Instrument contributing to stability and peace: military actors (2017-2020)
PURPOSE: to amend Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of establishing an instrument contributing to stability and peace in order to extend the Union’s assistance under exceptional circumstances to be used to build the capacity of military actors in partner countries.
PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the Council and the European Parliament.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.
BACKGROUND: this proposal seeks to address the EU’s need for a stronger Europe when it comes to foreign policy to better contribute to supporting development and securing peace and prosperity in the world.
The Commission stated that it is essential to support security sector actors, including the military under exceptional circumstances, in third countries in a conflict prevention, crisis management or stabilisation context is essential to ensure appropriate conditions for poverty eradication and development. Those actions are particularly necessary to ensure the protection of civilian populations in the areas affected by conflict, crises or fragility.
The 2005 European Consensus on Development recognised the link between security and development. The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in September 2015, underlined the importance of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies both as a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 16) and in order to achieve other development policy outcomes.
In the Joint Communication entitled ‘Capacity building in support of security and development – Enabling partners to prevent and manage crisis’, the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy reiterated the need for stable and secure societies in order to achieve development objectives
The Council conclusions on Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of 18 May 2015 called to explore options to: (i) enhance coherence and coordination between EU security and development actions, as well as to; (ii) improve the delivery of capacity building in support of security and development, notably in terms of financing instruments.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the impact assessment concludes that an amendment of the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) would be the most appropriate and effective short-term option. It also explained that a comprehensive implementation of the CBSD initiative (i.e. including support to the military for defence-related purposes) would require combining a budgetary instrument (for development tasks) with another, possibly extra-budgetary, mechanism.
CONTENT: the proposal aims to insert a new Article into Title II of Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 in order to extend the Union’s assistance under exceptional circumstances to be used to build the capacity of military actors.
The specific objectives of the proposal are to:
- contribute to improving the capacity of partner countries to prevent and manage crises by themselves;
- contribute to improving the effectiveness of the Union’s development actions by working with all security actors, including the military, through the delivery of capacity building in support of security and development by the EU, as soon as possible, flexibly and comprehensively;
- contribute to ensuring the respect of the rule of law, good governance as well as enhanced civilian control and oversight over the military in third countries.
Types of Union assistance: Union assistance may be used to build the capacity of military actors in partner countries under exceptional circumstances, in order to contribute to sustainable development and in particular to the achievement of stable, peaceful and inclusive societies.
The type of activities that may be supported include capacity building programmes in support of security and development, including training, mentoring and advice, as well as the provision of equipment, infrastructure improvements and provision of other services. Union assistance shall not be used to finance: (i) recurrent military expenditure; (ii) the procurement of arms and ammunition; (iii) training which is solely designed to contribute to the fighting capacity of the armed forces.
Exceptional circumstances: assistance shall only be provided in the following circumstances:
- where requirements cannot be met by recourse to non-military actors to adequately reach Union objectives under this Regulation;
- where the achievement of stable, peaceful and inclusive societies is denied by a serious threat to the existence of functioning State institutions, as well as to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, or State institutions can no longer cope with this serious threat; and
- where a consensus exists between the country concerned and the international community and/or the European Union that the security sector, and in particular the military, are key for stability, peace and development, particularly in crises and fragile contexts and situations.
When designing and implementing measures, the Commission shall: (i) promote ownership by the partner country; (ii) develop the necessary elements and the good practices required for ensuring sustainability in the medium and long term and; (iii) promote the rule of law and established international law principle.
Monitoring and evaluation procedures: Union assistance may be provided through exceptional assistance measures and interim response programmes, thematic strategy papers and multiannual indicative programmes. Thematic strategy papers shall provide a framework for cooperation between the Union and the partner countries or regions concerned.
BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: in terms of cost, a budget of EUR 100 000 000 over the period 2017-2020 would be required. The initiative will be financed through redeployment within Heading IV of the general budget of the Union. No additional resources would be mobilised. Implementation will be governed by Regulation (EU) No 236/2014.