Council Joint Action 2006/439/CFSP of  27 June 2006  regarding a further contribution of the European Union to the conflict settlement process in Georgia/South Ossetia
Date: 2006-06-27
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU financing, Georgia, OSCE, common foreign and security policy, settlement of disputes, the EU's international role

28.6.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 174/9

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

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2006/439/CFSP

of 27 June 2006

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

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(8)

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

Whereas:

appointing

On 20 February 2006, the Council adopted Joint Action
2006/121/CFSP (2)
the European Union
Special Representative 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)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

On 18 July 2005,
the Council adopted Joint Action
2005/561/CFSP (1) regarding a further contribution of
the European Union to the conflict settlement process
in Georgia/South Ossetia, which expires on 30 June
2006.

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
in
OSCE,
the
facilitating meetings within
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

taken
The EU recalls
towards peaceful resolution of the conflict and expects
the JCC to play a positive role in this respect.

the initiatives

support

for

its

The EU notes that the JCC has a role in the activities
related to the OSCE-Led Needs Assessment Study in the
zone of
the Georgian-Ossetian conflict and adjacent
areas.

(7)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 1

The European Union shall contribute to strengthening the

1.
conflict settlement process in South Ossetia.

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
organisation of conferences under the aegis of the JCC as well
as to provide for 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 12 months 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.

the starting date of

(1) OJ L 189, 21.7.2005, p. 69.

(2) OJ L 49, 21.2.2006, p. 14.

L 174/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

28.6.2006

contribution,

The Commission shall be entrusted with the task of
2.
the EU's
controlling and evaluating the implementation of
financial
in particular with regard to the
conditions set out in paragraph 1. To that end, the Commission
shall conclude a financing agreement with the OSCE 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).

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

3.

Expenditure shall be eligible as of 1 July 2006.

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 140 000.

Article 5

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

1.
adoption.

It shall apply from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007.

This Joint Action shall be reviewed 10 months after
2.
entering into force. To that end,
the EUSR for the South
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 Luxembourg, 27 June 2006.

For the Council
The President

J. PRÖLL