Belgium will take the presidency of the European Union (EU) in the second half of 2010. Among the matters it will have to manage is the fight against illicit arms trade and the excessive proliferation of small arms in particular. This means ensuring a continued application of the EU Common Position of 2008 on arms exports, as well as the preparation of the Arms Trade Treaty within the framework of the United Nations. In matters of small arms, Belgium will have to prepare the revision of the 2001 United Nations Plan of Action, to relaunch the application of the international Instrument on traceability of 2005, to include ammunition in all the processes and increase the co-operation with developing countries. Finally, improving the controls on arms brokers and the final destination are also topics which Belgium will have to treat.

Key words: Belgium, EU presidency, arms proliferation, illicit trade, small arms.