Kyrgyzstan participated in 19th meeting, while the delegation from Cambodia attended 20th meeting.Support was provided to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of developing a new SALW Control Strategy. SEESAC supported the SALW Coordination Board of Bosnia and Herzegovina in organizing three dedicated workshops: on 27-28 February 2024 to initiate the revision of the SALW Control Strategy and Action Plan, on 6-7 June 2024 to review the revised text, and on 23-25 October 2024 to finalize its development, while ensuring alignment with the updated Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap.
• Support was provided to the SALW Commission of North Macedonia in assessing its SALW Control Strategy and Action Plan, which expired at the end of 2021. The new strategic documents were adopted by the Government in October 2022.  
• Consultative support was provided to the Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia in the drafting of the new Law on Weapons. In 2023, SEESAC conducted a gap analysis of the harmonization of this Law with the relevant EU acquis by developing tables of concordance.
• Additionally, a gap analysis assessed the harmonization level of the Law on Explosives for Civil Use through the developed tables of concordance. From 16–19 September 2024, a workshop in Struga provided expert support to the working group for further harmonization of the Law with the EU regulatory framework.
• On 18–19 October 2022, SEESAC organised a workshop in Banja Luka on harmonising Bosnia and Herzegovina’s arms control laws with the EU acquis. The meeting brought together relevant actors to discuss aligning and standardising the jurisdiction’s different Laws on Weapons with EU regulatory framework.
• During this period, SEESAC provided support to Serbia’s SALW Coordination Council in evaluating its Roadmap Action Plan covering 2019-2020 and developing the new one for 2023-2024. To this purpose, a workshop was organized in Belgrade on 7 June 2023.
• Additionally, SEESAC supported the SALW Control Council of Serbia in evaluating the SALW Control Strategy, expiring at the end of 2024, during four workshops held on 18-19 April, 25-26 April 2024, 27-28 June 2024, and 2-3 September 2024. As a result, a concept for a new SALW Control Strategy was developed, and a final evaluation report to align the new Strategy with the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap.
• The Ministry of Internal and Foreign Trade of Serbia was supported in upgrading their software for record-keeping and reporting on arms transfers completed in August 2024.
• The Ministry of Interior of Serbia received SEESAC’s support in drafting the new Law on Weapons and Ammunition to address any existing gaps and ensure harmonization with the EU Acquis and relevant international practices during a workshop on 5-6 December 2023. The draft was further refined at the subsequent workshops held on 28 February to 1 March 2024 and on 27-29 March 2024.
• A workshop on Draft Law on Civil Use of Explosives was held on 22-23 February 2024 in Montenegro with the aim of bringing Montenegro's legislation in line with the EU acquis, resulting in the first draft of the revised Law on explosives for civil use. As a follow-up, SEESAC completed the gap analysis of the level of harmonization of the new draft law with the EU acquis and international practices through developed tables of concordances.
• A Workshop on the development of the first draft of the new Law on Arms and Ammunition in Montenegro was organized from 3 to 4 September 2024 in Podgorica.
• Support was provided in the process of evaluating the existing SALW and Explosives Control Strategy and Action plan in Kosovo and the development of the new ones. The new strategic documents were adopted in 2024.
• Support was provided to Albania in the development of the new Roadmap Action Plan. The Action Plan was adopted by the Government in December 2021.
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Albania was supported in the harmonization of SALW control legislation with the relevant EU regulatory framework. A gap analysis and table of concordance of the level of harmonization of the draft Law on Weapons with the EU regulatory framework was completed in the second quarter of 2024.
• To support the harmonization of arms control legislation of the Western Balkans jurisdictions with the EU acquis in the area of voluntary surrender and firearms legalization, SEESAC developed an The Emergency Protocol for Safe Storage of Ammunition and Explosives (EP1) and  Emergency Protocol (EP2) on the safe transport of small quantities of surrendered or recovered ammunition and explosives for final destruction.
• Regional workshops on the harmonization of legislation related to arms control for the authorities coming from the Western Balkans, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine were organized in Brussels on 31 May - 1 June 2023 and on 21-22 October 2024. The Workshops were organized by SEESAC together with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs and the European External Action Service.
• The Regional Reports on Arms Exports for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, which collect information on arms exports from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia, were published. Data collection for the Regional Report on Arms Exports for 2022 was initiated, and the report will be finalized and published in the beginning of 2025.
• The Study on hand grenades produced in or originating from the Western Balkans, alongside the Best Practice Manual, was developed and is available for the authorities and interested parties in English, Albanian, BCMS and Macedonian.
• Maintenance of the Armed Violence Monitoring Platform continued, with regular dissemination of SEE Armed Violence Monitors, enabling the capture of trends and development of policy‐relevant on‐demand knowledge products. In total, 13 monthly reports, 17 quarterly reports, and 17 In Focus reports have been shared and published on SEESAC’s website.
• Support to SALW Commissions’ members continued through the provision of English language courses, which were attended at different levels and in different numbers by members of the commissions of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• A two-day training on capacity building on gender mainstreaming to the members of the Gender Equality Coordination Board of the Ministry of Security of BiH. The training, organized on 25-26 January 2021 via an online platform, was attended by 12 participants.
• On-demand support was provided to the SALW Coordination Board in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023 for their campaign against femicide by preparing tailor-made material on domestic violence in BiH, particularly on the role firearms have in gender-based violence. Additionally, an overview of ongoing and planned activities related to integrating the gender perspective into SALW control in BiH was developed.
• The Gender and SALW Control Resource Pack was finalized and published on the website in June 2024, providing an overview of the wide range of knowledge products developed by SEESAC and serving as a simple reference guide and aid to policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.

Support to capacity building of law enforcement and border authorities in preventing and countering illicit arms and explosives trafficking

Support to border police services:

• The regional meetings of Border and Customs officials were held on 6-7 December 2022 on 21-22 November 2023, and on 5-6 November 2024 in cooperation with FRONTEX.
• Based on the needs derived from the Needs Assessment of capacities of Border Police services to counter illicit trafficking of firearms, 12 Standard Operating Procedures were developed and endorsed in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia (SOP on detection; SOP on risk analysis; SOP emergency situations).
• Comprehensive support of over 3.3 EUR worth of 940 pielces equipment was initiated for border police services in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. As a result, equipment for Montenegro was procured and delivered in the first half of 2023, with the official handover organized in March 2024. The delivery of equipment for the border police of Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania was finalized in 2024, with the official handovers expected in 2025.
• The ‘The Handbook for Border Guards and Customs – regional Western Balkans version’ was developed in cooperation with FRONTEX. The handbook version was translated into local languages, printed out and disseminated to the relevant authorities.
• Workshop on the addendum of the "Handbook on Firearms for Border Guards and Customs Officers – regional Western Balkans version" was held jointly with FRONTEX, and in the framework of EMPACT firearms, on 4-5 May 2023 in Belgrade for the representatives of six Western Balkan jurisdictions.
• Based on the Handbook and developed SOPs, a series of one-week trainings of trainers were delivered jointly with FRONTEX for representatives of border police services and customs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro. An additional Firearms Detection Training was conducted for the border police of Montenegro in 2024.

Support to criminal police services:

• Based on the needs assessments of the capacities of the criminal police services in the Western Balkans to counter illicit possession, misuse and trafficking of firearms,  SEESAC provided comprehensive support, including the development of SOPs, procurement of equipment and training. The processes of procurement of equipment for criminal police were initiated in 6 Western Balkan jurisdictions and Moldova. As a result, 987 pieces of equipment were procured through five procurement processes, totalling nearly EUR 2.1 million, and delivered across six Western Balkans jurisdictions and Moldova.
• With SEESAC's support, 20 SOPs (on investigations, on detection, on risk analysis, emergency situations, and on FFPs) for the criminal police of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia were finalized, translated and sent for approval to relevant authorities, with SOPs endorsed in Serbia, Albania and Montenegro by the end of 2024, while they are still under the review in BIH and North Macedonia.
• In 2024, North Macedonia was assisted in developing a Standard Operating Procedure for firearms reported as stolen, lost, or found.
• Based on developed SOPs, one-week trainings on the detection of firearms and practical implementation of the risk analysis methodology were organized for the criminal police of Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina from April to July 2023. The firearms detection training was also delivered to the State Investigation and Protection Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 5-8 December 2023.
• The 1^st regional meeting of criminal police representatives on countering illicit arms trafficking for the representatives of the Western Balkans jurisdictions and Moldova was held on 14-15 December 2021, the 2^nd meeting was held on 30 November - 1 December 2022,  the 3^rd on 25 – 26 April 2023 and the 4^th regional meeting was held on 23-24 April 2024.

Improvement of capacities for physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) through infrastructure security upgrades, surplus reduction and training

• Security upgrade works at three MoI evidence rooms in Montenegro – Nikšić, Bar and Bijelo Polje – were completed (2020).
• The security upgrades of four evidence rooms requested by the MoI of Serbia (Stari Grad, Palilula, Novi Beograd, Zemun) were completed in March 2024, including the technical handovers to the beneficiaries. The works included refurbishing the rooms, installing security doors with access control equipment, windows fitted with security bars, CCTV systems, and weapons racks.
• The security upgrade of the three selected evidence rooms in BiH belonging to the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies (DKPT), a Border Police field office, and the State Agency for Investigation and Protection (SIPA) was completed at the end of 2023. The upgrade works, including CCTV equipment installation, were completed by November 2023, followed by the delivery and installation of weapons cabinets.
• In North Macedonia, activities for the upgrade of three evidence rooms (in Gazi Baba, Prilep and Tetovo) were completed in March 2023, followed by the installation and delivery of weapons cabinets. The works entailed refurbishing the rooms’ floors, walls, and ceilings, installing security doors with access control equipment, windows fitted with security bars, CCTV systems, and the supply and delivery of weapons racks.
• The security upgrade of the evidence safekeeping rooms at the Police Directorates in Pristina, Prizren and Mitrovica south was completed in November 2021. The evidence rooms were equipped with metal cabinets for storing weapons, secured with padlocks.
• Security upgrades of a MoI/GPI storage location in Balti, two evidence rooms in Buiucani, in Chisinau, and Edinet were completed, and the works were handed over to the beneficiaries in mid-October 2024.
• As per GPI's additional request from October 2024, SEESAC undertook an additional purchase of metal shelves for the above three locations to enable the full capacity of the upgraded locations to be utilized, as well as supply and installation of two industrial air fans for the storage room within the building in Balti, to enhance airflow further. Those were completed and handed over to the beneficiary in November 2024.
• Weapons destruction was supported in Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1,864 pieces of SALW and its parts were destroyed in October 2020, 1,972 pieces of SALW, their parts and components were destroyed on 18 September 2021, 1,304 pieces of SALW and 1,189 of their components were destroyed on 21 November 2022 and 1,400 SALW were destroyed in October 2023; in Kosovo: 997 SALW were destroyed on 9 July 2023 and 1,500 illicit weapons were destroyed in September 2023; in Montenegro: 798 pieces of SALW were destroyed on 8 June 2023. On 28 October 2023, SEESAC supported the  of Bosnia and Herzegovina to destroy 820 pieces of weapons and 603 weapon parts.
• Three regional workshops were held in Podgorica on 27-29 June 2022, in Skopje on 27-28 September 2023, and in Tirana on 8-9 October 2024. The workshops gathered participants from the Western Balkans and Moldova, involved in Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) of conventional weapons and ammunition, as well as representatives of international organizations (RCC, RACVIAC, ITF, OSCE, UNDP, AMAT, US DoS PMWRA) engaged in this area.
• A total of 200 police officers from the MoI of the Republic of Serbia responsible for recordkeeping and safe storage of weapons and ammunition in police stations/administrations, attended four national PSSM workshops conducted in September and October 2023.

Main challenges encountered

• Because of a wide set of measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, some project activities have been affected, such as organization of some meetings, and the implementation of the activities stemming from the needs’ assessment of border police services such as the development of SOPs, purchase of equipment and training. In 2022, meetings, trainings and workshops were organized in a mix of settings - in-person, hybrid or online. Furthermore, the war in Ukraine created global market volatility, affecting the availability, pricing, and delivery of goods.