OTNYR
DISSOLUTION EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM ON THE EUROPEAN UNION’S
COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
Council Decision appointing the European Union Special Representative for Central
Asia
Submitted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 7 April 2015.
SUBJECT MATTER
1.
The attached draft documents seek to appoint Peter Burian as European Union Special
Representative (EUSR) for Central Asia for the period from April 2015 to 30 April
2016 and renew and update the EUSR’s mandate.
2.
The EU established a Special Representative for Central Asia in September 2005 to
ensure coordination and consistency of external EU actions in the region. The most
recent incumbent, Mrs Patricia Flor left post in early 2014 and was replaced in the
interim by Janos Herman, a senior EEAS official, appointed by the former EU High
Representative as EU Special Envoy to Central Asia in April 2014 with the task of
ensuring continued EU high-level engagement in the region. High Representative
Federica Mogherini has now nominated Peter Burian, currently State Secretary of the
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, as the next EUSR for
Central Asia.
3.
The EUSR’s mandate focuses on enhancing EU effectiveness and visibility in the
region. It also aims to contribute to the strengthening of democracy, rule of law, good
governance and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Central Asia. It
was amended by a Joint Action on 15 February 2007 to allow the Special
Representative to contribute to wider Common Foreign and Security Policy work on
energy security, and to help develop bilateral energy cooperation with important
producer and transit partners in Central Asia. It was further refined in Joint Action
2007/113/CFSP of September 2007 following the adoption of a new EU Strategy for
Central Asia at the June 2007 European Council. That Council assigned to the EUSR an
enhanced role in monitoring the implementation of the Strategy, making
recommendations and reporting to relevant Council bodies on a regular basis. It also
added a specific tasking for the EUSR to contribute to the formulation of counternarcotics aspects of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The mandate was further
updated in 2008 (Joint Action 2008/900/CFSP of 2 December 2008) and 2012 (Council
Decision 2012/328/CFSP) adding water management, border security, environment and
climate change and regional security within Central Asian borders aspects to the
EUSR’s responsibilities.
SCRUTINY HISTORY
4.
An Explanatory Memorandum on the Council Decision extending the mandate of the
European Union Special Representative for Central Asia was last submitted for
Parliamentary Scrutiny on 14 June 2013.
The House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee cleared the document as
“politically important” on 19 June 2013 (ESC 35045, 6th Report, Session 2013/14).
The House of Lords Select Committee on the European Union cleared the document on
18 June 2013 at the Chairman’s sift.
MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITY
5.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is the Minister with
overall responsibility for UK policy on the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
INTEREST OF THE DEVOLVED ADMINISTRATIONS
6.
The UK’s Foreign Affairs policy is a reserved matter under the UK’s devolution
settlements and no devolved administration interests arise. The devolved
administrations have therefore not been consulted in the preparation of this EM.
SUBSIDIARITY
7.
EUSRs are appointed by the Council through a Council Decision. EUSRs are appointed
where the Council agrees with the High Representative that an additional EU presence
on the ground is needed to deliver the political objectives of the Union.
LEGAL AND PROCEDURAL ISSUES
8.
Legal Basis: Articles 31 (2) and 33 TEU of the Treaty on European Union.
9.
Voting Procedures: QMV.
10.
Impact on UK Law: None.
11.
Application to Gibraltar: Applicable to Gibraltar.
12.
Fundamental rights analysis: No fundamental rights issues apply.
APPLICATION TO THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA
13.
None.
REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
14.
Not applicable.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
15.
The EUSR is paid for through the CFSP budget. The overall budget has been set at
EUR 810,000.00 (a reduction of more than 20% compared with the budget of the
previous EUSR of 1,050,000). Personnel and running expenditures have decreased and
travel and representations costs pared down. The UK was active in discussions with EU
officials on budget aspects, helping to keep a firm focus on value for money from
EUSR budgets.
TIMETABLE
16.
This proposal is expected to be adopted by written procedure in early April 2015.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
17.
None.