COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2020/253

of 25 February 2020

amending Decision (CFSP) 2018/906 extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative for the Sahel

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 33 and Article 31(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1)	On 7 December 2015, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2015/2274 (1) appointing Mr Ángel LOSADA FERNÁNDEZ as the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Sahel.

(2)	On 25 June 2018, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2018/906 (2) extending the mandate of the EUSR for the Sahel. The EUSR's mandate is to expire on 29 February 2020.

(3)	The mandate of the EUSR for the Sahel should be extended for a further period of 12 months and a new financial reference amount for the period from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 should be established.

(4)	The EUSR for the Sahel will implement the mandate in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union's external action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision (CFSP) 2018/906 is amended as follows:

(1)

in Article 1, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

‘1. The mandate of Mr Ángel LOSADA FERNÁNDEZ as the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Sahel is extended until 28 February 2021. The Council may decide that the mandate of the EUSR be terminated earlier, based on 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 (HR).’;

(2)	in Article 5(1), the following subparagraph is added: ‘The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the EUSR's mandate for the period from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 shall be EUR 1 600 000.’;

(3)	in Article 14, the following subparagraph is added: ‘The final comprehensive mandate implementation report of the EUSR shall be presented by 30 November 2020.’.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. It shall apply from 1 March 2020.

Done at Brussels, 25 February 2020.

For the Council

The President

A. METELKO-ZGOMBIĆ

(1) Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/2274 of 7 December 2015 appointing the European Union Special Representative for the Sahel (OJ L 322, 8.12.2015, p. 44).

(2) Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/906 of 25 June 2018 extending the mandate of the European Union Special Representative for the Sahel (OJ L 161, 26.6.2018, p. 22).