Våpenhandelsavtale

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), known in Norwegian as Våpenhandelsavtale, is an international treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional arms. Its full title is the Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty aims to establish the highest possible common international standards for the control of, or regulation of, the transfer of conventional arms. It seeks to prevent and reduce illicit arms trafficking and the diversion of conventional arms to the illicit market, thereby contributing to international peace, security, and stability.

The ATT covers a wide range of conventional weapons, including battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large-caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles, and missile launchers. It also applies to small arms and light weapons. States Parties to the treaty are obligated to assess the risk that a transferred weapon might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, or acts of terrorism and organized crime. If such a risk is determined to be high, the transfer must not be authorized.

The ATT was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on April 2, 2013, and opened for signature on June 3, 2013. It entered into force on December 24, 2014. As of [current date], a significant number of states have ratified or acceded to the treaty, though some major arms exporting and importing countries are not yet parties. The treaty establishes a framework for transparency and accountability in the international arms trade.