L 341/56 Official Journal of the European Union 18.12.2013 DECISIONS COUNCIL DECISION 2013/768/CFSP of 16 December 2013 on EU activities in support of the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty, in the framework of the European Security Strategy THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 26(2) and 31(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Whereas: On 6 December 2006, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 61/89 entitled ‘Towards an Arms Trade Treaty: establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conven- tional arms’, thus initiating the UN process for an Arms Trade Treaty (the ‘ATT process’). On 2 December 2009, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 64/48 entitled ‘The Arms Trade Treaty, by which it decided to convene in 2012 a UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in order to elaborate a legally binding instrument on the highest possible common international standards for transfers of conventional arms. Because the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty convened in July 2012 was not able to agree on a concluding document within the timeframe set for it and further to Resolution 67/234 A adopted on 24 December 2012 by the UN General Assembly, the final UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty was convened in March 2013. It elaborated a balanced and broad based Treaty text that, however, failed to meet consensus due to the opposition of three UN Member States. The matter was consequently referred to the UN General Assembly which, on 2 April 2013, adopted by an overwhelming majority the Arms Trade Treaty through the vote of Resolution A/RES/67/234 B. The Treaty was subsequently opened for signature on 3 June 2013 and will enter into force upon the 50th ratification. All the Member States of the Union have signed the Treaty. In its conclusions of 11 December 2006, 10 December 2007, 12 July 2010, and 25 June 2012, the Council expressed its strongest commitment for a new legally binding international instrument that should establish the highest possible common international standards to regulate legal trade in conventional weapons, and that should be relevant to all States and could therefore be universal. In order to promote the inclusiveness and relevance of the ATT process, the Council adopted Decision 2009/42/CFSP (') and Decision 2010/336/CESP (2), which supported, inter alia, a series of regional seminars of worldwide coverage. Further to the inconclusive July 2012 UN Conference, the Union’s continuing activities in support of the Arms Trade Treaty were complemented by Council Decision 2013/43/CFSP (3). The priority now is to support the early entry into force and full implementation of the Treaty. In line with its early committed support to the ATT process, the Union can contribute significantly to that objective, in particular, by building on its longstanding experience in funding export control assistance and outreach. Because arms and dual-use licensing remains a national responsi- bility within the EU, export control expertise used in support of the Union-funded assistance and outreach programmes is largely dependent on Member States. It is therefore crucial for the success of the Union’s export control assistance and outreach activities that Member States allocate experts who will sustain the Union programmes. (") Council Decision 2009/42/CFSP of 19 January 2009 on support for EU activities in order to promote among third countries the process leading towards an Arms Trade Treaty, in the framework of the European Security Strategy (O] L 17, 22.1.2009, p. 39). Council Decision 2010/336/CFSP of 14 June 2010 on EU activities in support of the Arms Trade Treaty, in the framework of the European Security Strategy (O] L 152, 18.6.2010, p. 14). Council Decision 2013/43/CFSP of 22 January 2013 on continued Union activities in support of the Arms Trade Treaty negotiations, in the framework of the European Security Strategy (O] L 20, 23.1.2013, p. 53).