Abstract

In October 2008, states voted overwhelmingly to continue work towards an Arms Trade Treaty at the United Nations. The UN General Assembly mandated the establishment of an Open-Ended Working Group to further consider the feasibility of a comprehensive, legally binding instrument on the import, export, and transfer of conventional arms. There is still no consensus amongst states on a start of negotiations of such an instrument. Nevertheless, the working group can make an important contribution to further building the foundations for a future development of a global treaty to better control the conventional arms trade.