91998E0500

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0500/98 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARE) to the Council (17 February 1998)

Subject: Embargo on the supply of arms to Burundi

In its resolution of 18 December 1997, and on the recommendation of the UN Special Rapporteur for Burundi, the European Parliament called for an embargo on the supply of arms to the belligerent parties in Burundi.

As part of an active peace policy, is the Council prepared to act in accordance with that resolution and, more generally, to prohibit Member States from participating in the supply of armaments to third countries?

Answer (30 April 1998)

The Council is aware of the Resolution on Burundi adopted by the European Parliament on 18 December 1997 and welcomes its condemnation of atrocities and human rights violations against the civilian population and of the continuing supply of arms to the opposing parties in the conflict.

Although there is no EU arms embargo as such against Burundi, Member States act in accordance with the Common Criteria defined in the conclusions of the European Councils of 29 June 1991 and 26-27 June 1992, on the basis of which the Amsterdam European Council (16-17 June 1997) called for renewed and sustained attention in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) to developing a responsible and coherent arms export policy throughout the Union. In the case of Burundi the competent national authorities do not grant licences for arms exports. If arms do reach Burundi from or via a Member State, the case is investigated by the relevant national authorities.

The Council will continue to follow the situation in Burundi and the Great Lakes Region closely, including the issue of arms transfers.