Fourth EU Council Decision in support of the HCoC

18 December 2017

On 18 December 2017, the Council of the European Union adopted Decision (CFSP) 2017/2370 in support of the Hague Code of Conduct and ballistic missile non-proliferation in the framework of the implementation of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. This decision provides for several types of activities in support of the HCoC and of ballistic missile non-proliferation to be carried out of the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique as the implementing agency of the EU.

This is the fourth such decision, following up on Decision 2008/974/CFSP of 18 December 2008, on Decision 2012/423/CFSP of 23 July 2012 and on Decision 2014/913/CFSP of 15 December 2014.

The main objective of this Decision is to promote through specific measures the universality, the full implementation and the enhancement of the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (the ‘Code’), in line with the EU strategy against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
This Decision will complement the Union’s diplomatic engagement with subscribing States and non-subscribing States to the Code.

Under this decision, the following activities are taking place:

  1. Regional and sub-regional seminars and expert missions designed to:
    • increase awareness about the risks and challenges of ballistic missile proliferation
    • provide a platform for relevant experts to echange informally on strategic issues and thereby help building confidence among States
    • promote the Union’s objectives of universality, full implementation and enhancement of the Code
  2. Side-events in the margins of international conferences, notably the Code Annual Regular Meeting in Vienna and the session of the UN General Assembly’s First Committee in New York

 

3. A visit by an international group of experts to a space launching site, in close collaboration with the relevant authorities

4. A contribution to the UNIDIR annual conference on space security issues

5. The publication of at least four research papers on issues related to the HCoC

6. Communication and information activities with the double objective of enhancing the visibility of the Code and the Union’s contribution to it