EN Official Journal of the European Union L 46/79

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2007/112/CFSP

of 15 February 2007

appointing the European Union Special Representative for the African Great Lakes Region

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 14, 18(5) and 23(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 20 February 2006, the Council adopted Joint Action 2006/122/CFSP extending until 28 February 2007 the mandate of the European Union Special Representative for the African Great Lakes Region (1).

(2) On 7 June 2006, the Council approved the policy of the European Union on the security of personnel deployed outside the European Union in an operational capacity under Title V of the Treaty on European Union.

(3) On the basis of a review of Joint Action 2006/122/CFSP, the mandate of the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) should be amended and extended for a 12-month period.

(4) Mr Aldo Ajello has informed the Secretary General/High Representative (SG/HR) of his intention to resign at the end of February 2007. A new EUSR should therefore be appointed as from 1 March 2007.

(5) On 31 January 2007, the SG/HR has recommended that Mr Roeland VAN DE GEER be appointed as the new EUSR for the African Great Lakes Region.

(6) The EUSR will implement his mandate in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could harm the Common Foreign and Security Policy objectives set out in Article 11 of the Treaty,

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 1

Appointment

Mr Roeland VAN DE GEER is hereby appointed European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the African Great Lakes Region from 1 March 2007 to 29 February 2008.

Article 2

Policy objectives

The mandate of the EUSR shall be based on the policy objectives of the European Union regarding the further stabilisation and consolidation of the post-conflict situation in the African Great Lakes Region, paying particular attention to the regional dimension of the developments in the countries concerned. Promoting, in particular, compliance with the basic norms of democracy and good governance, including respect for human rights and the rule of law, these objectives include:

(a) active and effective contribution to a consistent, sustainable and responsible policy of the European Union in the African Great Lakes Region, promoting a coherent overall European Union approach in the region. The EUSR shall support the work of the Secretary-General/High Representative (SG/HR) in the region;

(b) ensuring the continued commitment of the European Union to the stabilisation and reconstruction processes in the region, through an active presence on the ground and in relevant international fora, staying in touch with key players and contributing to crisis management;

(c) contributing to the post-transition phase in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in particular as regards the political process of consolidating the new institutions and defining a broader international framework for political consultation and coordination with the new government;

(d) contributing, in close cooperation with the United Nations/MONUC, to the international support efforts to pursue a comprehensive Security Sector Reform in the DRC, in particular in view of the coordinating role the European Union is ready to assume in this context;

(e) contributing to appropriate follow-up measures to the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, in particular by establishing close contacts with the Great Lakes Secretariat and its Executive Secretary as well as with the Troika of the follow-up mechanism and by promoting good neighbourly relations in the region;

(f) addressing the still considerable problem of armed groups operating across the borders with the risk of destabilising the countries in the region and aggravating their internal problems;

(g) contributing to the post-conflict stabilisation in Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, in particular through accompanying peace negotiations with armed groups like FNL and LRA.

Article 3

Mandate

In order to achieve the policy objectives, the mandate of the EUSR shall be to:

(a) establish and maintain close contact with the countries of the Great Lakes Region, the United Nations, the African Union, key African countries and main partners of the DRC and the European Union, as well as regional and sub-regional African organisations, other relevant third countries and other key regional leaders;

(b) advise and report on the possibilities for European Union supporting the stabilisation and consolidation process and on how best to pursue European Union initiatives;

(c) ensure coherence between CFSP/ESDP actors and, to this effect, provide advice and assistance for security sector reform in the DRC, and, in particular, give local political guidance to the Heads of the EU Police Mission (EUPOL Kinshasa) and of the EU Mission advising and assisting the Congolese authorities in the security sector reform (EUSEC RD Congo), in order to fulfil their duties at local level;

(d) contribute to the follow-up to the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, in particular by supporting policies defined in the region pursuing the objectives of non-violence and mutual defence in the resolution of conflicts as well as, regarding the regional cooperation, by promoting human rights and democratisation, good governance, combating impunity, judicial cooperation, and the fight against the illegal exploitation of natural resources;

(e) contribute to a better understanding of the European Union's role among opinion leaders in the region;

(f) contribute, where requested, to the negotiation and implementation of peace and cease-fire agreements between the parties and engage with them diplomatically in the event of non-compliance with the terms of these agreements; in the context of the ongoing LRA negotiations, such activities should be pursued in close coordination with the EUSR for Sudan;

(g) contribute to the implementation of the European Union human rights policy and European Union Guidelines on human rights, in particular the European Union Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict, and the European Union policy regarding UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security, including by monitoring and reporting on developments in this regard.

Article 4

Implementation of the mandate

1. The EUSR shall be responsible for the implementation of the mandate acting under the authority and operational direction of the SG/HR. The EUSR shall be accountable to the Commission for all expenditure.

2. The Political and Security Committee (PSC) shall maintain a privileged link with the EUSR and shall be the primary point of contact with the Council. The PSC shall provide strategic guidance and political input to the EUSR within the framework of the mandate.

Article 5

Financing

1. The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the mandate of the EUSR in the period from 1 March 2007 to 29 February 2008 shall be EUR 1 025 000.

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 Union, with the exception that any pre-financing shall not remain the property of the Community.

3. The management of the expenditure shall be subject to a contract between the EUSR and the Commission. The expenditure shall be eligible as from 1 March 2007.

4. The Presidency, the Commission, and/or the Member States, as appropriate, shall provide logistical support in the region.

Article 6

Constitution of the team

1. Within the limits of his mandate and the corresponding financial means made available, the EUSR shall be responsible for constituting his team in consultation with the Presidency, assisted by the SG/HR, and in full association with the Commission. The EUSR shall inform the Presidency and the Commission of the final composition of his team.

2. Member States and institutions of the European Union may propose the secondment of staff to work with the EUSR. The remuneration of personnel who are seconded by a Member State or an institution of the European Union to the EUSR shall be covered by the Member State or the institution of the European Union concerned respectively.

3. All A-type posts which are not covered by secondment shall be advertised, as appropriate, by the General Secretariat of the Council and also notified to Member States and institutions of the European Union in order to recruit the best-qualified applicants.

4. The privileges, immunities and further guarantees necessary for the completion and smooth functioning of the mission of the EUSR and the members of his staff shall be defined with the parties. Member States and the Commission shall grant all necessary support to such effect.

Article 7

Security

1. The EUSR and the members of his team shall respect security principles and minimum standards established by Council Decision 2001/264/EC of 19 March 2001 adopting the Council's security regulations (2), in particular when managing EU classified information.

2. The EUSR shall, in accordance with the policy of the European Union on the security of personnel deployed outside the European Union in an operational capacity under Title V of the Treaty, take all reasonably practicable measures, in conformity with his mandate and the security situation in his geographical area of responsibility, for the security of all personnel under his direct authority, notably by:

(a) establishing a mission-specific security plan based on guidance from the General Secretariat of the Council, including mission-specific physical, organisational and procedural security measures, governing management of the secure movement of personnel to, and within, the mission area, the management of security incidents and a mission contingency and evacuation plan;

(b) ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the European Union are covered by high risk insurance as required by the conditions in the mission area;

(c) ensuring that all members of his team to be deployed outside the European Union, including locally contracted personnel, have received appropriate security training before or upon arriving in the mission area, based on the risk ratings assigned to the mission area by the General Secretariat of the Council;

(d) ensuring that all agreed recommendations made following regular security assessments are implemented and providing the SG/HR, the Council and the Commission with written reports on their implementation and on other security issues within the framework of the mid-term and mandate implementation reports;

(e) ensuring, as necessary and within his responsibilities as part of the chain of command, that a coherent approach is taken with regard to the security of personnel across all European Union elements present in a crisis management operation or operations in his geographical area of responsibility.

Article 8

Reporting

As a rule, the EUSR shall report in person to the SG/HR and to the PSC and may report also to the relevant working group. Regular written reports shall be circulated to the SG/HR, the Council and the Commission. On the recommendation of the SG/HR and the PSC, the EUSR may report to the General Affairs and External Relations Council.

Article 9

Coordination

To ensure the consistency of the external action of the European Union, the activities of the EUSR shall be coordinated with those of the SG/HR, the Presidency and the Commission. The EUSR shall provide Member States' missions and Commission delegations with regular briefings. In the field, close liaison shall be maintained with the Presidency, the Commission and Heads of Mission who shall make best efforts to assist the EUSR in the implementation of the mandate. The EUSR shall also liaise with other international and regional actors in the field.

Article 10

Review

The implementation of this Joint Action and its consistency with other contributions from the European Union to the region shall be kept under regular review. The EUSR shall present the SG/HR, the Council and the Commission with a progress report before the end of June 2007 and a comprehensive mandate implementation report by mid-November 2007. These reports shall form a basis for evaluation of this Joint Action in the relevant working groups and by the PSC. In the context of overall priorities for deployment, the SG/HR shall make recommendations to the PSC concerning the Council's decision on renewal, amendment or termination of the mandate.

Article 11

Entry into force

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

Article 12

Publication

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

Done at Brussels, 15 February 2007. For the Council The President W. SCHÄUBLE

(1) OJ L 49, 21.2.2006, p. 17.

(2) OJ L 101, 11.4.2001, p. 1. Decision as last amended by Decision 2005/952/EC (OJ L 346, 29.12.2005, p. 18).