Proposal for a Council Decision on the appointment of the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe
Date: 2006-10-31
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Western Balkans, appointment of staff, common foreign and security policy, democratisation, diplomatic representation, economic reconstruction, economic stabilisation, international cooperation, the EU's international role

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 31.10.2006 
COM(2006) 656 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the appointment of the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact 
for South-Eastern Europe 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe (SP) is a regional policy framework set up by the 
international community in Cologne on 10 June 1999 in order to support the countries in that 
region  in  their  efforts  to  foster  peace,  democracy,  respect  for  human  rights  and  economic 
prosperity, and to achieve stability in the region as a whole. Paragraph 13 of the Stability Pact 
for  South-Eastern  Europe  stipulates  that  the  Stability  Pact  will  have  a  Special  Coordinator 
appointed by the European Union, after consultation with the OSCE Chairman in Office and 
other participants, and endorsed by the OSCE Chairman in Office.  

Further to Council Regulation (EC) No 1080/2000 of 22 May 2000 on support for the United 
Nations  Interim  Mission  in  Kosovo  (UNMIK),  the  Office  of  the  High  Representative  in 
Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  (OHR)  and  the  Stability  Pact  for  South-Eastern  Europe  (SP),  the 
Council,  acting  on  a  proposal  by  the  Commission,  appoints  the  Special  Coordinator  of  the 
Stability Pact on a yearly basis.  

It is therefore proposed for the Council to adopt, before 31 December 2006, a decision on the 
appointment  of  a  Special  Coordinator,  which  will  apply  from  1  January  2007  until  31 
December 2007. 

The  Commission  has  consulted  the  OSCE  Chairman  in  Office  and  other  participants  in  the 
Stability  Pact  and  proposes  that  the  Council  reappoints  Dr  Erhard  Busek  as  Special 
Coordinator of the Stability Pact. The mandate of the Special Coordinator is drawn from the 
one  laid  down  in  Council  Decision  (EC)  No  2005/912  of  12  December  2005  on  the 
appointment of the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe for the 
year  2006.  Further  to  the  conclusions  of  the  Regional  Table  of  the  Stability  Pact  which 
endorsed  on  30  May  2006  in  Belgrade  a  transition  plan  to  regional  ownership  and  in 
accordance  with  the  Council  Conclusions  of  12  June  2006,  the  mandate  shall  put  a  special 
emphasis on the agreed transition to regional ownership and the necessary liaison to the South 
East European Cooperation Process.  

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the appointment of the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact 
for South-Eastern Europe 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1080/2000 of 22 May 2000 on support for the 
United Nations Interim Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the Office of the High Representative 
in Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR) and the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe (SP)1, and 
in particular Article 1a thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission2, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

On 10 June 1999 the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the European Union 
and  the  Commission  of  the  European  Communities,  together  with  the  other 
participants  in  the  Stability  Pact  for  South-Eastern  Europe,  agreed  to  establish  a 
Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, hereinafter called the ‘Stability Pact’. 

Article  1a  of  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  1080/2000  provides  for  the  Special 
Coordinator of the Stability Pact to be appointed on an annual basis.  

It is necessary to establish, together with the appointment, a mandate for the Special 
Coordinator.  Experience  has  shown  that  the  mandate  laid  down  in  Council  Decision 
(EC)  No  2005/912  of  12  December  2005  on  the  appointment  of  the  Special 
Coordinator  of  the  Stability  Pact  for  South-Eastern  Europe3  for  2006  is  appropriate. 
Further to the conclusions of the Regional Table of the Stability Pact which endorsed 
on  30  May  2006  in  Belgrade  a  transition  plan  to  regional  ownership,  and  in 
accordance  with  the  Council  conclusions  of  12  June  2006,  the  mandate  shall  put  a 
special emphasis on the requirements of this transition.  

(4) 

It  is  appropriate  to  lay  down  clear  lines  of  responsibility  as  well  as  guidance  on 
coordination and reporting, 

1 

2 
3 

OJ  L  122,  24.5.2000,  p.27.  Regulation  as  amended  by  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2098/2003  of 
27 November 2003 (OJ L 316, 29.11.2003, p.1). 
OL C […] […], p. […] 
OJ L 331, 17.12.2005, p.32. 

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HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:  

Article 1 

Dr  Erhard  BUSEK  is  hereby  appointed  Special  Coordinator  of  the  Stability  Pact  for  South 
Eastern Europe. 

The Special Coordinator shall carry out the functions provided for in point 13 of the Stability 
Pact document of 10 June 1999. 

Article 2 

In  order  to  achieve  the  objective  referred  to  in  Article  2,  the  mandate  of  the  Special 
Coordinator shall be to:  

Article 3 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

promote  achievement  of  the  Pact's  objectives  within,  and  between,  the  individual 
countries, where the Pact proves to have an added value;  

chair the South-Eastern Europe Regional Table;  

maintain close contact with all participants and facilitating States, organisations and 
institutions  of  the  Stability  Pact,  as  well  as  relevant  regional  initiatives  and 
organisations, with a view to fostering regional cooperation and enhancing regional 
ownership;  

cooperate closely with all institutions of the European Union and its Member States 
in  order  to  promote  the  role  of  the  European  Union  in  the  Pact  in  accordance  with 
points 18, 19, and 20 of the Stability Pact document and to ensure complementarity 
between the work of the Stability Pact and the Stabilisation and Association Process;  

meet  periodically  and  collectively  as  appropriate  with  the  Chairs  of  the  Working 
Tables to ensure strategic overall coordination and act as the secretariat of the South-
Eastern Europe Regional Table and its instruments;  

work  on  the  basis  of  a  list,  agreed  in  advance  and  in  consultation  with  the 
participants  in  the  Stability  Pact,  of  priority  actions  for  the  Stability  Pact  to 
implement  during  2007,  and  adjust  the  working  methods  and  structures  of  the 
Stability  Pact  to  the  needs  of  the  transition  to  regional  ownership,  ensuring 
consistency and efficient use of resources; 

facilitate the implementation of the transition to regional ownership in accordance to 
the  conclusions  of  the  Regional  Table  on  30  May  2006  and  to  this  purpose  work 
closely with the South East European Cooperation Process and its Secretary General 
when  designated;  particular  attention  shall  be  given  to  the  establishment  of  the 
Regional Cooperation Council and of a regional cooperation secretariat as well as on 
the streamlining of the various Task-Forces and initiatives of the Stability Pact. 

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The Special Coordinator shall conclude a financing agreement with the Commission. 

Article 4 

Article 5 

The  activities  of  the  Special  Coordinator  shall  be  coordinated  with  those  of  the  Secretary 
General of the Council/High Representative for the CFSP, the Presidency of the Council and 
the  Commission,  notably  in  the  framework  of  the  Informal  Consultative  Committee.  In  the 
field, close liaison shall be maintained with the Presidency of the Council, the Commission, 
the Member States’ Heads of Mission, the Special Representatives of the European Union, as 
well as with the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United 
Nations Civil Administration in Kosovo. 

The Special Coordinator shall report, as appropriate, to the Council and the Commission. He 
will continue to inform the European Parliament regularly about his activities. 

Article 6 

This  Decision  shall  take  effect  on  the  day  following  that  of  its  publication  in  the  Official 
Journal of the European Union.  

Article 7 

It shall apply from 1 January 2007 until 31 December 2007. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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