(1)

On 10 June 1999 the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the European Union and the Commission of the European Communities, together with the other participants in the Stability Pact for south-eastern Europe, agreed to establish a Stability Pact for south-eastern Europe, hereinafter called the ‘Stability Pact’.

(2)

Article 1a of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2000 provides for the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact to be appointed on an annual basis.

(3)

It is necessary to establish, together with the appointment, a mandate for the Special Coordinator. The mandate laid down in Council Decision 2006/921/EC of 11 December 2006 on the appointment of the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for south-eastern Europe (2) for 2006 is appropriate. Further to the conclusions of the Stability Pact’s Regional Table held in Zagreb on 10 May 2007, the south-east European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Ministerial and Summit meetings held on 10 and 11 May 2007, as well as the Council Conclusions of May 2007 calling upon the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact, the new Secretary-General and the Bulgarian SEECP Chairmanship in Office to ensure a smooth and timely final hand-over from the Stability Pact to the new structures, this mandate includes a special emphasis on the requirements of the transition to regional ownership and the need to ensure a smooth and timely hand-over to the Secretary-General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) until the end of the mandate.

(4)

It is appropriate to lay down clear lines of responsibility as well as guidance on coordination and reporting,

(a)

promote achievement of the Pact’s objectives within, and between, the individual countries, where the Pact proves to have an added value;

(b)

chair the south-eastern Europe Regional Table;

(c)

maintain close contact with all participants and facilitating States, organisations and institutions of the Stability Pact, as well as relevant regional initiatives and organisations, with a view to fostering regional cooperation and enhancing regional ownership;

(d)

cooperate closely with all institutions of the European Union and with its Member States in order to promote the role of the European Union in the Pact in accordance with points 18, 19, and 20 of the Stability Pact and to ensure complementarity between the work of the Stability Pact and the Stabilisation and Association Process;

(e)

meet periodically and collectively as appropriate with the Chairs of the Working Tables to ensure strategic overall coordination and act as the secretariat of the South-Eastern Europe Regional Table and its instruments;

(f)

work on the basis of a list, agreed in advance and in consultation with the participants in the Stability Pact, of priority actions for the Stability Pact to implement in the first half of 2008, and adjust the working methods and structures of the Stability Pact to the needs of the transition to regional ownership, ensuring consistency and efficient use of resources;

(g)

facilitate the implementation of the transition to regional ownership in accordance with the conclusions of the Regional Table on 30 May 2006 and to this purpose work closely with the south-east European Cooperation Process, the Regional Cooperation Council and its Secretary-General; particular attention shall be given to the establishment of the Regional Cooperation Council and of its secretariat; special emphasis shall be put on the streamlining of the various Task Forces and initiatives of the Stability Pact;

(h)

ensure a smooth and timely hand-over to the Secretary-General of the Regional Cooperation Council and the closing down of remaining administrative operations of the Stability Pact.