The Presidency of the European Union welcomes the fact that the very first meeting of the Group of Governmental Experts of the Convention on the prohibition or restrictions on the use of certain conventional weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or tho have indiscriminate effects (CCW) dealing specifically with the issue of cluster munitions has set the basis for a negotiation process to start in the near future.
The draft proposal to the CCW presented by the European Union “to negotiate a legally-binding instrument that addresses the humanitarian concerns of cluster munitions in all their aspects by the end of 2008” received wide and clear support by delegations from all continents, even though no consensus on an explicit recommendation for a mandate could be reached. The EU draft mandate therefore remains on the table for the CCW-Meeting of High Contracting Parties in November 2007.
The European Union submitted this proposal with the aim of concluding a legally binding instrument that prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians and includes provisions on co-operation and assistance. The European Union continues to work for this aim.
The European Union expects that the CCW Meeting of High Contracting Parties in November 2007 will move the pressing humanitarian issue of cluster munitions substantially forward.
The Group of Governmental Experts of the CCW met in Geneva from 19 - 22 June 2007.
