COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2021/487

of 22 March 2021

amending and extending Decision (CFSP) 2018/653 on the establishment of a warehouse capability for civilian crisis-management missions

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 28(1), 42(4) and 43(2) thereof,

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

Whereas:

(1)	For the purpose of civilian crisis-management operations, rapid deployment needs and operational requirements should be met.

(2)	On 26 April 2018, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2018/653 on the establishment of a warehouse capability for civilian crisis-management missions (1).

(3)

Article 6 of Decision (CFSP) 2018/653 foresees a review in order to assess the financial reference amount referred to in Article 4(1) of that Decision as regards the amount deemed necessary to meet requests by civilian common security and defence policy missions, and to take into account the evolving needs of such missions, of other operational action of the Union and of European Union Special Representatives. Such an assessment was conducted by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’) and the European Commission. The outcome of that review, as discussed and agreed within the relevant Council preparatory bodies in December 2019 and January 2020, was that the financial reference amount did not need to be revised.

(4)

Pursuant to Article 7 of Decision (CFSP) 2018/653, which foresees the possibility for the Council to decide to extend that Decision, the High Representative and the Commission recommended, in their six-monthly report to the Council, that Decision (CFSP) 2018/653 should be extended by 18 months, including a six-month period for the administrative and financial closure of the warehouse capability established by that Decision.

(5)	The High Representative and the Commission are to make the necessary preparations towards future warehousing arrangements and present their initial recommendation to the Council no later than June 2021,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision (CFSP) 2018/653 is amended as follows:

(1)

in Article 3, the following paragraphs are inserted:

‘5. The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency shall ensure full operational capability of the warehouse until the expiry of this Decision. Detailed arrangements to this effect shall be agreed by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, the Civilian Operation Commander and the competent Commission services.

6. The warehouse capability operator shall ensure a seamless transition and handover to future warehousing arrangements, as directed by the Civilian Operation Commander and the competent Commission services.’;

(2)	in Article 4, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: ‘1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of this Decision for the period of 54 months following the date of conclusion of the agreement referred to in paragraph 3 shall be EUR 46 197 384,22.’;

(3)	Article 7 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 7 Entry into force and expiry This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. It shall expire 54 months after the date of conclusion of the agreement referred to in Article 4(3).’.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 22 March 2021.

For the Council

The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES

(1) OJ L 108, 27.4.2018, p. 22.