Council Joint Action 2008/450/CFSP of 16 June 2008 regarding a further contribution of the European Union to the conflict settlement process in Georgia/South Ossetia
Date: 2008-06-16
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU financing, Georgia, OSCE, common foreign and security policy, settlement of disputes, the EU's international role

L 157/110

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.6.2008

III

(Acts adopted under the EU Treaty)

ACTS ADOPTED UNDER TITLE V OF THE EU TREATY

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2008/450/CFSP

of 16 June 2008

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

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(4)

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

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

On 27 June 2006, the Council adopted Joint Action
2006/439/CFSP regarding a further contribution of the
European Union to the conflict settlement process in
Georgia/South Ossetia (1), which was extended by Joint
Action 2007/484/CFSP (2) until 31 December 2007.

The EU’s assistance under Joint Action 2006/439/CFSP
has reinforced the effectiveness of its role, as well as that
of the OSCE, in the settlement of the conflict in Geor-
gia/South Ossetia. In particular, the EU’s contribution to
the OSCE mission to Georgia has been effective in
ensuring the functioning of permanent secretariats for
the Georgian and the South Ossetian representatives,
and in facilitating
under
the OSCE,
meetings within the framework of
the Joint Control
Commission (hereinafter referred to as ‘JCC’) which is
the main forum of the conflict settlement process.

the aegis of

to the

The OSCE has appealed for follow-up assistance from the
EU, and the EU has agreed to offer further financial
settlement process. This
assistance
conflict
financial assistance should focus on support
for JCC
meetings,
for Steering Committee meetings on an
economic rehabilitation programme and a related news-
letter,
for a confidence-building workshop and for a
meeting of representatives of the law enforcement bodies.

The assistance to be provided by the EU under this Joint
Action is complementary to the work of the European
Union Special Representative (hereinafter referred to as
‘EUSR’) for the South Caucasus appointed by Joint Action
inter alia,
2008/132/CFSP (3), whose mandate is,
to
to assist
contribute to the prevention of conflicts,
in
conflict
the European
Union’s dialogue with the main interested actors
concerning the region,

resolution and to intensify

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.

3.
The European Union shall provide a contribution to the
OSCE to finance Steering Committee meetings on an economic
rehabilitation
Rehabilitation
the
Programme Newsletter, a confidence-building workshop and a
meeting of the representatives of the law enforcement bodies.

programme,

Economic

As part of the EU’s support for a series of confidence-
4.
building measures in Georgia, the European Union shall also
provide a contribution to host an informal
JCC meeting in
Brussels or in the capital city of the Member State exercising
the Council Presidency.

(1) OJ L 174, 28.6.2006, p. 9.
(2) OJ L 181, 11.7.2007, p. 14.

(3) OJ L 43, 19.2.2008, p. 30.

17.6.2008

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Official Journal of the European Union

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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

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

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, as well as the holding of Steering Committee
meetings on an economic rehabilitation programme and the
issuing of a newsletter on the programme, a confidence-
building workshop, a meeting of
the
law enforcement bodies, as well as an informal JCC meeting
in Brussels or in the capital city of the Member State exercising
the Council Presidency, within 12 months of the starting date of
concluded between the
to be
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 representatives of

financing agreement

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), (3) and
(4).

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 equipment. The financing
agreement shall stipulate that the OSCE mission to Georgia
shall ensure visibility of the EU contribution to the project
and that
shall provide the Commission with quarterly
reports on its implementation.

it

Article 4

The total financial reference amount for the EU contri-
(3) and (4) shall be EUR

1.
bution referred to in Article 1(2),
223 000.

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
general budget of the European Union.

Article 5

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

1.
adoption.

It shall apply until 16 June 2009.

2.
This Joint Action shall be reviewed 10 months after its
entry 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 Georgia/South
Ossetia and make recommendations to the Council, as appro-
priate.

Article 6

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

Done at Luxembourg, 16 June 2008.

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.

For the Council
The President

D. RUPEL