(1)

The mandate of the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as set out in Joint Action 2004/569/CFSP (1) on 12 July 2004, is due to expire on 28 February 2006.

(2)

On 24 November 2005, the Council adopted Joint Action 2005/824/CFSP on the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2), which provides for a continuation of the EUPM with an adjusted mandate and size.

(3)

On 14 December 2005, the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board appointed Mr Christian Schwarz-Schilling as High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the successor to Lord Ashdown, with effect from 1 February 2006.

(4)

Mr Schwarz-Schilling should be appointed as the new EUSR in Bosnia and Herzegovina with effect from 1 February 2006 and Joint Action 2004/569/CFSP should be repealed with effect from the same date.

(5)

On the basis of a review of Joint Action 2004/569/CFSP, the mandate of the EUSR should be extended until 28 February 2007.

(6)

The EUSR's mandate should be implemented in coordination with the Commission in order to ensure consistency with other relevant activities falling within Community competence.

(7)

The EUSR will implement his mandate in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could harm the objectives of the CFSP as set out in Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union,

(a)

offer the EU's advice and facilitation in the political process;

(b)

promote overall EU political coordination in BiH;

(c)

promote overall EU coordination of, and give local political direction to, EU efforts in tackling organised crime, without prejudice to the European Union Police Mission (EUPM)'s leading role in the coordination of policing aspects of these efforts and to the ALTHEA (EUFOR) military chain of command;

(d)

provide the EU Force Commander with local political advice, including with respect to the Integrated Police Unit style capability, on which the EUSR may draw, in agreement with the said Commander, without prejudice to the chain of command;

(e)

contribute to reinforcement of internal EU coordination and coherence in BiH, including through briefings to EU Heads of Mission and through participation in, or representation at, their regular meetings, through chairing a coordination group composed of all EU actors present in the field with a view to coordinating the implementation aspects of the EU's action, and through providing them with guidance on relations with the BiH authorities;

(f)

ensure consistency and coherence of EU action towards the public. The EUSR spokesperson shall be the main EU point of contact for BiH media on Common Foreign and Security Policy/European Security and Defence Policy (CFSP/ESDP) issues;

(g)

maintain an overview of the whole range of activities in the field of the rule of law and in this context provide the Secretary-General/High Representative (SG/HR) and the Commission with advice as necessary;

(h)

provide the Head of Mission of the EUPM with local political guidance as part of his wider responsibilities and his role in the chain of command for EUPM;

(i)

as part of the international community's and the BiH authorities' broader approach to the rule of law, and drawing upon the EUPM's provision of technical policing expertise and assistance in this respect, support the preparation and implementation of police restructuring;

(j)

provide support for a reinforced and more effective BiH criminal justice/police interface, in close liaison with EUPM;

(k)

as far as activities under Title VI of the Treaty, including Europol, and related Community activities are concerned, provide the SG/HR and the Commission with advice as necessary, and take part in the required local coordination;

(l)

with a view to coherence and possible synergies, continue to be consulted on priorities for Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation.