Andorra Joins UN Firearms Protocol and Allocates €35,000 for Local Research Grants
Council approves accession to UNTOC Protocol 3 against illicit arms trade, completing all three protocols, while funding Andorran-themed studies including €15,000 for education and tech in schools.
Key Points
- Andorra approves accession to UNTOC Protocol 3 against illicit firearms trade, completing all three protocols.
- Council allocates €35,000 for Andorran-themed research grants.
- €15,000 grant targets education research on schools, tech use, and AI in classrooms.
- Process advances to Sindicatura, Consell General, and Coprínceps for final approval.
### Andorra Joins UN Protocol to Combat Illicit Firearms Trade
Andorra's Council of Ministers has approved accession to Protocol 3 under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), targeting the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms, their parts, components, and ammunition. The protocol promotes state cooperation to counter organized crime tied to arms trafficking, while establishing prevention and criminalization measures.
This decision extends Andorra's earlier arms control efforts, such as its 2023 ratification of the UN Arms Trade Treaty. It completes the Principality's engagement with all three UNTOC protocols, including those on human trafficking—particularly of women and children—and migrant smuggling. Participation also involves regular compliance reviews through the UNTOC mechanism to support effective enforcement and international collaboration against transnational crime.
The process now advances to the Sindicatura for examination, followed by Consell General approval and notification to the Coprínceps, as stipulated by the Constitution.
### €35,000 Allocated for Andorran-Themed Research Grants, Including New Education Line
The Council has also greenlit a €35,000 call for research projects on Andorran topics or with direct local relevance, coordinated by the Ministry of Institutional Relations, Education and Universities. The initiative aims to advance studies and knowledge transfer applicable to the country.
A notable new feature is a €15,000 grant for education research focused on Andorra's school system and public Catalan-language centers. Linked to the comprehensive plan for responsible technology use in schools, it will support data-driven insights for policy, examining issues like classroom device shifts, digital competency development, and AI applications in instruction to enhance student performance and welfare.
The program further offers a €15,000 general grant for Andorra-related work and €5,000 for emerging non-doctoral researchers, with projects up to one year. Principal grants may span two years, beginning no earlier than September 2026. Applications run from April 30 to July 17, 2026, through the government's online platform.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: