The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...
The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...
The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...
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• <strong>The</strong> States parties undertake to establish <strong>and</strong> maintain complete<br />
national inventories <strong>of</strong> firearms, ammunition <strong>and</strong> other related<br />
materials held by security <strong>for</strong>ces <strong>and</strong> other State bodies (Article 8.a);<br />
• <strong>The</strong> States parties incorporate as a priority into their national laws <strong>and</strong><br />
the regulation <strong>and</strong> centralized registration <strong>of</strong> all civilian owned firearms<br />
in their territories (Article 5.3.d);<br />
• States parties undertake to consider a coordinated review <strong>of</strong> national<br />
procedures <strong>and</strong> criteria <strong>for</strong> (...) establishing <strong>and</strong> maintaining national<br />
electronic databases <strong>of</strong> licensed firearms , firearm owners, <strong>and</strong> brokers<br />
within their territories (Article 7);<br />
• <strong>The</strong> States parties undertake to improve the capacity <strong>of</strong> the police<br />
<strong>for</strong>ces, customs, border guards, army, judiciary <strong>and</strong> other relevant<br />
agencies to fulfil their roles (...) establishing <strong>and</strong> improving national<br />
databases (...) (Article 6.b etc.);<br />
• <strong>The</strong> States parties undertake to establish national databases to facilitate<br />
the exchange <strong>of</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation relative to importing, exporting <strong>and</strong><br />
transfers (Article 16.b).<br />
<strong>The</strong> OSCE Document<br />
• <strong>The</strong> participating States shall ensure that accurate <strong>and</strong> detailed records<br />
<strong>of</strong> their own holdings <strong>of</strong> small arms within their territory are maintained<br />
<strong>and</strong> held as long as possible with a view <strong>of</strong> improving small arms<br />
traceability (Article II.2.C.). <strong>The</strong> participating States shall ensure<br />
furthermore that their stockpiles are subject to proper inventory <strong>and</strong><br />
control (Article IV.B.1.);<br />
• <strong>The</strong>y furthermore undertake to adopt <strong>and</strong> apply national measures <strong>of</strong><br />
control <strong>for</strong> these records <strong>and</strong> (Article I.3.i), to develop norms, principles<br />
<strong>and</strong> measures in this area, based on the concept <strong>of</strong> cooperative security<br />
<strong>of</strong> the OSCE, <strong>and</strong> acting in concert with other international authorities<br />
(Article I.2.).<br />
Comparison:<br />
1. Recorded data: most <strong>of</strong> the mechanisms establish general rules such as<br />
“comprehensive <strong>and</strong> accurate records”, “precise <strong>and</strong> detailed”, or<br />
“with necessary in<strong>for</strong>mation to trace” firearms. <strong>The</strong> Protocol is more<br />
accurate in this regard, as it provides details about the data to be<br />
recorded. It would be worthwhile to set precise common st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>for</strong><br />
registration, especially <strong>for</strong> the purposes <strong>of</strong> increasing the efficiency <strong>and</strong>