ATT states parties meet in Vienna
From 20–21 April 2015 states met in Vienna for the third round of informal consultations for the first Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Conference of States Parties (CSP1). They discussed key issues related to the rules of procedure, permanent secretariat, financing, and reporting. The meeting was attended by ATT states parties, signatories, civil society, and industry representatives.
The meeting revealed the efforts of some of the major arms exporters to limit civil society participation and access to the CSP, by promoting closed meetings and a fee for civil society participation.
The first formal Preparatory Meeting for the CSP1 took place 23-24 February 2015 in Port of Spain. Port of Spain concluded by approving four facilitators to conduct consultations on rules of procedure (Mexico), secretariat (France), financing (Ghana, assisted by Australia), and reporting (Sweden). The Vienna meeting was constructed around these fours facilitator’s working papers.