Document ID: 32023D1528
Language: ENG

<table><col/><col/><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>24.7.2023&#160;&#160;&#160;</p></td><td><p>EN</p></td><td><p>Official Journal of the European Union</p></td><td><p>L 185/32</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2023/1528
of 20 July 2023
amending Decision (CFSP) 2018/907 extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 33 and Article 31(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(1)</p></td><td><p>On 7&#160;July 2003, the Council agreed to appoint a European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(2)</p></td><td><p>On 13&#160;November 2017, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP)&#160;2017/2071&#160;<a>(<span>1</span>)</a> appointing Mr&#160;Toivo&#160;KLAAR as the EUSR for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia. The&#160;EUSR&#8217;s mandate has been successively extended, most recently by Council&#160;Decision&#160;(CFSP)&#160;2022/1237&#160;<a>(<span>2</span>)</a>, and is to expire on&#160;31&#160;August&#160;2023.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(3)</p></td><td><p>The EUSR&#8217;s mandate should be extended for a further period of 12 months and a new financial reference amount for the period from 1&#160;September 2023 to 31&#160;August 2024 should be established.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(4)</p></td><td><p>The EUSR will implement the mandate in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union&#8217;s external action as set out in Article&#160;21 of the Treaty,</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Decision (CFSP) 2018/907 is amended as follows:
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(1)</p></td><td><p>Article&#160;1 is replaced by the following:</p><div><p>&#8216;Article&#160;1</p><p>European Union Special Representative</p><p>The mandate of Toivo KLAAR as the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia (South Caucasus) is extended until&#160;31&#160;August&#160;2024. The Council may decide that the mandate of the EUSR be terminated earlier, based on an assessment by the Political and Security Committee (PSC) and a proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy&#160;(HR).&#8217;</p></div>;</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(2)</p></td><td><p>in Article&#160;5(1), the following sub-paragraph is added:</p><p>                              &#8216;The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the EUSR&#8217;s mandate for the period from 1&#160;September 2023 to 31&#160;August 2024 shall be EUR&#160;2&#160;763&#160;000.&#8217;;</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(3)</p></td><td><p>in Article&#160;14, first paragraph, the second sentence is replaced by the following:</p><p>                              &#8216;The EUSR shall present the Council, the HR and the Commission with regular progress reports and a final comprehensive mandate implementation report by 31&#160;May 2024.&#8217;.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 20 July 2023.
For the Council
The President
J. BORRELL FONTELLES
<note>
( 1 ) Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2071 of 13 November 2017 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia ( OJ L 295, 14.11.2017, p. 55 ).
( 2 ) Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/1237 of 18 July 2022 amending Decision (CFSP) 2018/907 extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia ( OJ L 190, 19.7.2022, p. 125 ).
</note>