The Firearms Programme works closely with several regional and international organizations in order to tackle more effectively the causes of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
International
United Nations
- United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, adopted by United Nations General Assembly resolution 55/25 (2000).
- Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, adopted by United Nations General Assembly resolution 55/255 (2001) and entering into force on 3 July 2005. This is the first legally binding instrument on small arms to be adopted at the global level.
- International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, In a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small arms and Light Weapons, adopted by a United Nations General Assembly resolution on 8 December 2005 (see paragraph 35).
- Programme of Action (PoA) to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, adopted unanimously by UN Member States at the July 2001 (see part II paragraph 37 and part III paragraph 9).
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001), adopted unanimously by The United Nations Security Council in 2001, adopts a wide-ranging, comprehensive resolution with steps and strategies to combat international terrorism including measures to eliminate the supply of weapons to terrorists. (see article 2a and article 3a)
World Customs Organization
Regional
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
- Joint Communiqué of the 28th ASEAN Chiefs of Police Conference, Brunei Darussalam, 25-29 May 2008 (see article 8.3).
- Manila Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Transnational Crime, 1998 (see paragraph 2).
European Union
- European Convention on the Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Firearms by Individuals (see article 9.2)
- Political concensus reached on text of theRegulation implementing Article 10 of the United Nations' Firearms Protocol and establishing export authorisation, and import and transit measures for firearms, their parts and components and ammunition (Media Release, 29 June 2011)
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
- OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons adopted at the 308th Plenary Meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, 24 November 2000.
- Best Practice Guide on Marking, Record-keeping and Traceability of Small Arms and Light Weapons (September 2003). Proposes solutions with respect to: marking; record-keeping; legislation and criminal penalties; exchange of information; and international cooperation.
Organization of American States
- Inter-American Convention against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives and other related materials (CIFTA), adopted on 14 November 1997 and entered into force in July 1998. The Convention aims to help eradicate the illicit transnational arms market that fuels the violence associated with drug trafficking, terrorism and international organized crime (see preamble).
