The European Council endorsed the following text on 10 December 2007:

Six Monthly Progress Report on the implementation of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

  I am writing to submit this document to your committee for information, in response to your request of 18 November 2005 to Douglas Alexander.

  The progress report focuses on relevant developments and trends in EU Counter-Proliferation work rather than repeating all the items mentioned in the original Strategy.

  Your Committee has previously shown interest in the EU Weapons of Mass Destruction Monitoring Centre and requested that we provide updates on its progress. You will note from the Progress Report that during the last six months the Centre has continued its work through regular meetings called by the Personal Representative of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The meetings, which brought together various experts from the Council Secretariat and the Commission, included discussions on a number of subjects including Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) risks and bio-preparedness, multilateral nuclear approaches and export controls.

  The Progress Report draws attention to the EU's continuing support of various international organisations and multilateral treaties through a number of specific projects. These have included continuing active support of a programme of activities to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Chemical Weapons Convention/Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The Council adopted a new Joint Action in support of International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring and verification activities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In addition, the Council continued its support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation with the adoption of a new Joint Action aimed at enhancing its verification and monitoring capabilities.

  The Council is to adopt a Joint Action in support of the World Health Organisation in the area of bio-safety and bio-security in the context of the Biological and Toxins of a new Joint Action aimed at enhancing its verification and monitoring capabilities.

  The Council is to adopt a Joint Action in support of the World Health Organisation in the area of bio-safety and bio-security in the context of the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention and a further Joint Action in support of nuclear security projects of the International Atomic Energy Agency. It had been intended that both of these Actions would be adopted by the end of 2007, but due to procedural difficulties this has not yet occurred.

  The report recommends that the version of the "List of priorities for the implementation of the EU WMD Strategy" be updated in a few months, in the light of international developments and of internal reflections on the use of the Stability Instrument.

  We think that this is a useful paper, which shows reasonable progress and development against the initial EU WMD strategy. It reflects substantial UK input and in general supports our Counter-Proliferation policies.

4 February 2008

  Thank you for your letter of 4 February informing us of the Six Monthly Progress Report on Implementation of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. This was considered by Sub-Committee C at their meeting, 21 February.

  I would be grateful if you would let us know whether EU Member States cooperate on the subject of students from difficult countries who wish to study sensitive subjects in EU countries. If so, how effectively does this cooperation operate?

26 February 2008

  Thank you for your letter of 26 February regarding our update on the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. You asked whether EU Member States co-operate on the subject of students from difficult countries who wish to study sensitive subjects in EU countries.

  We encourage all EU partners to consider implementing similar vetting schemes for students, but as yet there is no consistency across all EU member states and some do not have any such scheme. At present we do not actively co-operate with EU partners, but are looking into this as an area for future co-operation, in particular for those students who participate in EU-funded courses, eg Erasmus students.

20 March 2008

  Thank you for your letter of 20 March 2008 in response to my letter of 26 February on the subject of vetting students from difficult countries who wish to study sensitive subjects in EU countries, and cooperation with EU partners on this subject.

  Sub-Committee C considered the letter at its meeting of 27 March. Members were most interested to hear about the current situation on this important subject and would be grateful if you would keep them in touch about progress in this field.

31 March 2008