Council Joint Action 2008/898/CFSP of 1 December 2008 extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative to the African Union
Date: 2008-12-01
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: African Union, common foreign and security policy, diplomatic representation, peace

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III

(Acts adopted under the EU Treaty)

ACTS ADOPTED UNDER TITLE V OF THE EU TREATY

COUNCIL JOINT ACTION 2008/898/CFSP

of 1 December 2008

extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative to the African Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(a) enhancing

the

EU's

political

dialogue

and

broader

relationship with the AU;

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

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

On 6 December 2007, the Council adopted Joint Action
2007/805/CFSP (1) appointing Mr Koen VERVAEKE as
European Union Special Representative (EUSR)
to the
African Union.

On the basis of a review of Joint Action 2007/805/CFSP,
the mandate of
the Special Representative should be
extended for fourteen months.

The EUSR is to implement his mandate in the context of
a situation which may deteriorate and could harm the
objectives of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, as
set out in Article 11 of the Treaty,

HAS ADOPTED THIS JOINT ACTION:

Article 1

European Union Special Representative

The mandate of Mr Koen VERVAEKE as EUSR to the AU shall be
extended until 28 February 2010.

Article 2

Policy objectives

The mandate of the EUSR shall be based on the EU's compre­
hensive policy objectives in support of African efforts to build a
peaceful, democratic and prosperous future as set out in the EU
Africa Strategy. These objectives include:

(1) OJ L 323, 8.12.2007, p. 45.

(b) strengthening the EU-AU partnership in all areas outlined in
the EU Africa Strategy, contributing to the development and
implementation of the EU Africa Strategy in partnership
with
of African
ownership and working more closely with African represen­
tatives in multilateral fora in coordination with multilateral
partners;

respecting

the AU,

principle

the

(c) working with, and providing support

to the AU by
supporting institutional development and strengthening
the
EU and AU Institutions,
including through development assistance, to promote:

relationship

between

— peace and security: predict, prevent, manage, mediate
and resolve conflict, support efforts to promote peace
and stability, support post conflict reconstruction,

— human rights and governance: promote and protect
freedoms and
human rights; promote fundamental
respect for the rule of law; support, through political
dialogue and financial and technical assistance, African
efforts to monitor and improve governance; support
growth of participatory democracy and accountability;
the fight against corruption and organised
support
crime and further promote efforts to address the issue
of children and armed conflict in all its aspects,

— sustainable growth,

and

access

regional

to water

integration and trade:
support efforts towards interconnectivity and facilitate
people's
energy
and information technology; promote a stable, efficient
and harmonised legal business framework; assist
to
integrate Africa into the world trade system, assist
African countries
and
standards; support Africa in countering the effects of
climate change,

to comply with EU rules

sanitation,

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— investment in people: support efforts in the fields of
gender, health,
food security and education, promote
exchange programmes, networks of universities and
centres of excellence, and address the root causes of
migration.

Furthermore, the EU will play a key role in implementing the
EU-Africa Joint Strategy intended to further develop and conso­
lidate the strategic partnership between Africa and the EU.

Article 3

Mandate

(h) offer advice and provide support to the AU upon request in

the areas outlined in the EU Africa Strategy;

(i) offer advice and provide support to the building up of the

AU's crisis management capabilities;

(j) on the basis of a clear division of tasks, coordinate with,
and support, the actions of EUSRs with mandates in AU
Member States/Regions; and

In order to achieve the Common Foreign and Security Policy
(CFSP)/European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) aspects of
the objectives referred to in Article 2, the mandate of the EUSR
shall be to:

(k) maintain close contacts and promote coordination with key
international partners of the AU present in Addis Ababa,
especially the United Nations, but also with non-State actors
on the whole range of the CFSP/ESDP issues covered by the
EU-AU relationship.

(a) strengthen the overall EU influence in, and coordination of,
the Addis Ababa-based dialogue with the AU and its
Commission, on the whole range of CFSP/ESDP issues
covered by the EU-AU relationship;

(b) ensure an appropriate level of political

representation,
reflecting the importance of the EU as a political, financial
and institutional partner of the AU, and the step change in
that partnership necessitated by the growing political profile
of the AU on the world stage;

(c) represent, should the Council so decide, EU positions and
policies, when the AU plays a major role in a crisis situation
for which no EUSR has been appointed;

(d) help achieve better coherence, consistency and coordination
of EU policies and actions towards the AU, and contribute
to enhance coordination of the broader partner group and
its relation with the AU;

(e)

follow closely, and report on, all relevant developments at
AU level;

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 Secretary General/High Representative (SG/HR).

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 direction within the
framework of the mandate.

Article 5

Financing

The financial reference amount

1.
intended to cover the
expenditure related to the mandate of the EUSR in the period
from 1 January 2009 to 28 February 2010 shall be EUR
1 850 000.

(f) maintain close contact with the AU Commission, other AU
organs, missions of African Sub-regional organisations to
the AU and the missions of the AU Member States to
the AU;

2.
The expenditure financed by the amount stipulated in
paragraph 1 shall be eligible as from 1 January 2009. The
expenditure
shall be managed in accordance with the
procedures and rules applicable to the general budget of the
European Communities.

(g) facilitate the relations and cooperation between the AU and
African Sub-regional organisations, especially in those areas
where the EU is providing support;

3.
The management of the expenditure shall be subject to a
contract between the EUSR and the Commission. The EUSR
shall be accountable to the Commission for all expenditure.

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Article 6

Constitution and composition 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
Commission. The team shall
include the expertise on specific
policy issues as required by the mandate. The EUSR shall keep
the SG/HR, the Presidency and the Commission informed of the
composition of his team.

2. Member States and institutions of the European Union
may propose the secondment of staff to work with the EUSR.
The salary of personnel who are seconded by a Member State or
an institution of the EU to the EUSR shall be covered by the
Member State or the institution of the EU concerned respect­
ively. Experts seconded by Member States to the General Secre­
tariat of the Council may also be posted to the EUSR. Inter­
national contracted staff shall have the nationality of an EU
Member State.

3.
All seconded personnel shall remain under the adminis­
trative authority of the sending Member State or institution of
the EU and shall carry out their duties and act in the interest of
the mandate of the EUSR.

Article 7

Privileges and immunities of the EUSR and his staff

The privileges, immunities and further guarantees necessary for
the completion and smooth functioning of the mission of the
EUSR and the members of his staff shall be agreed with the host
party/parties
the
appropriate. Member
Commission shall grant all necessary support to such effect.

States

and

as

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

2.
appropriate, shall provide logistical support in the region.

Article 10

Security

In accordance with the EU's policy on the security of personnel
deployed outside the EU in an operational capacity under
Title V of the Treaty, the EUSR shall take all reasonably prac­
ticable 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

mission-specific

security plan based on
the Council,
guidance from the General Secretariat of
including
organisational
and procedural security measures, governing management
of the secure movement of personnel to, and within, the
mission area, the management of security incidents and a
mission contingency and evacuation plan;

physical,

(b) ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the EU are
covered by high risk insurance as required by the conditions
in the mission area;

(c) ensuring that all members of his team to be deployed
outside the EU,
including locally contracted personnel,
have received appropriate security training 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;

Article 8

Security of EU classified information

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 the
Council's security regulations (1), in particular when managing
EU classified information.

(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.

Article 9

Access to information and logistical support

1. Member States, the Commission and the General Secre­
tariat of the Council shall ensure that the EUSR is given access
to any relevant information.

(1) OJ L 101, 11.4.2001, p. 1.

Article 11

Reporting

The EUSR shall regularly provide the SG/HR and the PSC with
oral and written reports. The EUSR shall also report as
necessary to working groups. Regular written reports shall be
circulated through the COREU network. Upon recommendation
of the SG/HR or the PSC, the EUSR may provide General Affairs
and External Relations Council with reports.

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Article 12

Coordination

decision on renewal,
mandate.

amendment or

termination of

the

The EUSR shall promote overall EU political coordination. He
shall help to ensure that all EU instruments in the field are
engaged coherently to attain the EU's policy objectives. The
activities of the EUSR shall be coordinated with those of the
Presidency and the Commission, as well as those of other
EUSRs active in the region as appropriate. The EUSR shall
provide Member States' missions and Commission's delegations
with regular briefings.

Article 14

Initial setting-up and further build-up

cooperation with the SG/HR,

in
In November 2009, or earlier if necessary, the Presidency,
close
the EUSR and the
Commission, shall provide the Council with a comprehensive
report on the future of the office and its organisation.

In the field, close liaison shall be maintained with the
Presidency, Commission and Member States' Heads of Mission
who shall make best efforts to assist the EUSR in the implemen­
tation of the mandate. The EUSR shall also liaise with other
international and regional actors in the field.

Article 13

Review

The implementation of this Joint Action and its consistency
with other contributions from the EU 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 2009, and a comprehensive mandate im­
plementation report by mid-November 2009. 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 appro­
priate recommendations to the PSC concerning the Council's

Article 15

Entry into force

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

its

Article 16

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

Done at Brussels, 1 December 2008.

For the Council
The President

H. NOVELLI