Arms Trade Treaty: Domestic and International Implications

The American Society of International Law will host U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation Thomas Countryman and other distinguished panelists for an educational event discussing domestic and international implications of the Arms Trade Treaty. On April 2, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly passed the 28-article Arms Trade Treaty, aiming to establish the highest possible common international standards for regulating conventional arms trade. The Treaty is currently open for signature at the United Nations headquarters. While it is unknown if and/or when the treaty will enter into force and if and/or when the United States will sign it, the treaty does impose genuine legal obligations on its parties regarding the proliferation of weapons not covered by other specialized treaties and has the potential to contribute significantly to international security.