EU agrees code on arms sales

The countries of the European Union have agreed for the first time to abide by a code of conduct on arms sales.

In future they have undertaken not to allow arms to be exported where there is a clear risk that they might be used for internal repression.

The code sets out criteria for assessing this risk.

States will also be expected to inform each other if one intends to make a sale that another has refused on ethical grounds.

The code has no legal force and has been dismissed by human rights organisations as ineffectual.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service