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Document 02025D0976-20260522
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/976 of 20 May 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process
Consolidated text: Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/976 of 20 May 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process
Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/976 of 20 May 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process
02025D0976 — EN — 22.05.2026 — 001.001
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COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/976 of 20 May 2025 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process (OJ L 976 21.5.2025, p. 1) |
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L 1152 |
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COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/976
of 20 May 2025
appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process
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 mandate of Mr Christophe BIGOT as the EUSR for the Middle East Peace Process is extended until 29 February 2028.
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 a proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’).
Article 2
Policy objectives
Article 3
Mandate
In order to achieve the policy objective set out in Article 2, the mandate shall be to:
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 Resolutions 2334 (2016) and 2803 (2025), and put forward proposals for Union action in this regard;
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;
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;
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;
contribute to the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2803 (2025);
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;
ensure the continued presence of the Union in relevant international fora;
contribute to crisis management and early warning;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
contribute to a better understanding and visibility of the role of the Union among opinion leaders in the region;
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.
Article 4
Implementation of the mandate
Article 5
Financing
The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure for the period from 1 June 2026 until 29 February 2028 shall be EUR 2 754 227,42 .
Article 6
Composition of the EUSR’s team
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 ( 1 ).
Article 9
Access to information and logistical support
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:
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;
ensuring that all personnel deployed outside the Union are covered by high-risk insurance as required by the conditions in the area of responsibility;
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;
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
Article 13
Coordination
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. ►M1 The EUSR shall present the High Representative, the Council and the Commission with regular progress reports and a final comprehensive mandate implementation report by 30 November 2027. ◄
Article 16
Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
( ) 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).
( ) 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).
( ) 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).