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Foreign Minister Steinmeier on reaching 50 ratifications of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
Commenting on the fact that 50 states have now ratified the Arms Trade Treaty, thus ensuring its entry into force, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today (25 September) issued the following statement in New York:
I am delighted that the deposit of eight further instruments of ratification today takes us to the key number of 50 ratifications. The Arms Trade Treaty can now enter into force at the end of December this year.
By depositing its instrument of ratification along with other EU member states back in April, Germany sent an important signal advocating the speedy entry into force of this very important international treaty to regulate the arms trade.
We will seek to encourage even more states to sign, ratify and implement the Treaty.
Background information:
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) aims to regulate international trade in conventional armaments by setting universal legally binding minimum standards, particularly for exports. So far 121 states have signed the Treaty; today (Thursday) Argentina, the Bahamas, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Saint Lucia, Senegal and Uruguay deposited their instruments of ratification, taking the total number of states which have done so to 53. The fact that the threshold of 50 ratifications has been reached means that the ATT can enter into force at the end of December 2014. Germany has strongly supported and promoted this process from the start. The Federal Government remains committed to ensuring that the ATT's implementation is as universal as possible. The signatories and parties to the ATT will meet in Berlin on 27 and 28 November 2014 to prepare the first Conference of States Parties to the ATT, which is to take place in Mexico in 2015.
