Council Joint Action 2005/561/CFSP of 18 July 2005 regarding a further contribution of the European Union to the conflict settlement process in Georgia/South Ossetia
Date: 2005-07-18
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU financing, Georgia, OSCE, common foreign and security policy, settlement of disputes, the EU's international role

21.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 189/69

(Acts adopted under Title V of the Treaty on European Union)

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2005/561/CFSP

of 18 July 2005

regarding a further contribution of the European Union to the conflict settlement process in
Georgia/South Ossetia

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

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

Article 1

Whereas:

The European Union shall contribute to strengthening the

1.
conflict settlement process in South Ossetia.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

On 25 June 2003, the Council adopted Joint Action
2003/473/CFSP (1)
the
European Union to the conflict settlement process in
Georgia/South Ossetia, which expired on 30 June 2005.

contribution of

regarding a

The EU contribution under that Joint Action to the OSCE
Mission to Georgia has been effective in ensuring the
functioning of permanent Secretariats for the Georgian
and the South Ossetian sides, under the aegis of the
the
OSCE,
facilitating meetings within
in
the Joint Control Commission (JCC)
framework of
which is the main forum of
the conflict settlement
process.

and

The OSCE and the co-Chairs of the JCC have appealed
for follow-up assistance from the EU, and the EU has
agreed to offer further financial assistance to the conflict
settlement process.

The EU considers that its assistance has reinforced the
effectiveness of its role, as well as that of the OSCE, in
the settlement of
it should be
continued.

the conflict and that

Adequate visibility of the EU contribution to the project
should be ensured.

On 8 December 2003, the Council adopted Joint Action
2003/872/CFSP (2) extending and amending the mandate
of the Special Representative of the European Union for
the South Caucasus. Pursuant to this Joint Action, the
mandate of the EUSR for the South Caucasus should be,
inter alia, to contribute to the prevention of conflicts, to
assist in conflict resolution and to intensify the European
Union’s dialogue with the main interested actors
concerning the region,

(1) OJ L 157, 26.6.2003, p. 72.
(2) OJ L 326, 13.12.2003, p. 44. Joint Action as last amended by Joint

Action 2005/330/CFSP (OJ L 106, 27.4.2005, p. 36).

For this purpose,

2.
the European Union shall provide a
contribution to the OSCE to finance meetings of the JCC and
other mechanisms within the JCC framework, to provide for
for
organisation of conferences under the aegis of the JCC,
furniture and computer and other equipment for the two Secre-
tariats as well as to provide certain costs for the running of the
two Secretariats for one year.

Article 2

The Presidency, assisted by the Secretary-General of the Coun-
cil/High Representative for the CFSP, shall be responsible for the
implementation of
Joint Action, with a view to the
fulfilment of its objectives as set out in Article 1.

this

Article 3

1.
Disbursement of financial aid provided under this Joint
regular
Action shall be conditional upon the holding of
meetings of the JCC and the other mechanisms in the JCC
framework within twelve months of the starting date of the
financing agreement to be concluded between the Commission
and the OSCE Mission to Georgia. Both the Georgian and South
Ossetian sides should make demonstrable efforts to achieve real
political progress towards a lasting and peaceful settlement of
their differences.

contribution,

The Commission shall be entrusted with the task of
2.
the EU’s
controlling and evaluating the implementation of
in particular with regard to the
financial
conditions set out in paragraph 1. To that end, the Commission
shall conclude a financing agreement with the Mission to
Georgia on the use of the EU contribution, which shall take
the form of a grant. The Commission shall also ensure the
correct use of the grant for the purposes set out in Article 1(2).

L 189/70

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

21.7.2005

for

The OSCE Mission to Georgia shall be responsible for
3.
reimbursing mission expenses,
the organisation of
conferences under the aegis of the JCC, and for the correct
purchase and handing over of the equipment. The financing
the OSCE Mission to Georgia
agreement will stipulate that
shall ensure visibility of the EU contribution to the project
and shall provide the Commission with regular reports on its
implementation.

4.
The Commission, in close cooperation with the EUSR for
South Caucasus, shall liaise closely with the OSCE Mission to
Georgia in order to monitor and evaluate the impact of the EU
contribution.

5.
The Commission shall report in writing on the implemen-
tation of this Joint Action to the Council, under the responsi-
bility of the Presidency, assisted by the Secretary General of the
in
Council/High Representative for the CFSP. This report will
particular be based on regular reports to be provided by the
OSCE Mission to Georgia, as stipulated in paragraph 3.

Article 4

The financial reference amount for the EU contribution

1.
referred to in Article 1(2) shall be EUR 133 000.

The management of

the expenditure financed by the
2.
amount
to the
specified in paragraph 1 shall be subject
European Community procedures and rules applicable to the
the European Communities, with the
general budget of
remain the
exception that
property of the European Community.

any pre-financing

shall not

3.

Expenditure shall be eligible as of 1 July 2005.

Article 5

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

1.
adoption.

It shall apply from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006.

2.
This Joint Action shall be reviewed ten months after
the EUSR for the South
entering into force. To that end,
Caucasus, in association with the Commission, shall assess the
need for further support to the settlement process in Geor-
gia/South Ossetia and make recommendations to the Council,
as appropriate.

Article 6

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

Done at Brussels, 18 July 2005.

For the Council
The President

J. STRAW