Through the corresponding legal instruments, non-proliferation seeks to ensure that no country increases its weapons capability, in other words, that the quantitative and qualitative arsenals that presently exist are maintained but not increased. The underlying idea is to establish a series of measures that place political or legal restrictions on the type and scope of military technologies and capabilities; which would respond to arms control if we include arms transfers. Non-proliferation represents a “balance” agreed between those countries involved whereby they have sufficient capabilities for the self-defence of their national security whilst ensuring international peace and stability.
Disarmament measures seek to reduce the military capabilities and even ban certain categories of deployed weapons. Recent progress in this field has been slight but remains significant. Whilst this is a general goal, the conception of disarmament as a global focus of a peace policy could be described as somewhat utopian, towards which it is necessary to continue taking steps.
The guiding principle in this field lies in boosting the universal nature of treaties, conventions and other international instruments and their application at a national level, pursuant to the National Security Strategy (2013) and the European Union’s strategy against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.