EN Official Journal of the European Union L 345/91

COUNCIL DECISION 2008/974/CFSP

of 18 December 2008

in support of the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation in the framework of the implementation of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 13(3) and Article 23(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 12 December 2003, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Chapter III of which contains a list of measures that need to be taken both within the European Union (EU) and in third countries to combat such proliferation.

(2) The EU is actively implementing this Strategy and giving effect to the measures listed in Chapters II and III thereof, for example by releasing financial resources to support specific projects leading to the enhancement of a multilateral non-proliferation system and multilateral confidence building measures. The Hague Code of Conduct against ballistic missile proliferation (hereinafter ‘the Code’ or ‘HCoC’ is an integral part of that system. It aims at preventing and curbing the proliferation of ballistic missile systems capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction and related technologies.

(3) On 17 November 2003, the Council adopted Common Position 2003/805/CFSP (1) on the universalisation and reinforcement of multilateral agreements in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and means of delivery. That Common Position calls, inter alia, for the promotion of the subscription of as many countries as possible to the Code, especially those with ballistic missile capabilities, as well as for the further development and implementation of the Code, especially its confidence building measures, and for the promotion of a closer relationship between the Code and the UN multilateral non-proliferation system.

(4) On 23 May 2007, the Council decided to take action to promote the universality of the Code and compliance with its principles. To that end, a workshop was organised in the margins of the 2007 Annual Meeting of Subscribing States which brought together States with major ballistic missile capabilities, including those which did not subscribe to the Code. It is a priority of the EU to continue this dialogue among subscribing and non-subscribing States with the aim of further promoting the universality of the Code as well as its better implementation and enhancement. This Decision should contribute to this process,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1. For the purposes of ensuring the continuous and practical implementation of certain elements of the EU Strategy against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, the EU shall support the activities of subscribing States to the Code in order to further the following objectives:

(a) promoting the universality of the Code, and in particular the subscription to the Code by all States with ballistic missile capabilities;

(b) supporting the implementation of the Code;

(c) promoting further enhancement of the Code.

2. In this context, the projects to be supported by the European Union shall cover the following specific activities:

(a) providing means for the organisation of targeted outreach, for example in the form of a workshop, aiming at the promotion of new subscriptions to the Code for the region with the lowest level of subscription to the Code;

(b) providing financial and technical means to facilitate, on the one hand, the exchange of information among subscribing States, and, on the other, a visit by international observers to Space Launch Vehicles (SLV) testing launching sites, which subscribing States have resolved to consider on a voluntary basis under Article 4a (ii) of the Code;

(c) providing means to pursue a debate among subscribing States on how to preserve the relevance and the viability of the Code. The debate shall in particular take into account new developments in the area of ballistic missile proliferation and the developments in international institutional and legal frameworks related to ballistic missiles.

These projects shall be carried out for the benefit of subscribing and non-subscribing States to the Code.

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

Article 2

1. The Presidency, assisted by the Secretary-General of the Council/High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (SG/HR), shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decision. The Commission shall be fully associated.

2. The technical implementation of the projects referred to in Article 1(2) shall be carried out by the Foundation for Strategic Research in Paris (FRS).

The FRS shall perform this task under the control of the SG/HR, in support of the Presidency and in close consultation with the Chair of the Annual Meetings of the subscribing States to the Code as well as with Austria in its capacity as Immediate Central Contact (ICC)/Executive Secretariat of the Code. For this purpose, the SG/HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with the FRS.

3. The Presidency, the SG/HR and the Commission shall keep each other regularly informed about the implementation of this Decision, in accordance with their respective competences.

Article 3

1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the projects referred to in Article 1(2) shall be 1 015 000 EUR.

2. The expenditure financed by the amount stipulated in paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the procedures and rules 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 shall take the form of a grant. For this purpose, it shall conclude a financing agreement with the FRS. The financing agreement shall stipulate that the FRS is to ensure visibility of the EU contribution, 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 Decision. It shall inform the Council of any difficulties in that process and of the date of conclusion of the financing agreement.

Article 4

The Presidency, assisted by the SG/HR, shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Decision on the basis of regular reports prepared by the FRS. These reports shall form the basis for the evaluation carried out by the Council. The Commission shall be fully associated. It shall report on the financial aspects of the implementation of this Decision.

Article 5

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its adoption.

It shall expire 6 months after the date of its taking effect, unless the Commission concludes a financing agreement with FRS before expiry of that period, in which case this Decision shall expire 24 months after the date of conclusion of the financing agreement.

Article 6

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

Done at Brussels, 18 December 2008. For the Council The President M. BARNIER

(1) OJ L 302, 20.11.2003, p. 34.