Pursuant to Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms constitutes one of the principles common to the Member States. In view of this, the Community resolved in 1995 to make respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms an essential element of its relations with third countries. It was decided to insert a clause to that end in any new trade, cooperation and association agreement of a general nature that it concludes with third countries.
(2)
Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms all lay down an unconditional, comprehensive prohibition on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Other provisions, in particular the United Nations Declaration Against Torture (1) and the 1984 United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, place an obligation on States to prevent torture.
(3)
Article 2(2) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2) states that no one shall be condemned to the death penalty or executed. On 29 June 1998, the Council approved ‘Guidelines on EU policy towards third countries on the death penalty’ and resolved that the European Union would work towards the universal abolition of the death penalty.
(4)
Article 4 of the said Charter states that no one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. On 9 April 2001, the Council approved ‘Guidelines to the EU policy toward third countries, on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’. These guidelines refer to both the adoption of the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports in 1998 and the ongoing work to introduce EU-wide controls on the exports of paramilitary equipment as examples of measures to work effectively towards the prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment within the Common Foreign and Security Policy. These guidelines also provide for third countries to be urged to prevent the use and production of, and trade in, equipment which is designed to inflict torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and prevent the abuse of any other equipment to these ends. They also make the point that the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment imposes clear limits on the use of the death penalty. Therefore and in line with these texts, capital punishment is not to be considered a lawful penalty under any circumstances.
(5)
In its Resolution on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, adopted on 25 April 2001 and supported by the EU Member States, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights called upon United Nations Members to take appropriate steps, including legislative measures, to prevent and prohibit, inter alia, the export of equipment which is specifically designed to inflict torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This point was confirmed by Resolutions adopted on 16 April 2002, 23 April 2003, 19 April 2004 and 19 April 2005.
(6)
On 3 October 2001, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution (3) on the Council's second Annual Report according to Operative Provision 8 of the European Union Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, urging the Commission to act swiftly to bring forward an appropriate Community instrument banning the promotion, trade and export of police and security equipment the use of which is inherently cruel, inhuman or degrading, and to ensure that that Community instrument would suspend the transfer of police and security equipment the medical effects of which are not fully known, and of such equipment where its use in practice has revealed a substantial risk of abuse or unwarranted injury.
(7)
It is therefore appropriate to lay down Community rules on trade with third countries in goods which could be used for the purpose of capital punishment and in goods which could be used for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. These rules are instrumental in promoting respect for human life and for fundamental human rights and thus serve the purpose of protecting public morals. Such rules should ensure that Community economic operators do not derive any benefits from trade which either promotes or otherwise facilitates the implementation of policies on capital punishment or on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, which are not compatible with the relevant EU Guidelines, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and international conventions and treaties.
(8)
For the purpose of this Regulation, it is considered appropriate to apply the definitions of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment laid down in the 1984 United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and in Resolution 3452 (XXX) of the General Assembly of the United Nations. These definitions should be interpreted taking into account the case law on the interpretation of the corresponding terms in the European Convention on Human Rights and in relevant texts adopted by the EU or its Member States.
(9)
It is considered necessary to prohibit exports and imports of equipment which has no practical use other than for the purpose of capital punishment or for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
(10)
It is also necessary to impose controls on exports of certain goods which could be used not only for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, but also for legitimate purposes. These controls should apply to goods that are primarily used for law enforcement purposes and, unless such controls prove disproportionate, to any other equipment or product that could be abused for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, taking into account its design and technical features.
(11)
As regards law enforcement equipment, it should be noted that Article 3 of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials (4) provides that law enforcement officials may use force only when strictly necessary and to the extent required for the performance of their duty. The Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in 1990, provide that, in carrying out their duty, law enforcement officials should, as far as possible, apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force and firearms.
(12)
In view of this, the Basic Principles advocate the development of non-lethal incapacitating weapons for use in appropriate situations, while admitting that the use of such weapons should be carefully controlled. In this context, certain equipment traditionally used by the police for self-defence and riot-control purposes has been modified in such a way that it can be used to apply electric shocks and chemical substances to incapacitate persons. There are indications that, in several countries, such weapons are abused for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
(13)
The Basic Principles stress that law enforcement officials should be equipped with equipment for self-defence. Therefore, this Regulation should not apply to trade in traditional equipment for self-defence, such as shields.
(14)
This Regulation should also apply to trade in some specific chemical substances used to incapacitate persons.
(15)
As regards leg-irons, gang-chains and shackles and cuffs, it should be noted that Article 33 of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (5) provides that instruments of restraint shall never be applied as a punishment. Furthermore, chains and irons are not to be used as restraints. It should also be noted that the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners provide that other instruments of restraint shall not be used except as a precaution against escape during a transfer, on medical grounds as directed by a medical officer, or, if other methods of control fail, in order to prevent a prisoner from injuring himself or others, or from damaging property.
(16)
Taking into account the fact that some Member States have already prohibited exports and imports of such goods, it is appropriate to grant Member States the right to prohibit exports and imports of leg-irons, gang-chains and portable electric shock devices other than electric shock belts. Member States should also be empowered to apply export controls on handcuffs having an overall dimension, including chain, exceeding 240 mm when locked, if they so wish.
(17)
This Regulation shall be construed as not affecting the existing rules on export of tear gases and riot control agents (6), of firearms, of chemical weapons and of toxic chemicals.
(18)
It is appropriate to provide for specific exemptions from the export controls in order not to impede the functioning of the police forces of the Member States and the execution of peace keeping or crisis management operations and, subject to review at a later stage, in order to allow transit of foreign goods.
(19)
The Guidelines to the EU Policy toward third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment provide, inter alia, that the Heads of Mission in third countries will include in their periodic reports an analysis of the occurrence of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the State of their accreditation, and the measures taken to combat it. It is appropriate for the competent authorities to take these and similar reports made by relevant international and civil society organisations into account when deciding on requests for authorisations. Such reports should also describe any equipment used in third countries for the purpose of capital punishment or for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
(20)
In order to contribute to the abolition of the death penalty in third countries and to the prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, it is considered necessary to prohibit the supply to third countries of technical assistance related to goods which have no practical use other than for the purpose of capital punishment or for the purpose of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
(21)
The measures of this Regulation are intended to prevent both capital punishment and torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in third countries. They comprise restrictions on trade with third countries in goods that could be used for the purpose of capital punishment or for the purpose of torture and other cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment or punishment. It is not considered necessary to establish similar controls on transactions within the Community as, in the Member States, capital punishment does not exist and Member States will have adopted appropriate measures to outlaw and prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
(22)
The aforementioned Guidelines state that, in order to meet the objective of taking effective measures against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, measures should be taken to prevent the use, production and trade of equipment which is designed to inflict torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It is up to the Member States to impose and enforce the necessary restrictions on the use and production of such equipment.
(23)
In order to take into account new data and technological developments, the lists of goods covered by this Regulation should be kept under review and provision should be made for a specific procedure to amend these lists.
(24)
The Commission and the Member States should inform each other of the measures taken under this Regulation and of other relevant information at their disposal in connection with this Regulation.
(25)
The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (7).
(26)
Member States should lay down rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Regulation and ensure that they are implemented. Those penalties should be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
(27)
Nothing in this Regulation constrains any powers under and pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 of 12 October 1992 establishing the Community Customs Code (8) and its implementing provisions, as laid down in Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 (9).
(28)
This Regulation respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
