Cluster Munitions

The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) was established in 2010 to ban the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of these weapons. Cluster munitions have a large strike area and consequently indiscriminately hit military objects and civilians. Moreover, even long after conflicts have ended, large swaths of land are contaminated by unexploded bomblets which endangers civilians.
There are now 123 States which have signed the Convention. After signing the Convention, States are obliged to destroy their stockpile within eight years and clear cluster remnants within ten years. Moreover, the Convention includes transparency measures and victim assistance obligations. In 2016, the Netherlands was President of the CCM and chaired the 6th Meeting of States Parties. The meeting adopted a political declaration with the aim to accelerate implementation of the 2015 Dubrovnik Action Plan before 2030.

The Arms Trade Treaty

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is one of the latest successes in disarmament. The Treaty was negotiated in April 2013 and provides rules and regulations concerning the trade in conventional arms. At the moment, 141 countries have signed the ATT of which 113 have already ratified the treaty.

The Treaty obligates States to establish a national control system to regulate the export of arms and ammunition. Furthermore, it calls for more transparency in order to limit the illicit flow of weapons.

The Netherlands strongly supports the Treaty and was amongst the first countries to sign and ratify it. The challenge for the ATT is to encourage States to report in a transparent way and consistent manner on their arms transfers. For this reason, we contribute to the ‘Voluntary Trust Fund’ (VTF) which was established by Article 16(3) of the ATT. The VTF is an instrument through which States can provide direct state-to-state support for national implementation projects of the Treaty.
 

Small Arms and Light Weapons

Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) cause most casualties worldwide. These weapons are easy to use, carry and hide, and are therefore often the weapons of choice in conflict situations. There is no comprehensive treaty yet for this type of weapons, but only a political document: the 2001 UN Program of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.

International cooperation is vital to combat the illegal diversion of SALW and related armed violence. The Netherlands also works closely with non-governmental organisations, like the Small Arms Survey, and industries to strengthen governments’ capacities in implementing policies on this matter.