UK Bill banning cluster munitions comes into immediate effect today

A Bill banning the use, production and stockpiling of cluster munitions will come into immediate effect today. The Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act received Royal Assent today. The Act implements in domestic law the Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibitions on the use, development, production and stockpiling of cluster munitions.

Whilst momentum is building behind the Convention, with 104 countries already signed up to it, others such as the United States, Russia, China, Pakistan and Israel have still not signed up to this ban on cluster munitions. With implementing legislation now in place the UK’s efforts will focus on making the ban on cluster munitions a global one.

In implementing international obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions the Act paves the way for UK ratification. It shows the UK’s continued leadership on arms control, from landmines to the Arms Trade Treaty.

The Act will ban direct financing of cluster munitions production. The UK Government announced to Parliament in a WMS on 7 December 2009 that it will work with the financial sector, NGOs and other interested parties to promote a voluntary code of conduct to prevent indirect financing of cluster munitions.