Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/976 of 20 May 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process
Date: 2025-05-20
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Middle East, Palestine question, appointment of members, diplomatic representation, settlement of disputes, the EU's international role




L_202500976EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/976


21.5.2025







            COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/976
         
of 20 May 2025
         
appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 33, in conjunction with Article 31(2) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:







(1)


On 25 November 1996, the Council agreed to appoint a European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Middle East Peace Process.












(2)


On 28 February 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/443 (1), appointing Mr Luigi DI MAIO as the EUSR for the Middle East Peace Process. The EUSR’s mandate expires on 1 June 2025.












(3)


The resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a strategic priority for the Union and the Union must remain actively engaged until that conflict is solved on the basis of the two-state solution.












(4)


The Union is committed to a comprehensive and lasting peace for the entire Middle East region and stands ready to work to that end together with regional and international partners.












(5)


An EUSR for the Middle East Peace Process should be appointed for a period of 12 months.












(6)


The EUSR will implement the mandate in the context of a challenging regional situation which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union’s external action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1

European Union Special Representative

Mr Christophe Bigot is hereby appointed as the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Middle East Peace Process from 2 June 2025 to 31 May 2026. The Council may decide that the mandate of the EUSR be terminated earlier, on the basis of an assessment by the Political and Security Committee (PSC) and on a proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’).


Article 2

Policy objectives


1.   The mandate of the EUSR shall be based on the overall policy objective of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that should be achieved on the basis of a two-state solution, with Israel and a democratic, contiguous, viable, peaceful and sovereign Palestinian State living side by side within secure and recognised borders, enjoying normal relations with their neighbours in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), and recalling other relevant resolutions, including UNSC Resolution 2334 (2016), the Madrid principles, including land for peace, the Roadmap, the agreements previously reached by the parties, the Arab Peace Initiative and the recommendations of the Middle East Quartet (the ‘Quartet’) of 1 July 2016. In light of the different strands of Israeli-Arab relations, the regional dimension constitutes an essential component for a comprehensive peace.


2.   In achieving the objective set out in paragraph 1, the policy priorities are preserving the two-state solution and relaunching and supporting the peace process. Clear parameters defining the basis for negotiations are key elements for a successful outcome and the Union has set out its position with regard to such parameters in the Council conclusions of December 2009, December 2010 and July 2014, which it will continue to actively promote. The Union is committed to working with the parties and with partners in the international community and in the region, and to actively pursuing appropriate international initiatives to create a new dynamic for the negotiations.



Article 3

Mandate


1.   In order to achieve the policy objective set out in Article 2, the mandate shall be to:






(a)


provide an active and efficient Union contribution to actions and initiatives leading to a final settlement of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution and in line with the Union parameters and relevant UNSC Resolutions, including UNSC Resolution 2334 (2016), and put forward proposals for Union action in this regard;










(b)


facilitate and maintain close contacts with all the parties to the peace process, in particular Israel and the Palestinian Authority, relevant political actors and countries of the region, and other relevant countries, as well as the UN and other relevant international organisations, like the League of Arab States or the Gulf Cooperation Council, in order to work with them in strengthening the peace process;










(c)


take advantage of the evolving regional landscape in the Middle East and in particular the normalisation of relations between Israel and a number of Arab countries, in order to further advance the peace process and thus contribute to regional stability;










(d)


pay particular attention to factors affecting the regional dimension of the peace process, including the developments related to the conflict in Gaza and in the region following the brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel on 7 October 2023, to the engagement with Arab partners and to the implementation of the Arab Peace Initiative;










(e)


actively support and contribute to peace negotiations between the parties, including by putting forward proposals on behalf of the Union and in line with its consolidated longstanding policy in the context of those negotiations;










(f)


ensure the continued presence of the Union in relevant international fora;










(g)


contribute to crisis management and early warning;










(h)


contribute to the implementation of international agreements reached between the parties and engage with them diplomatically in the event of non-compliance with the terms of those agreements;










(i)


contribute to political efforts to promote a sustainable solution for the Day After in the Gaza Strip which is an integral part of a future Palestinian State, to support the Palestinian Authority’s return to Gaza, including by facilitating discussions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and to promote humanitarian efforts;










(j)


engage constructively with signatories to agreements within the framework of the peace process in order to promote compliance with the basic norms of democracy, including respect for international humanitarian law, human rights and the rule of law;










(k)


make proposals for Union intervention in the peace process and on the best way of pursuing Union initiatives and ongoing peace-process-related Union efforts, such as the Union’s contribution to Palestinian reforms and the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two state solution, and including the political aspects of relevant Union development projects;










(l)


engage the parties in refraining from unilateral actions threatening the viability of the two-State solution, notably in the occupied Palestinian territory, including settlement policy and incitement to violence and hate speech;










(m)


contribute to the implementation of the Union’s human rights policy in cooperation with the EUSR for Human Rights, including the Union Guidelines on human rights, in particular the Union Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict as well as on violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them, and Union policy regarding UNSC Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security;










(n)


contribute to a better understanding and visibility of the role of the Union among opinion leaders in the region;










(o)


engage with representatives of civil society, including women and young people, as well as with those involved in measures to build confidence between the parties.






2.   The EUSR shall support the work of the HR, while maintaining an overview of all activities of the Union in the region related to the Middle East Peace Process.



Article 4

Implementation of the mandate


1.   The EUSR shall be responsible for the implementation of the mandate, acting under the authority of the High Representative.


2.   The PSC shall maintain a privileged link with the EUSR and shall be the EUSR’s primary point of contact within the Council. The PSC shall provide the EUSR with strategic guidance and political direction within the framework of the mandate, without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative.


3.   The EUSR shall ensure regular, systematic, thorough and clear action and cooperation with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the relevant departments thereof.


4.   The EUSR will undertake regular visits to the region and will ensure close coordination with relevant Union Delegations across the region, including the Union Representative Office in Jerusalem, the Union Delegation in Tel Aviv and, through them, with Member States’ diplomatic representations.



Article 5

Financing


1.   The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the mandate (the ‘expenditure’) for the period from 2 June 2025 until 31 May 2026 shall be EUR 1 368 570,22.


2.   The expenditure shall be managed in accordance with the procedures and rules applicable to the general budget of the Union.


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.



Article 6

Composition of the EUSR’s team


1.   Within the limits of the mandate and the corresponding financial means made available, the EUSR shall be responsible for constituting a team. The EUSR’s team shall include the expertise on specific policy issues as required by the mandate. The EUSR shall keep the Council and the Commission promptly informed of the composition of the team.


2.   Member States, institutions of the Union and the EEAS may propose the secondment of personnel to work on the EUSR’s team. The salaries of such seconded personnel shall be covered by the seconding Member State, by the institution of the Union concerned or by the EEAS, as appropriate. Experts seconded by Member States to the institutions of the Union or to the EEAS may also be seconded to work with the EUSR’s team. International contracted personnel shall have the nationality of a Member State.


3.   All seconded personnel shall remain under the administrative authority of the seconding Member State, of the institution of the Union concerned or of the EEAS and shall carry out their duties and act in the interest of the mandate.


4.   The EUSR’s team shall be co-located with the relevant EEAS department, Union Delegation in Tel Aviv and Union Representative Office in Jerusalem in order to ensure the coherence and consistency of their respective activities.



Article 7

Privileges and immunities of the EUSR and members of the EUSR’s team

The privileges, immunities and further guarantees relating to the EUSR and to the members of the EUSR’s team necessary for the completion and smooth functioning of the EUSR’s mandate shall be agreed with the host parties, as appropriate. Member States and the EEAS shall grant all necessary support to that effect.


Article 8

Security of EU classified information

The EUSR and the members of the EUSR’s team shall respect the security principles and minimum standards established by Council Decision 2013/488/EU (2).


Article 9

Access to information and logistical support


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


2.   The Union Delegations in the region and Member States, as appropriate, shall provide logistical support to the EUSR and to the members of the EUSR’s team.



Article 10

Security

In accordance with the Union’s policy on the security of personnel deployed outside the Union in an operational capacity under Title V of the Treaty, the EUSR shall take all reasonably practicable measures, in conformity with the mandate and on the basis of the security situation in the area of responsibility, for the security of all personnel under the EUSR’s direct authority, in particular by:






(a)


establishing a specific security plan based on guidance from the EEAS, including specific physical, organisational and procedural security measures, governing management of the secure movement of personnel to, and within, the area of responsibility, as well as management of security incidents and a mission contingency and evacuation plan;










(b)


ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the Union are covered by high-risk insurance as required by the conditions in the area of responsibility;










(c)


ensuring that all personnel to be deployed outside the Union, including locally contracted personnel, have received appropriate security training before or upon arriving in the area of responsibility, based on the risk ratings assigned to that area by the EEAS;










(d)


ensuring that all agreed recommendations made following regular security assessments are implemented and providing the High Representative, the Council and the Commission with written reports on their implementation and on other security issues within the framework of the regular progress reports and the final comprehensive mandate implementation report referred to in Article 15.






Article 11

Reporting

The EUSR shall regularly provide the High Representative with reports. The EUSR shall report regularly to the PSC and as necessary to Council working parties. Regular reports shall be circulated through the COREU network. The EEAS shall be fully informed at all times. The EUSR may provide the Foreign Affairs Council with reports. In accordance with Article 36 of the Treaty, the EUSR may be involved in providing information to the European Parliament.


Article 12

Access to documents and data protection


1.   The EUSR shall apply the rules laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3), as well as the relevant implementing rules adopted by the High Representative.


2.   The EUSR shall protect individuals with regard to the processing of their personal data in accordance with the rules laid down in Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4), as well as the relevant implementing rules adopted by the High Representative.



Article 13

Coordination


1.   The EUSR shall contribute to the unity, consistency and effectiveness of the Union’s action and shall help ensure that all Union instruments and Member States’ actions are engaged consistently, to attain the Union’s policy objectives. Liaison with Member States shall be sought where appropriate. The activities of the EUSR shall be coordinated with those of the EEAS and Commission services. The EUSR shall provide regular briefings to the Union’s Delegations and to Member States’ diplomatic representations, including the Union Representative Office in Jerusalem and the Union Delegation in Tel Aviv.


2.   In the field, close liaison shall be maintained with the relevant Heads of Member States’ Missions, Heads of Union Delegations and Heads of common security and defence policy Missions. They shall make every effort to assist the EUSR in the implementation of the mandate. The EUSR, in close coordination with the Head of Union Delegation in Tel Aviv and the Union Representative Office in Jerusalem, shall provide the Heads of the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) and of the European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah) with local political guidance. The EUSR shall also liaise with other international and regional actors in the field.



Article 14

Assistance in relation to claims

The EUSR and the members of the EUSR’s team shall provide assistance in responding to any claims and obligations arising from the mandates of the previous EUSRs for the Middle East Peace Process, and shall provide administrative assistance and access to relevant documents for such purposes.


Article 15

Review

The implementation of this Decision and its consistency with other contributions from the Union to the region shall be kept under regular review. The EUSR shall present the High Representative, the Council and the Commission with regular progress reports and a final comprehensive mandate implementation report by 28 February 2026.


Article 16

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.




Done at Brussels, 20 May 2025.


For the Council


The President

K. KALLAS
            





(1)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/443 of 28 February 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process (OJ L, 2025/443, 3.3.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/443/oj).

(2)  Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2013/488/oj).

(3)  Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2001/1049/oj).

(4)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/976/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)