Publications

Small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition can pose a serious threat to societies. The OSCE works with the organization’s 57 participating States to mitigate these risks.

This commemorative study is about history, development, achievements and outreach of the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security – the OSCE’s key document for the democratic control of the armed and security forces. The purpose of the study is to raise awareness of the Code and improve its implementation and outreach. It is intended for the general public including the media, NGOs, and in particular parliamentarians, practitioners, experts and academics dealing with the Code in all its aspects.

This report is structured in four main parts. The first part outlines the methodology and approach taken for this study. The second part details the analysis and main findings in the obligatory reports of participating States, while part three comments briefly on findings in the voluntary reports on Women, Peace and Security. Part four covers the recommendations on the current reporting, as well as recommendations on the Questionnaire and the Reference Guide should there be a decision to revise these documents in the future.

This publication describes the humanitarian and environmental risks posed by melange and samin, notes the appropriate storage and handling aspects and highlights various elimination methodologies. This Overview consolidates the most suitable practices of liquid rocket fuel components' elimination experienced in the last 15 years to provide the OSCE participating States with information and analyses for developing policies and for designing general guidelines and procedures for the elimination of their unusable or surplus liquid rocket fuel components- mainly melange and samin- and to encourage concerned participating States to apply for OSCE international financial and/or technical support for the elimination of their rocket fuel components.

The Handbook of Best Practices on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) is a set of guidelines developed by the Forum for Security and Co-operation to help cut down the amount of illegally-held weaponry in circulation. The Handbook is one of the most comprehensive manuals to-date on SALW that provides a set of best practice guides relating to all stages of a gun's life, starting with manufacture and finishing with destruction and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.

Informational leaflet on the Handbook of best practices on small arms and light weapons