Executive Summary The excessive and destabilizing accumulation and transfer of small arms outside of formal regulatory controls and the resulting toll inflicted on civilian populations in countries around the world poses one of the great humanitarian challenges of our time. Excess production is a major problem in the effort to stem the proliferation of small arms, and a central element in the evolution of a Small Arms Control Regime, in accordance with the language of the Washington Communique of May 4, 2000. Given that some small arms are part of the ordering of society under the rule of law and that some can be produced, acquired and exported for legitimate defense purposes the EPG holds it inappropriate to seek a ban, such as is sought in the global campaign to ban landmines. Small arms proliferation constitutes a serious threat to global peace and prosperity, and is part of a worldwide "security malaise" where a “culture of violence” has become pervasive. Although the availability of such arms in large numbers and outside formal security structures may not in and of itself generate conflicts, it can dramatically increase their likelihood, duration and lethality. Yet, to date the international trade in small arms remains largely unregulated. Small arms proliferation is one element of a greater arms race, while simultaneously inducing a massive humanitarian disaster.  Already, too many weapons are in circulations. Yet, production is being increased in many countries. The challenges posed by small arms proliferation require most urgent attention by a “Global Coalition” of like-minded States committed to curtailing their spread. At the same time, small arms proliferation should be faced in conjunction with other nonproliferation and arms control measures to reduce the threat of and eventually eliminate weapons of mass destruction. Small arms proliferation is a problem for all societies, developed and developing.  While the majority of weapons originate in industrialized countries, the majority of victims of these weapons are scattered throughout developing countries. Given its role in creating the problem, basic morality suggests that it is time for developed countries to join with developing countries in confronting the humanitarian challenge of small arms violence. Building on the forward momentum of the UN Secretary-General's visionary call for a global small arms nonproliferation regime and as a sub-campaign and integral to the larger small arms campaign, the Eminent Persons Group's (EPG) overall objective is to curtail the proliferation of small arms. The need for a proportional and integrated approach to curbing small arms proliferation in all its aspects notwithstanding, the group, in accordance with the language of the Washington Communique, advances a cooperative regulatory approach to confront the supply side of the illicit trade by making cross-border arms sales subject to arms control, export and transparency regimes as a means to promoting regional stability, peaceful resolution of conflict, arms control, human rights, democratization, and economic development. The EPG’s cooperative regulatory approach aims to promote a small arms control regime (SACR), broad in scope and global in reach. SACR should rest on at least two pillars: On the preventive side, such a regime should consist of (1) a Small Arms Register, (2) strengthened national controls, including import and exort regulation, and (3) an international code of conduct. On the reduction side, SACR should consist of weapons collection programs, reconstruction programs and conflict prevention strategies. Such a goal will require both politically and legally binding instruments, covering the licit as well as the illicit trade. In submitting this consultative document, the EPG pursues the following objectives: ? to broaden understanding of the scope and magnitude of small arms proliferation as a humanitarian challenge, not purely as a regional, but as a global phenomenon and to mobilize public opinion against it; ? to broaden understanding of the scope and magnitude of small arms proliferation as an arms control challenge, not purely as a regional, but as a global phenomenon and to mobilize governmental opinion against it; ? to highlight the element of excess production as a major problem in the effort to stem the proliferation of small arms; ? to define and delimit the role of the UN in dealing with the problem imposed by the illicit trade in small arms; ? to galvanize and channel international governmental and non-governmental support towards the realization of a Small Arms Control Regime (SACR) comprised of enhanced transparency, national export controls and an international code of conduct; ? to facilitate a broad dialogue among UN member States, the Secretariat, interested NGOs and EPG on a cooperative regulatory approach to small arms proliferation; and ? to build on the forward momentum of the UN Secretary-General's visionary call for a global nonproliferation regime and to develop a cooperative regulatory approach to curbing small arms proliferation by focusing its deliberations to the supply side of illicit small arms. Continued