EN Official Journal of the European Union L 304/38

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2007/753/CFSP

of 19 November 2007

on support for IAEA monitoring and verification activities in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the framework of the implementation of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Whereas:

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

(2) The European Union is actively implementing the Strategy and is giving effect to the measures listed in Chapter III thereof, in particular by releasing financial resources to support specific projects conducted by multilateral institutions, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

(3) The European Union has repeatedly called on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to comply with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and to implement its comprehensive safeguards agreement in full cooperation with the IAEA.

(4) The European Union has continuously supported efforts in the framework of the six-party talks, aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to the nuclear situation on the Korean peninsula, including through political and financial support for the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO). In the same spirit, the European Union welcomed the Joint Statement of 19 September 2005 and the Initial Actions of 13 February 2007.

(5) On 9 July 2007, the Board of Governors of the IAEA authorised its Director-General to implement ad hoc arrangements for monitoring and verifying the shutdown of nuclear installations in the DPRK, in accordance with the recommendations contained in the IAEA report to the Board of Governors.

(6) In accordance with the Initial Actions of 13 February 2007, the DPRK proceeded in July 2007 with the shutdown of nuclear installations and has invited the IAEA to monitor the shutdown. Subsequently, this shutdown has been confirmed by the IAEA.

(7) The European Union has welcomed this action carried out by the DPRK as a very important first step on the way to the dismantlement of the DPRK’s nuclear programmes and the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

(8) Since the costs incurred by the implementation of the ad hoc arrangements can currently not be covered by the regular safeguards budget of the IAEA, there is a need to make sufficient extra-budgetary contributions in order to allow for the implementation of the ad hoc arrangements, as long as there is no provision in the regular IAEA budget,

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 1

For the purposes of giving immediate and practical implementation to some elements of the EU Strategy against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, the European Union shall support the IAEA monitoring and verification activities, which are carried out in accordance with existing arrangements for monitoring and verification, as agreed between the DPRK and the IAEA, in order to further the following objectives:

(a) to contribute to the confidence-building process aimed at the elimination of the DPRK’s nuclear programme, through the continuation of monitoring and verification of the shutdown of DPRK nuclear facilities;

(b) to assure the European Union’s continued active involvement in efforts to develop a diplomatic solution to the Korean nuclear issue;

(c) to make sure that the IAEA has available sufficient financial resources to carry out monitoring and verification activities relating to the implementation of the Initial Actions of 13 February 2007, agreed in the framework of the six-party talks.

The contribution by the EU will be used for the financing of staff resources and travel, equipment and transportation, rental of premises in the DPRK and related expenditure, as well as costs for communications and acquisition of information technology.

A detailed description of these activities is set out in the Annex.

Article 2

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 activities referred to in Article 1 shall be carried out by the IAEA. It shall perform this task under the control of the SG/HR, assisting the Presidency. For this purpose, the SG/HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with IAEA.

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

Article 3

1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the activities referred to in Article 1 shall be EUR 1 780 000 to be funded from the general budget of the European Union.

2. The expenditure financed by the amount stipulated in paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the Community procedures and rules applicable to the general budget of the European Union.

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 IAEA. The financing agreement shall stipulate that the IAEA 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 within three months 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 4

The Presidency, assisted by the SG/HR, shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Joint Action on the basis of reports prepared by the IAEA Secretariat for the IAEA Board of Governors, which will be submitted to the Presidency, assisted by the SG/HR. The Commission shall be fully associated. It shall report on the financial aspects of the implementation of this Joint Action.

Article 5

This Joint Action shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

It shall expire 18 months after its adoption.

Article 6

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

Done at Brussels, 19 November 2007. For the Council The President L. AMADO