EN Official Journal of the European Union L 185/31

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2007/501/CFSP

of 16 July 2007

on cooperation with the African Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism in the framework of the implementation of the European Union counter-terrorism strategy

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 14 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 15 December 2005 the European Council adopted the European Union counter-terrorism strategy, which provided in particular for the development of cooperation with the European Union's external partners in preventing and combating terrorism.

(2) On 15 December 2005 the European Union adopted the strategy ‘The European Union and Africa: towards a strategic partnership’, in which the European Union undertook to support the efforts of the African states in the fight against terrorism.

(3) On 14 September 2002 the African Union approved a Plan of Action on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism in Africa, which provided in particular for the creation of the African Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT).

(4) The ACSRT was created on 13 October 2004 by the African Union. It is responsible for evaluating the terrorist threat in Africa and for promoting intra-African cooperation against terrorism. It wishes to receive support from Europe.

(5) The terrorist threat is developing in certain African countries and represents a growing danger not only for them, but also for the European Union.

(6) The efficiency of the fight against terrorism in Africa is undermined by certain local weaknesses, particularly in the area of institutional organisation,

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 1

Objective

The objective of this Joint Action is to provide the Member States of the African Union with support from the European Union in improving the organisation of their capacities in the fight against terrorism in the framework of the provisions of the European Union counter-terrorism strategy on the promotion of a partnership in this area outside the European Union, in particular with international organisations. By means of this Joint Action, the European Union is also seeking to strengthen cooperation between the African Union countries in the field of counter-terrorism, in particular through the exchange of information.

Article 2

Description of the project

For the purposes of this Joint Action, the European Union shall provide the ACSRT with financial support for the implementation of the project described below, which aims to improve the efficiency of the counter-terrorism arrangements of the African countries.

The project shall consist in carrying out audit missions on national counter-terrorism arrangements and providing advice on reorganisation in the Member States of the African Union. These missions shall be based on an action plan, drawn up in collaboration with the ACSRT, which the European Union shall present at a seminar held beforehand in Addis Ababa with all member countries of the African Union.

A detailed description of the project is set out in the Annex.

Article 3

Implementation

1. The Presidency, assisted by the Secretary-General of the Council/High Representative for the CFSP (SG/HR), shall be responsible for the implementation of this Joint Action. The Commission shall be fully associated.

2. The technical implementation of the project referred to in Article 2 shall be entrusted to the ACSRT, which shall perform this task under the control of the SG/HR. For this purpose, the SG/HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with the ACSRT.

Article 4

Financial provisions

1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the project referred to in Article 2 is EUR 665 000, funded from the general budget of the European Communities for 2007.

2. The expenditure shall be managed under the responsibility of the Commission in accordance with the rules and procedures of the European Community applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

3. The Commission shall supervise the proper management of the expenditure referred to in paragraph 2, which will take the form of a grant. For this purpose, the Commission shall conclude a financing agreement with the ACSRT. The financing agreement provides that the ACSRT shall ensure that the European Union's contribution is fully visible, appropriate to its size.

4. The Commission shall endeavour to conclude the financing agreement referred to in paragraph 3 as soon as possible after the entry into force of this Joint Action. It shall inform the Council of any difficulties in that process and of the date of conclusion of the financing agreement.

Article 5

Reporting and evaluation

The Presidency, assisted by the SG/HR, shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Joint Action on the basis of regular reports to be provided by the ACSRT. The reports drawn up for the Council shall include an evaluation of the project referred to in Article 2. The Commission shall be fully associated and shall provide information on the financial aspects of the implementation of this Joint Action.

Article 6

Consistency and cooperation

The Council and the Commission shall, each within their respective powers, ensure consistency between the implementation of this Joint Action and other external activities of the Community in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 3 of the Treaty on the European Union. The Council and the Commission shall cooperate to this end.

Article 7

Entry into force and duration

This Joint Action shall enter into force on the day of its adoption. It shall expire 18 months after the financing agreement between the Commission and the ACSRT, referred to in Article 4(3), has been concluded, or on 16 July 2008 if the financing agreement has not been concluded before that date.

Article 8

Publication

This Joint Action shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 16 July 2007. For the Council The President J. SILVA