8/9/2019 The need for a comprehensive scope within an ATT

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The need for a comprehensive scope within an ATT

The UN Register of Conventional arms does not provide an adequate basis for the scope of anATT. Its definitions are defined in such a way as to exclude very significant amounts of

conventional weapons that are used to facilitate grave human rights abuse and suffering.

Major arms exporting governments do not use the UN register categories or definitions in

their own national arms export control systems because they are not comprehensive.

To protect and save lives and livelihoods the scope of controlled items governed by the ATT

must be comprehensive. Anything less than comprehensive scope will leave large loopholes.Scope should extend to all conventional weapons, munitions and related equipment, all parts,

components, services for those weapons, as well as machines and expertise for manufacturingand maintaining weapons and munitions. In brief, the scope should include all weaponry,

munitions, related equipment and services made or modified for military and potentially

lethal law enforcement use.

Comprehensive scope in controlled articles requires much more than the equipment includedin the categories of the 7+1 or 7+1+1 framework. There are many significant conventional

arms categories outside this framework. Indeed, some States have revealed that a large portion

of their export of military and policing equipment do not fall under these categories.

Examples of missing weapons types from a 7 +1 +1 framework include:

small armoured combat vehicles, military utility vehicles and trucks guns/artillery/multiple launch rocket systems under 75mm (for example 14.5mm

anti aircraft guns which are often mounted on vehicles/trucks in numerous

conflict zones

military utility and transport aircraft and helicopters

non armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which are becoming an integral

part of surveillance and targeting aerial attacks

munitions including bombs, grenades, mortars under 75mm, mines, rockets and

missiles with ranges of less than 25 kilometres and explosives

components, spares, production and maintenance equipment for all the above.

Evidence clearly demonstrates the impact of equipment transfers in these excluded categorieswhich have contributed to serious violations of international human rights law and IHL

The reach for comprehensive scope should not be difficult. The vast majority of the regulated

transfer of conventional weapons already involves a broader range of conventional weapons

than the 7+1 categories. NGO research has shown that almost 99% of all arms transfers aremade by states that control a wider range of military and law enforcement equipment and

utilise comprehensive control lists that do not follow UN 7+1 categories or definitions.