Action against anti-personnel landmines in developing countries

AIM: To intensify Community action against landmines in order to meet its international obligations deriving from the Ottawa Convention and to fulfil the internal Community obligation to enhance the coherence and effectiveness of its activities in this domain. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Regulation (EC) No 1724/2001 concerning action against anti-personnel landmines in developing countries. CONTENT: The Regulation lays down the procedures for the implementation of Community operations against anti-personnel landmines within the framework of Community development-cooperation policy in third countries, while advancing a consistent and coherent humanitarian mine-clearance strategy in response to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Landmines and on their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention). The operations referred to in the Regulation are to be implemented in the territory of developing countries or will be directly related to situations arising in these countries, particularly in the most vulnerable developing countries and those trying to cope with the aftermath of conflicts. The operations financed under the Regulation will relate primarily to mine-awareness education, training of specialist personnel, surveying and marking of suspected areas, detection and identification, clearance and destruction of landmines, victim assistance, rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration of mine victims and information management. The financial package for the period from 2002 to 2009, covering all the Regulations applicable to this area of activity, amounts to EUR 240 million, of which 140 million may be allocated to anti-landmine actions under the present Regulation and under Regulation (EC) No 1725/2001 (see CNS/2000/0062B). ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE REGULATION: 1 September 2001. It will remain in force until 31 December 2009. �