12.3.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 713 DECISIONS COUNCIL DECISION 2014/129/CFSP of 10 March 2014 promoting the European network of independent non-proliferation think tanks in support of the implementation of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 26(2) and 31(1) thereof, Whereas: On 12 December 2003, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (hereinafter referred to as the EU WMD Non-proliferation = Strategy’), Chapter II of which contains a list of measures that need to be taken both within the Union and in third countries to combat such proliferation. The Union is actively implementing the EU WMD Non- proliferation Strategy and giving effect to the measures listed in Chapter III thereof, such as developing the necessary structures within the Union. On 8 December 2008, the Council adopted its conclusions and a document entitled New lines for action by the European Union in combating the prolif- eration of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems’ (hereinafter referred to as the ‘New Lines for Action’) which states that proliferation of WMD continues to constitute one of the greatest security chal- lenges and that non-proliferation policy constitutes an essential part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). In the New Lines for Action, the Council calls on competent  Council formations and bodies, the Commission, other institutions, and Member States to give a concrete follow-up to that document. In the New Lines for Action, the Council underlines that action of the Union to prevent proliferation could benefit from the support provided by a non-governmental non- proliferation network, bringing together foreign policy institutions and research centres specialising in the Union’s strategic areas while building on useful networks which already exist. Such a network could be extended to institutions in third countries with which the Union is conducting specific dialogues in connection with non-proliferation. On 15 and 16 December 2005, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumu- lation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition (hereinafter referred to as the ‘EU SALW Strategy’) which sets the guidelines for the action of the Union in the field of SALW. The EU SALW Strategy considers that the illicit accumulation and traf- ficking of SALW and their ammunition pose a serious threat to international peace and security. The EU SALW Strategy identifies among its objectives the need to foster effective multilateralism so as to forge mechanisms, whether international, regional or within the Union and its Member States, for countering the supply and destabilising spread of SALW and their ammunition. On 26 July 2010, the Council adopted Decision 2010/430/CFSP (') which established the European network of independent non-proliferation think tanks and provided that the technical implementation of that Decision is to be carried out by the EU Non-Proliferation Consortium (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Consortium’). The choice of the Consortium as sole beneficiary of a grant in this case is justified because of the will of the Union, as supported by the Member States, to continue a fruitful cooperation with a network of European think- tanks that is contributing to the creation of a common European culture on non-proliferation and disarmament, as well as helping the Union to develop and shape its policies in these areas and increase Union visibility. The very nature of the Consortium, which owes its existence (*) Council Decision 2010/430/CFSP of 26 July 2010 establishing a European network of independent non-proliferation think tanks in support of the implementation of the EU Strategy against Prolif- eration of Weapons of Mass Destruction (O] L 202, 4.8.2010, p. 5).