EU Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya)

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 2013/233/CFSP – EU Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

• The decision authorises the establishment of a European Union (EU) Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya) under the common security and defence policy (CSDP).
• EUBAM Libya’s objective is to enhance the capacity of the Libyan authorities and agencies:
  • to manage the country’s borders;
  • to fight cross-border crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling; and
  • to counter terrorism.
• The decision has been amended on several occasions, to extend both the scope and the duration of the mandate. The most recent amendments are Decision (CFSP) 2023/1305, which extends EUBAM Libya’s mandate until 30 June 2025, and Decision (CFSP) 2023/2063, which provides EUBAM Libya with a financial reference amount of €53.4 million for the period from 1 October 2023 to 30 June 2025.

KEY POINTS

Tasks

To achieve its objective, EUBAM Libya has the following tasks:

• supporting the Libyan authorities and agencies responsible for border management, including facilitating intra-agency, inter-agency and international cooperation as guiding principles of integrated border management;
• supporting the Libyan authorities and agencies involved in the fight against cross-border crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and against terrorism, in line with international standards in these areas;
• facilitating and supporting the cooperation and interoperability of the Libyan authorities and agencies in these thematic areas in order to help them:
  • mitigate possible gaps or overlaps in border management,
  • address cross-border crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and
  • counter terrorism;
• providing specific needs assessments and developing related projects in support of EUBAM Libya’s operational activities.

EUBAM Libya must promote human rights and gender equality through all its activities.

Chain of command

• Headquartered in Tripoli, EUBAM Libya has a unified chain of command as a crisis management operation.
• The Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability Director is the Civilian Operation Commander (COC) for EUBAM Libya.
• The COC commands and controls EUBAM Libya at the strategic level, under the political control and strategic direction of the Political and Security Committee (PSC) and overall authority of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
• The COC reports to the Council of the European Union through the High Representative.
• The Head of Mission is responsible for, and commands and controls, EUBAM Libya in the field and is directly responsible to the COC.

Strategic assessment

The Political and Security Committee had to conduct a strategic assessment of EUBAM Libya and its mandate by 30 June 2024. A strategic review of EUBAM Libya must be conducted in good time before the expiry of the decision on 30 June 2025.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

It has applied since 22 May 2013. The validity of the decision has been extended until 30 June 2025.

BACKGROUND

EUBAM Libya was first launched in 2013 and complements the activities of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which assists the country’s new transitional authorities in their post-conflict efforts.

For further information, see:

• EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya (European External Action Service).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Decision 2013/233/CFSP of 22 May 2013 on the European Union Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya) (OJ L 138, 24.5.2013, pp. 15–18).

Successive amendments to Decision 2013/233/CFSP have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

last update 03.07.2024