1999/190/CFSP: Council Decision of 9 March 1999 adopted on the basis of Article J.4(2) of the Treaty on European Union on the implementation of the joint action concerning a contribution by the European Union to the re-establishment of a viable police force in Albania
Date: 1999-03-09
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Albania, EU police cooperation, Western European Union, application of EU law, feasibility study, joint action, police, the EU's international role

12. 3. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 63/3

COUNCIL DECISION

of 9 March 1999

adopted on the basis of Article J.4(2) of the Treaty on European Union on the
implementation of the joint action concerning a contribution by the European
Union to the re-establishment of a viable police force in Albania

(1999/190/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in
particular Article J.4(2) thereof,

Having regard to the Declaration on Western European
Union (WEU) included in the Final Act signed upon the
adoption of the Treaty,

Whereas the Council adopted today on the basis of
Article J.3 of the Treaty on European Union a joint
action concerning a contribution by the European Union
to the re-establishment of a viable police force in Albania;

Whereas such an action would require staff having a
specific expertise in police operations; whereas the WEU
has already undertaken a mission consisting in providing
assistance and advice to the Albanian police;

Whereas under these conditions the European Union
should have recourse to the WEU;

Whereas, following a request by the European Union on
the basis of Article J.4(2),
the WEU Military Staff
completed a Feasibility Study on possible options for an
International Police Operation in Albania (Revision 1)
and the supplement thereto, hereinafter referred to as the
WEU Feasibility Study;

Whereas the WEU Permanent Council adopted on 2
February 1999 the contingency plan for an international
police operation in Albania based on one of the options
identified in the WEU Feasibility Study;

Whereas the option developed in the WEU Contingency
Plan would contribute to the objective defined in the joint
action title;

Whereas the institutions of the WEU have given their
agreement to the practical arrangements set out in the
Annex hereto,

Article 1

1.
The European Union requests the WEU to imple-
ment its Joint Action 1999/189/CFSP of 9 March 1999
concerning a contribution by the European Union to the
re-establishment of a viable police force in Albania (1), by
carrying out ‘option 2 augmented' of the WEU feasibility
study under the objective defined in Article 1(1) of the
joint action.

2.
The implementation of the joint action referred to
in paragraph 1 shall be conducted in accordance with the
practical arrangements set out in the Annex hereto.

Article 2

This Decision and Joint Action 1999/189/CFSP shall be
notified to the WEU in accordance with the conclusions
adopted by the Council on 14 May 1996 on the transmis-
sion to the WEU of documents of the European Union.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its
adoption.

Article 4

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal.

Done at Brussels, 9 March 1999.

For the Council

The President

W. RIESTER

(1) See page 1 of this Official Journal.

L 63/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12. 3. 1999

ANNEX

PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS

1. The WEU mission will carry out its task under the responsibility of the WEU.

2. During the course of the operation it is expected that:

— full monthly reports on the WEU mission will be transmitted to the European Union; reports will
include an update on training and advice activities as well as assessments on the impact of these
activities,

— the WEU mission will carry out a general review after each six-month period, or earlier if necessary,
assessing the operation and suggesting, as required, possible adjustments to the modalities of the
operation,

— should an emergency occur, a report will immediately be submitted to the WEU which will transmit it
to the European Union. The situation will be assessed and the need for submitting it to the European
Union and WEU bodies considered.

3. On completion of the operation, the WEU will produce a ‘lessons learned' paper, which will be transmitted

to the European Union.

4. The principal channels of communication will be:

— the existing points of contact between the European Union and WEU Secretariats and between the

Commission and the WEU Secretariat,

— the points of contact designated by the two Presidencies.

5. The possibility of coordinated meetings of working groups should be kept in mind.

6. The diplomatic representation of the Presidency of the European Union will provide the WEU mission, if

required, with political and diplomatic support.

7. Close cooperation, including cooperation on the ground, will be maintained between the European Union
and the WEU inter alia in the context of liaison and coordination with wider international efforts in
Albania both bilateral and multilateral.

8. Public information on this operation will be coordinated.

9. Disbursements for the payment of the operation will be made according to the financial arrangements to be
established between the Commission and the WEU. Such arrangements will comply with the European
Community procedures and rules applicable to the budget, taking into account the operational require-
ments of the WEU mission.

In order to support the Presidency of the European Union in its tasks under Article 3(1) of Joint Action
1999/189/CFSP, the WEU mission will establish a coordination and monitoring mechanism as regards the
modalities of granting financial support for Albanian trainees financed from the general budget of the
European Communities. The reports of the WEU mission will contain regular information on this
mechanism.

The abovementioned practical arrangements do not affect in any way the internal procedures of each
organisation or the further contacts that may be necessary between them.