A/HRC/26/36 October 2013, on the report by the Special Rapporteur, provides an important point of reference. The EU expressed its view that: (a) strikes; The current international legal framework is adequate to govern drone (b) The right to life can only be adequately protected if all constraints on the use of force set out by international law are complied with; (c) International central norms on the use of force must not be abandoned to suit the current use of drones; (d) There should be transparency surrounding all drone operations to enhance accountability. 140. The above is a minimalist position. An intervention by the Council in similar terms, to which the following point may be added, will help to narrow down at least the outer limits of the debate: (e) Outside of the narrow confines of armed conflict, any killing must meet the requirements of human rights law, and be strictly necessary and proportionate. Recommendation 141. The Human Rights Council should express its views on how the relevant normative framework applies to remotely piloted aircraft or armed drones, setting out the basic interpretations of international law that it considers to be applicable. B. Autonomous weapons systems 142. Not much time has elapsed since the Council considered the issue of autonomous weapons systems in May 2013.75 With commendable speed, the issue has been taken up by various United Nations bodies. It was amongst other things considered by the First Committee of the General Assembly76 and the Office of Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations.77 The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research has also initiated an expert process. 143. Perhaps most visible in Geneva was the fact that the State parties of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons agreed to place the issue on their agenda in May 2014.78 This is to be welcomed as an important and serious step forward. 144. While the issue of autonomous weapons systems is clearly among other things a disarmament issue, and needs to be addressed in that context, it also has far-reaching potential implications for human rights, notably the rights to life and human dignity, and as such it is also a human rights issue. Based on the experience with armed drones, there is also a danger that such weapons will be used outside the geographical scope of established armed conflicts. Autonomous weapons systems therefore should remain on the agenda of the Council. It will lessen the chances for the international community to find a sustainable 75 76 77 78 22 assembly/2777317047001/#full-text at 1:48:36. A/HRC/23/47. See http://www.stopkillerrobots.org/2013/10/unga2013/. For example, www.un.org/disarmament/content/spotlight/index_2013.shtml; and www.un.org/disarmament/special/meetings/firstcommittee/68/pdfs/TD_29-Oct_CW_Netherlands.pdf. See http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/8583-ccw-adopts-mandate-to-discusskiller-robots.