4.8.2010 Official Journal of the European Union L 202/5 DECISIONS 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 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: (1) 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 Strategy’), Chapter III of which contains a list of measures that need to be taken both within the Union and in third countries to combat such proliferation. (20 The Union is actively implementing the EU WMD Strategy and giving effect to the measures listed in Chapter IIT thereof, such as developing the necessary structures within the Union. (3) On 8 December 2008, the Council adopted its conclusions and a document ‘New lines for action by the European Union in combating the proliferation 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 challenges and that non-proliferation policy constitutes an essential part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. (4 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 with a view to achieving its objectives by the end of 2010. (5)  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. (6)  On 15-16 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. (7)  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, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 1. For the purposes of contributing to the enhanced imple- mentation of the EU WMD Strategy, which is based on the principles of effective multilateralism, prevention and coop- eration with third countries, a European network of inde- pendent non-proliferation think tanks is hereby established to further the following objectives: (@) to encourage political and security-related dialogue and long-term discussion of measures to combat the prolif- eration of WMD and their delivery systems within civil societies, and more particularly among experts, researchers and academics; (b) to provide those participating in the relevant preparatory bodies of the Council with the opportunity to consult the network on issues related to non-proliferation and to enable the representatives of Member States to participate in the network’s meetings chaired by the representative of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR); () to constitute a useful stepping stone for non-proliferation action by the Union and the international community, in particular by providing a report and/or recommendations to the representative of the HR;