Council Joint Action 2007/106/CFSP of 15 February 2007 extending the mandate of the Special Representative of the European Union for Afghanistan
Date: 2007-02-15
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Afghanistan, common foreign and security policy, diplomatic representation, the EU's international role

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 46/55

III

(Acts adopted under the EU Treaty)

ACTS ADOPTED UNDER TITLE V OF THE EU TREATY

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2007/106/CFSP

of 15 February 2007

extending the mandate of the Special Representative of the European Union for Afghanistan

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Article 2

Policy objectives

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

in

The mandate of
the EUSR shall be based on the policy
objectives of the European Union in Afghanistan. In particular
the EUSR shall:

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

On 20 February 2006, the Council adopted Joint Action
2006/124/CFSP extending the mandate of the Special
Representative of the European Union for Afghanistan (1)
until 28 February 2007.

1. contribute to the implementation of

the EU-Afghanistan
Joint Declaration and the Afghanistan Compact as well as
the relevant United Nations (UN) Security Council Reso-
lutions and other relevant UN Resolutions;

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.

2. encourage positive contributions from regional actors in
Afghanistan and from neighbouring countries to the peace
process in Afghanistan and thereby contribute to the conso-
lidation of the Afghan state;

On the basis of a review of Joint Action 2006/124/CFSP,
the mandate of
the
European Union (EUSR)
should be extended for a
12-month period.

the Special Representative of

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,

3. support

the pivotal role played by the UN, notably the

Special Representative of the Secretary-General; and

4. support work of the Secretary-General/High Representative

(SG/HR) in the region.

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 3

Mandate

Article 1

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

European Union Special Representative

The mandate of Mr Francesc VENDRELL as the European Union
Special Representative
for Afghanistan is hereby
extended until 29 February 2008.

(EUSR)

(1) OJ L 49, 21.2.2006, p. 21.

(a) convey the European Union's views on the political process
while drawing on the key principles agreed between Afgha-
nistan and the international community,
in particular the
EU-Afghanistan Joint Declaration and the Afghanistan
Compact;

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(b) establish and maintain close contact with, and give support
to, the Afghan representative institutions, in particular the
government and Parliament. Contact should also be main-
tained with other Afghan political figures and other relevant
actors inside as well as outside the country;

(f)

in consultation with representatives of Member States and
the Commission, assist
the European
Union's political approach is reflected in its action for the
development of Afghanistan;

in ensuring that

(c) maintain close contact with relevant

international and
regional organisations, notably with the local representatives
of the UN;

(g)

jointly with the Commission, actively participate in the Joint
Coordination and Monitoring Board established under the
Afghanistan Compact;

(d) stay in close contact with neighbouring and other interested
countries in the region, so that their views on the situation
in Afghanistan and the development of
cooperation
between these countries and Afghanistan are taken into
account in European Union policy;

(h) advise on the participation and the positions of

the
European Union in international conferences on Afgha-
nistan.

(e) advise on the progress achieved in meeting the objectives of
the EU-Afghanistan Joint Declaration and the Afghanistan
Compact, in particular in the following areas:

— good governance and the establishment of rule of law

institutions,

— security sector

reforms,

including establishment of

judicial institutions, a national army and police force,

— respect for human rights of all Afghan people, regardless

of gender, ethnicity or religion,

— respect of democratic principles, the rule of law, the
rights of persons belonging to minorities, the rights of
women and children and the principles of international
law,

— fostering participation by women in public adminis-

tration and civil society,

— respect

for Afghanistan's

international obligations,
including
to
cooperation in international
combat terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and trafficking
in human beings,

efforts

Article 4

Implementation of the mandate

The EUSR shall be responsible for the implementation of
1.
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 the EUSR
with strategic guidance and political input within the framework
of the mandate.

Article 5

Financing

intended to cover the
The financial reference amount
1.
expenditure related to the mandate of
the EUSR in the
period from 1 March 2007 to 29 February 2008 shall be
EUR 2 450 000.

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.

— facilitation of humanitarian assistance and the orderly
return of refugees and internally displaced persons;

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

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The Presidency, Commission, and/or Member States, as

4.
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
inform the Presidency and the
Commission. The EUSR shall
Commission of the final composition of his team.

outside the European Union in an operational capacity under
Title V of the Treaty on European Union, 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
the Council,
guidance from the General Secretariat of
including mission-specific physical, organisational
and
procedural security measures, governing management of
the
the secure movement of personnel
mission area, the management of security incidents and a
mission contingency and evacuation plan;

to, and within,

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.

(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;

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.

The

privileges,

immunities

4.
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.

further

and

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
in particular when
the Council's
managing EU classified information.

regulations (1),

security

(c) ensuring that all members of his team to be deployed
including locally contracted
outside the European Union,
personnel, have
security training
received appropriate
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 EU
in a crisis management operation or
elements present
operations in his geographical area of responsibility.

Article 8

Reporting

2.
The EUSR shall,
European Union on the

in accordance with the policy of the
security of personnel deployed

(1) 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).

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.

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Article 9

Coordination

the external action of

To ensure the consistency 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
and
In the field,
Commission delegations with regular briefings.
the
close liaison shall be maintained with the Presidency,
Commission and Heads of Mission, who shall make best
efforts
the
mandate. The EUSR shall also liaise with the EUSR for
Central Asia and with international and regional actors in the
field.

the EUSR in the implementation of

States' missions

to assist

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 compre-
hensive 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,
the
amendment or
mandate.

termination of

Article 11

Entry into force

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

its

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