EU Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (2014-2020)

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 establishing an instrument contributing to stability and peace

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It establishes the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) — a means by which the EU can contribute to stability and peace by ensuring that actions it takes are efficient and consistent.

It covers the fields of:

• crisis response;
• conflict prevention;
• peace-building and crisis preparedness;
• addressing global and trans-regional security threats.

KEY POINTS

Support

Technical and financial aid under this instrument focuses on 3 priorities:

 

• 1.
  Swift response to crises or to emerging crises to prevent political conflicts or to ensure situations do not escalate into armed conflict such as:

  • support for the implementation of the United Nations resolutions on women, peace and security or for international criminal tribunals;
  • measures to rebuild key infrastructure, homes, public buildings and economic assets post-conflict;
  • actions to fight the illicit use of firearms, mine detection and clearance; and
  • support to address the impact of sudden population movements.

  Measures under this priority do not usually exceed 18 months.

   

• 2.
  Conflict prevention and crisis preparedness:

  • promoting early warning and conflict risk analysis in policymaking and confidence-building through mediation, dialogue and reconciliation in the context of intercommunity tensions;
  • deployment of civilian stabilisation missions identified at the Feira European Council in 2000:
    • police — capacity building,
    • strengthening the rule of law,
    • strengthening civilian administration, and
    • strengthening civil protection;
  • curbing the use of natural resources to finance conflicts (such as actions to stop the trade in conflict diamonds).

  Measures under this priority are long-term actions.

   

• 3.
  Addressing global threats, by means of long-term measures to:

  • Counter-terrorism;
  • Address the threat from organised crime (including cybercrime);
  • Protect critical infrastructure (systems that are essential for the maintenance of vital societal functions such as electricity or transport routes);
  • Address security threats emanating from climate change;
  • Mitigate Chemical Bacteriological Radiological Nuclear risks;
  • Implement Capacity-Building for Security for Development.

   

Flexible approach and civil-society involvement

For greater effectiveness, aid under IcSP will be made more flexible by extending the maximum length of crisis response measures up to a maximum of 30 months and the deployment of a second exceptional assistance measure in cases of drawn out conflict to build on the results of a previous one.

Financial resources may also complement EU humanitarian aid and long-term development cooperation funding.

The preparation, programming, implementation and monitoring measures under IcSP may be reinforced, where possible and appropriate, with support from NGOs, organisations representing indigenous peoples and local citizens’ groups.

Budget and implementation

The IcSP budget for 2014-20 is €2.339 billion. Most of the rules and procedures to implement this programme are in Regulation (EU) No 236/2014, a cross-cutting regulation which aligns and simplifies the implementation of all EU external funding.

Amendment of Regulation (EU) No 236/2014

In the context of the EU’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, (SDG1 being the eradication of poverty, and SDG16 being the promotion of peace and justice), as well as the EU’s joint statement on the new European Consensus for Development, Regulation (EU) 2017/2306 amends the original regulation.

The amended regulation permits the EU, under exceptional circumstances, to provide assistance for military capacity building in partner countries with the aim of delivering security for development activities in the form of training, mentoring, equipment, infrastructure improvements, etc. EU assistance may under no circumstances be used to fund capacity-building of the military for purposes other than security for development, in other words it cannot be used to fund lethal equipment, recurrent military expenditure, or training to increase fighting capacity.

A budget of €100 million has been allocated for these new measures between 2018 and 2020.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It applies from 1 January 2014 until 31 December 2020, with the CBSD amendment in force from January 2018.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• The Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an instrument contributing to stability and peace (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, pp. 1-10)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission (OJ C 210, 30.6.2017, pp. 1-24)

Regulation (EU) No 236/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 laying down common rules and procedures for the implementation of the Union's instruments for financing external action (OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, pp. 95-108)

See consolidated version.

last update 13.04.2018