COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2017/289 
of 17 Febr uary 2017 
amending Decision (CFSP) 2015/2005 extending the mandate of the European Union Special 
Representat ive in Afghanis tan 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUR OPEAN UNION, 
Having regar d to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 33 and 31(2) thereof, 
Having regar d to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Secur ity Policy , 
Whereas: 
(1)  On 22 July 2013, the Council adopt ed Decision 2013/393/CFSP (1) appointing Mr Franz-Michael SKJOLD 
MELLBIN as the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) in Afghanistan. 
(2)  On 10 November 2015, the Council adopt ed Decision (CFSP) 2015/2005 (2) extending the mandate of the EUSR 
until 28 Febr uary 2017. 
(3)  On 12 May 2016, the Council conf irmed the Union's commitment to suppor ting civilian policing in Afghanistan 
beyond the completion of EUPOL Afghanistan in 2016. The Council highlight ed in particular that the progress 
achi eved by Afghanistan in the respect, protect ion and promotion of human rights and especially women's and 
children's rights, must be consolidate d and further improved and mainstreamed in all government activities. That 
suppor t should be provided in particular through the reinf orcement of the EUSR mandat e in Afghanistan. 
(4)  The mandate of the EUSR should be extende d for a further period of six months. 
(5)  The EUSR will imple ment his mandate in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could impede the 
achi evement of the objectives of the Union's exte rnal action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty , 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
Decision (CFSP) 2015/2005 is amended as follows:  
(1) Article 1 is replaced by the following: 
‘Article 1 
European Union Special Representat ive 
The mandat e of Mr Franz-Mic hael SKJOLD MELLBIN as the EUSR in Afghanistan is exte nded until 31 August 2017. 
The Council may decide that the mandate of the EUSR be terminated earlier , based on an assessment by the Political 
and Secur ity Committ ee (PSC) and a proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and 
Secur ity Policy (HR).’; 18.2.2017 L 42/13 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     
(1)Council Decision 2013/393/CFSP of 22 July 2013 amending Decision 2013/382/CFSP extendin g the mandate of the European Union 
Special Representative in Afghanistan (OJ L 198, 23.7.2013, p. 47). 
(2)Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/2005 of 10 November 2015 exten ding the mandate of the European Union Special Representative in 
Afghanistan (OJ L 294, 11.11.2015, p. 53). 
(2) Article 2 is replaced by the following: 
‘Article 2 
Policy objectiv es 
The EUSR shall represent the Union and promot e Union policy objectives in Afghanistan, in close coordination with 
Member State s' representatives in Afghanistan. More specifically , the EUSR shall: 
(a)  contr ibute to the implementation of the EU-Afghanistan Joint Declaration, the EU Strateg y in Afghanistan 
2014-16 as well as to the development of the new EU Strateg y in Afghanistan 2017-2020 and, as appropr iate, 
to the implementation of the EU-Afghan Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development (CAPD) and 
the Joint Way Forward on migration issues between Afghanistan and the EU; 
(b)  suppor t Union-Afghanistan political dialogue; 
(c)  suppor t the pivotal role played by the United Nations (UN) in Afghanistan with particular emp hasis on 
contr ibuting to bette r coordinat ed internati onal assistance, thereby promoting the implementation of the Bonn, 
Chicago, Tokyo, London and Brussels Conference Communiqués, as well as relevant UN Resolutions; 
(d)  suppor t the Afghan reform process towards a trustwor thy and efficient police service working in accordance 
with intern ational standards, within the framework of the rule of law and in full respect for human rights.’;  
(3) Article 3 is replaced by the following: 
‘Article 3 
Mandate 
In order to fulfil the mandate , the EUSR shall, in close cooperation with Member State s' representatives in 
Afghanistan: 
(a)  promote the views of the Union on the political process and developments in Afghanistan; 
(b)  maintain close contact with, and suppor t the development of, relevant Afghan institutions, in particular the 
Government and the Parliament as well as the local author ities. Contact should also be maintained with other 
Afghan political groups and other relevant actors in Afghanistan, in particular relevant civil society actors; 
(c)  maintain close contact with relevant intern ational and regional stakeholders in Afghanistan, in particular the 
Special Representative of the Secretar y-General of the UN and the Senior Civilian Representative of the Nor th 
Atlantic Treaty Org anisation (NA TO) and other key partners and organisations; 
(d)  advise on the progress achi eved in meeting the objectives of the EU-Afghanistan Joint Declaration, of the EU 
Strategy in Afghanistan 2014-16, the EU-Afghan Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development 
(CAPD) and of the Bonn, Chicago, Tokyo, London and Brussels Conf erence Communiqués in particular in the 
following areas: 
(i)  civilian capacity building, especially at sub-national level; 
(ii)  good governance, anti-cor rupti on and the establishment of institutions necessar y for the existence of the 
rule of law, in particular an independent judiciar y; 
(iii)  elect oral and constitutional reforms; 
(iv)  secur ity sector reforms, including the strengthening of judicial institutions and the rule of law, the national 
army and the police force, and in particular the development of the civilian police service; 
(v)  promotion of growth, namely through agriculture and rural development ; 
(vi)  respect for Afghanistan's internati onal human rights oblig ations, including respect for the rights of persons 
belonging to minor ities and the rights of women and children; 
(vii)  respect of democratic principles and the rule of law; 18.2.2017 L 42/14 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     
(viii)  fosteri ng participation of women in public administration, civil society and, in accordance with UN 
Secur ity Council Resolution 1325(2000), peace processes; 
(ix)  respect for Afghanistan's intern ational obligations, including cooperation in internati onal efforts to combat 
terrorism, illicit drug traff icking, trafficking in human beings and proliferati on of arms and weapons of 
mass destr uction and related mater ials; 
(x)  facilitation of humanitar ian assistance and the orderly retur n of refug ees and internally displaced persons; 
and 
(xi)  enhancing the effectiveness of Union presence and activities in Afghanistan and contr ibuting to: 
—  the formulation of the implementation repor t on the EU Strateg y in Afghanistan 2014-16, as requeste d 
by the Council; 
—  the formulation of the new EU — Afghanistan Strateg y 2017-20; 
—  the implementation of the Joint Way Forward on migration issues between Afghanistan and the EU; 
(e)  suppor t the development of the police service in Afghanistan, namely by: 
(i)  monitori ng and advising the Afghan author ities at a strateg ic level to improve the long term development of 
leadership and decision-making capacity with a view to foster civilian policing within the Afghan National 
Police (ANP); 
(ii)  monitori ng and advising the Ministr y of Interior Affai rs (MoIA) on selected aspects relat ed to MoIA reform 
and ANP profe ssionalisation, such as implementation of policies relat ed to community policing,/inte lligence- 
led policing, criminal investig ation; 
(iii)  monitori ng and advising the Ministr y of Justice Anti-Cor ruption Justice Centre to develop the capacity and 
capabilities to address senior level public sector corrupti on; 
(f)  actively participate in local coordination fora such as the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board, while 
keeping non-par ticipating Member State s fully informed of decisions taken at these levels; 
(g)  participate in and advise on the positions of the Union in internatio nal confer ences with regard to Afghanistan 
in close liaison with the Afghan author ities and the main intern ational partners; 
(h)  take an active role in promoting regional cooperation through relevant initiatives including the Hear t of 
Asia/Istanbul Process and the Regional Economic Conf erence on Afghanistan (RECC A); 
(i)  contr ibute to the implementation of the Union's human rights policy and the EU Guidelines on Human Rights, 
in particular with regard to women and children in conf lict-aff ected areas, especially by monit oring and 
addressing developments in this regard; 
(j)  provide, as appropr iate, suppor t to inclusive and Afghan-led peace processes, leading to negotiated political 
settlements and lasting reconciliation in accordance with paragraph 25 of the Communiqué of the participants 
of Brussels Conf erence on Afghanistan, partnership for prosper ity and peace.’;  
(4) In Article 5, paragraph 1, the following subparagraph is added: 
‘The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the mandate of the EUSR in the period 
from 1 March 2017 to 31 August 2017 shall be EUR 5 700 000.’;  
(5) Article 14 is replaced by the following: 
‘Article 14 
Review 
The implementation of this Decision and its consistency with other contr ibutions from the Union to the region shall 
be kept under regular review . The EUSR shall present the Council, the HR and the Commission with a compre hensive 
mandate implementation repor t by the end of his mandate.’ . 18.2.2017 L 42/15 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     
Article 2 
Entr y into force 
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoptio n. 
Done at Brussels, 17 Febr uary 2017. 
For the Council 
The President 
E. BAR TOLO  18.2.2017 L 42/16 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN