Delegation of Japan to the CD: ATT: Overview

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons. It entered into force on 24 December 2014. Eighty-one states have ratified the treaty, and a further 51 states have signed but not ratified it. The ATT is an attempt to regulate the international trade of conventional weapons for the purpose of contributing to international and regional peace, reducing human suffering, and promoting co-operation, transparency and responsible action by and among states. This treaty was opened for signature on 3 June 2013. 67 states, including Japan, signed the treaty on that day. It entered into force on 24 December 2014. As of March 2016, a total of 78 are States Parites, 81 ratifications/accessions, and 130 Signatories.

Content

The aim of the ATT is to strengthen international transfer controls on conventional armaments through the creation of an international agreement establishing common international standards for the transfer of conventional armaments.

Current State of Play

The First Conference of States Parties was held in August 2015. Major decisions of the Conference:

Adopted by consensus the Rules of Procedures and the Financial Rules and took note with appreciation of the reporting templates.
Approved by consensus to designate Geneva, Switzerland as the seat of the Secretariat.
Decided upon the appointment of Simeon Dumisani Dladla from South Africa, as the first Head of the Secretariat of the Arms Trade Treaty
Established a Management Committee composed of States Parties: Côte d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, France, Jamaica, Japan and Nigeria.

The provisional dates for the Second Conference of States Parties are 22-26 August 2016 at the World Trade Center, Geneva.

MOFA Web Page on the ATT

Delegation's Statements