The Council on Ethics of the AP Funds’ (The Council on Ethics) standpoint on anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions, and nuclear weapons is informed by international conventions signed by Sweden. The Council on Ethics recommends exclusion of companies that produce, store, trade, or use anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions. The Council on Ethics also recommends exclusion of companies involved in nuclear programs in countries other than those specified in the NPT.
Conventions ratified by Sweden are guiding
International conventions against anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions
The Ottawa Convention or the Treaty on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines was ratified by Sweden in 1998. The Convention on cluster munitions was ratified by Sweden the 23rd April, 2012. Both conventions say that states which have signed and ratified the Treaty shall cease to produce, store, trade and use anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions.
International conventions against nuclear weapons
The UN convention against nuclear weapons became active on January 22nd 2021. The convention builds on the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and aims for a global downscale of nuclear weapons. Among other things, the convention prohibits development of nuclear weapons, as well as storing, transporting, using, and threatening to use them. For states that join, and have nuclear weapons, the convention also entails the development of a timeline to dispose of the country’s nuclear weapons. The Swedish government has not signed or ratified the convention, but has ratified the NPT which gives France, China, Russia, the UK, and the USA the right to have nuclear weapons.
The Council on Ethics’ view on controversial weapons
The Council on Ethics recommends that the four AP-funds exclude companies that produce, store, trade, or use anti-personnel mines or cluster munitions.
The Council on Ethics recommends that the AP-funds exclude companies involved in nuclear programs in countries not mentioned in the non-proliferation treaty.