Progress achieved in implementing the Common Foreign and security policy CFSP (Article 21 TEU)

PURPOSE : to present the Annual Report from the Council to the European Parliament on the main aspects and basics choices of CFSP, including the financial implications for the general budget of the European Communities (point H, paragraph 40, of the Interinstitional Agreement of 6 May 1999). CONTENT : the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA) of 6 May 1999 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure, provides that once a year the Council Presidency will consult the European Parliament on a Council document setting out the main aspects and basic choices of the CFSP, including the financial implications for the general budget of the European Communities. The present report covers the year 2001 and as was the case in the 1999 and 2000 reports, also looks at perspectives for future action. This report follows the same criteria as those used for the previous reports, namely: - its scope is limited to the description of CFSP activities, e.g. common positions, joint actions and implementing decisions, declarations and dΘmarches, political dialogue (where appropriate, and necessary in order to provide a comprehensive view of the activities, reference is made to actions falling outside Title V of the TEU); - it is complementary to the chapter on external relations of the annual report on the progress of the European Union presented to the Parliament in application of Article 4 of the TEU; - the broad priorities of the Union's external relations, as expressed for example in European Council conclusions, are included in the Article 4 TEU-report mentioned above. The report states that the horrific attacks of 11 September on the United States had a fundamental impact on international developments in 2001. The reactions to the attacks and the follow-up in the fight against terrorism, including through support for the international coalition, became centrepieces of the Unions external relations. The fight against terrorism became more than ever a major policy objective of the European Union. At its extraordinary meeting in Brussels on 21 September, the European Council underscored its firm determination to act in concert in all circumstances and agreed a coordinated and comprehensive Action Plan to combat terrorism. The Action Pan contained a number of diplomatic, legislative and operational measures aimed at strengthening solidarity and cooperation with the United States; developing the Union's policies to combat terrorism; enhancing the Union's role internationally in pursuit of these objectives and contributing to the multilateral and global efforts under the aegis of the UN; and countering the economic consequences of the 11 September attacks for the Union and the world. In this context, several actions were undertaken to implement the action plan: - Strengthening solidarity and cooperation with the United States; - Reinforcing the Union's Policies to combat terrorism: the 11 September attacks have renewed impetus to a wide range of legislative and operational measures designed, inter alia, to staunch the funding of terrorism and to respond to threats of use of biological and chemical weapons As concerns the fight against the funding of terrorism a range of measures were put in placeto cut off the funding of terrorist activities. - Enhancing the Union's role internationally in the fight against terrorism: the European Union worked actively to bolster support for the international coalition against terrorism under the aegis of the United Nations. In the case of Afghanistan, the Union played a major role in the provision of humanitarian aid, with a total of more than EURO 320 million worth of emergency aid distributed to date. It played an active role in support of the UN's efforts to the process of re-establishing a future broad-based administration in Afghanistan. The Union appointed a Special Representative, Klaus-Peter Klaiber, who was based in Afghanistan and acted under the authority of the High Representative Solana. The report also examines the relationship between the Union and all of the regions in the world. As regards the priorities in the geographical areas : 1) Western Balkans : as in previous years, the Western Balkans region was one of the main priorities for the EU in the year 2001. The Union noted encouraging progress by countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) on their way towards democracy, market economy and regional co-operation. At the same time, some parts of the region were still fraught with crisis and a lack of dynamism in the overall reform process. 2) Eastern Europe and Russia : in 2001 EU-Russia relations entered a new phase, lending fresh substance to a developing strategic partnership. The whole year saw a steady intensification of contacts. 3) Central and Eastern Europe : Political contacts with the Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe continued to be reinforced. 4) Middle east peace process (MEPP) : in the light of the serious deterioration of the relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the overall MEPP was left in jeopardy. The Union intensified its engagement accordingly. the right of the Palestinians to a viable state, provided that Israel's right to exist is guaranteed. 5) Mediterranean Region : Euro-Mediterranean Partnership - Barcelona Process. Since the Marseilles Conference on 15-16 November 2000, efforts were made to pursue and deepen, the political dialogue with the aims of deepening the Partnership. 6) Asia-Oceania - Afghanistan : the Council had long pressed for peace, the restoration of democracy and the respect for Human Rights in Afghanistan. The objectives of the Union in Afghanistan were set out extensively in a Common Position adopted in January. As with Afghanistan, the events of 11 September restated the importance of relations with India and Pakistan. The Union welcomed both countries' support for the international coalition. As a result, the Council decided to resume the Union's political dialogue with Pakistan and sign the long delayed EC-Pakistan Co-operation Agreement and it continued to press for a timely return to democracy and encouraged President Musharraf to stick to the road map that he announced in August. 7) Africa : New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) : the Belgian Presidency organised a meeting in Brussels on 10 October with the presidents from the five African countries that make up the steering committee for the NEPAD. With regard to security and defence issues, the European Union adopted at the European Council in Laeken the declaration on theoperational capability of the European security and defence policy as well as a Presidency progress report. Through the continuing development of the ESDP, the strengthening of its capabilities, both civil and military, and the creation of appropriate structures within it and following the military and police Capability Improvements Conferences held in Brussels on 19 November 2001, the Union is now capable of conducting some crisis-management operations. At the military Capability Improvement Conference in Brussels on 19 November 2001, the Ministers for Defence reaffirmed their responsibility for the development of the headline goal (being able to deploy 60 000 men in less than 60 days and to sustain them for at least one year). In quantitative terms, Member States' voluntary contributions confirm the existence of a body of resources consisting of a pool of more than 100.000 men, around 400 combat aircraft and 100 ships, fully satisfying the requirements defined by the headline goal to conduct different types of crisis-management operations. In the civilian aspects of crisis management, work continued in the four main fields: Police, Rule of Law, Civilian Administration and Civil Protection. In the Police field a Commitment Conference was held in November 2001. The goal of 5.000 police officers (1.000 for rapid deployment) was met, exceeding in more than 400 the targeted rapid deployment capacity. In relation to non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control, the Union on 10 December launched a targeted initiative to reduce the risk of non-State actors gaining access to weapons of mass destruction, radioactive material and means of delivery and to prevent the spread of conventional weapons. Support for the reinforcement of global non-proliferation and disarmament is at the core of the external action of the EU, which in 2001 continued to actively contribute to the work within the various international conferences and other fora aimed at these objectives. With regard to legal acts involving financing from the CFSP lines of the Community's budget, it should be noted that a financial reference amount of EUR 250.000 was agreed to cover the administrative expenditure of a Special mission in Afghanistan. Southern Caucasus : the Council adopted a joint Action to provide assistance to reinforce the capacity of the Georgian authorities to provide, through their Border Guards, support and protection for the OSCE Observer Mission on the border of Georgia with the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation. The financial reference amount was set at EUR 45.000. Middle East Peace Process : the Council adopted a Joint Action extending until 31 December 2002 the mandate of Mr Miguel Angel Moratinos as EU Special Representative of the Middle East peace process. The financial reference amount to cover the operational expenditure was set at EUR 1.100.000 for the year 2002. South Eastern Europe : the Council appointed Mr Erhard Busek EU Special Representative to carry out the functions of Special Coordinator for the Stability Pact for south-eastern Europe by Joint Action adopted on 19 December 2001. The financial reference amount intended to cover the operational expenditure related to the mission of the Special Representative was set at EUR 1.420.290 for 2002. This amount will be allocated to financing the operating expenditure of the Central Office of the Stability Pact for south-eastern Europe in Brussels over the period in question. Great LakesRegion : in the context of its support for the Arusha Agreement and Burundian efforts to implement that Agreement, the Council endorsed the initiative aimed at establishing an interim multinational security presence in Burundi with a view to protecting returning political leaders as part of the process of installing a transitional government. The reference amount for certain expenditure incurred during the deployment phase of the interim multinational security presence in Burundi was set at EUR 9,5 million. As regards to the future perspectives for 2002, the Union will continue its efforts to strengthen the CFSP, including by developing and refining the instruments available to it, such as the role of the High Representative and the EU Special Representatives. Work on the military side will concentrate on the implementation of the ECAP (European Capability Action Plan). Finalisation of arrangements with NATO is crucial to enable the Union to carry out crisis management operations across the whole spectrum of Petersberg tasks. The fight against terrorism will continue to be a top priority. The Union will continue to support, within the SAP, the efforts of the Western Balkans countries to move closer to the perspective of integration into European structures. Special attention will be given to third pillar issues.�