ARMS TRADE TREATY (ATT)

About:

• History: The Treaty entered into force in 2014.
  
  
• Objective: The Treaty seeks to regulate the international trade in conventional arms (from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships).
  
  
• What it does?
  • It requires member countries to keep records of international transfers of weapons and to prohibit cross-border shipments that can be used in human rights violations or attacks on civilians.
    
    
  • It establishes common standards for the international trade of conventional weapons and seeks to reduce the illicit arms trade.
    
    
  
  
  
• What it doesn’t?
  • The ATT does not place restrictions on the types or quantities of arms that may be bought, sold, or possessed by states.
    
    
  • It also does not impact a state’s domestic gun control laws or other firearm ownership policies.
    
    
  
  
  
• Present status: While 130 countries originally signed the treaty, only 101 have ratified and joined it. India has not signed the treaty.
  
  
• Arguments by Donald Trump:
  • He described the treaty as misguided and encroachment on US sovereignty.
    
    
  • he also that the US Senate never ratified the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty despite his predecessor Barack Obama having endorsed it.