The European Union called for renewed efforts to expand membership of the Arms Trade Treaty, welcoming recent accessions by The Gambia, Malawi and Colombia while warning that the pace of universalisation had slowed.
The EU encouraged signatory states to complete ratification and urged major arms exporters, importers and transit countries outside the treaty to consider joining. It said broader participation would strengthen common standards for responsible arms transfers.
The EU also highlighted its outreach programme supporting treaty implementation, whose fourth phase runs from 2025 to 2028 and works formally with 22 partner states.