EU Council establishes planning team for rule of law mission in Kosovo

GENERAL AFFAIRS and EXTERNAL RELATIONS Council meeting; Luxembourg, 10 April 2006


The Council adopted a joint action establishing an EU planning team regarding a possible EU crisis management operation in the field of rule of law and possible other areas in Kosovo (EUPT Kosovo) (7771/06).

The objective of the EUPT Kosovo is the following:

• to initiate planning, including necessary procurement processes, to ensure a smooth transition between selected tasks of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and a possible EU crisis management operation in the field of rule of law and other areas that might be identified by the Council in the context of the future status process;

• to provide technical advice as necessary in order for the EU to contribute to support and maintain the dialogue with UNMIK as regards its plans for downsizing and transferral of competencies to the local institutions.

EUPT Kosovo will be deployed gradually beginning with a core team from the end of April with the intention of having the full team in place before 1 September 2006.The Joint Action expires on 31 December 2006.

Pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1244, a process to determine the future status of Kosovo was launched at the beginning of November 2005 with the appointment of the UN Status Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari. The United Nations will remain fully engaged in Kosovo until the end of UNSCR 1244.

The UN Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen, welcomed the EU's engagement in the discussions on the future international engagement in Kosovo and invited the EU to deploy a planning team. The Provisional Institutions of Self Government also indicated that they would welcome EUPT Kosovo tasked to take forward contingency planning for a possible ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) mission in the field of rule of law.

Since last year, the Council has been working on an enhanced EU role in Kosovo, on the basis of reports by the High Representative and the Commission. The rule of law and police have been identified as priority areas.

| Arriba |

• EU Presidency Statement - Rule of law at the national and international levels (16/10/2006)
• EU Council establishes team for future international civilian mission in Kosovo (14/9/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - UN Security Council: Debate on UNMIK (13/9/2006)
• EUHR Solana meets with Jessen-Petersen, UNSG Special Representative for Kosovo and Head of UNMIK (Brussels: 13 June 2006) (13/6/2006)
• EU Council Conclusions on Western Balkans (20/3/2006)
• EU External Relations Council Conclusions on the Western Balkans  (27/2/2006)
• Kosovo Contact Group Statement  (31/1/2006)
• EU Council Conclusions - Western Balkans (30/1/2006)
• EUHR Solana expresses condolences on death of Kosovo's President Rugova (21/1/2006)