Council Joint Action 2007/528/CFSP of 23 July 2007 in support of the convention on prohibitions or restrictions on the use of certain conventional weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have indiscriminate effects, in the framework of the European Security Strategy

1 For the purpose of supporting the Plan of Action to Promote Universality of the CCW adopted by the States Parties to the CCW at the third Review Conference, the European Union shall support the CCW, with the following objectives: (i) promotion of the universality of the CCW and its annexed protocols; (ii) support to the implementation of the CCW by States Parties.

2 For achieving the objectives referred to in paragraph 1, the EU will undertake the following measures: (a) organisation of an opening workshop, up to seven regional seminars and a closing meeting, aiming at increasing the membership of the CCW, including publications in all UN official languages and any other language if required; (b) a financial contribution to the Sponsorship Programme, adopted at the third Review Conference of the States Parties to the CCW. A detailed description of the measures referred to in paragraph 2 is set out in the Annex hereto.

1 The Presidency, assisted by the Secretary-General/High Representative (SG/HR), shall be responsible for the implementation of this Joint Action. The Commission shall be fully associated.

2 The technical implementation of the measures referred to in Article 1(2) shall be carried out by: (a) the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UN-ODA), for the opening workshop, the closing meeting, the regional seminars and the publications; (b) the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), for the contribution to the Sponsorship Programme, in accordance with the Decision of third Review Conference of the States Parties to the CCW. Both of them shall perform their tasks under the control of the SG/HR, assisting the Presidency. For this purpose the SG/HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with the UN-ODA and the GICHD.

3 The Presidency, the SG/HR and the Commission shall keep each other regularly informed about the implementation of this Joint Action, in conformity with their respective competences.

1 The financial reference amount for the implementation of the measures referred to in Article 1(2) shall be EUR 828000 to be funded from the 2007 general budget of the European Communities.

2 The expenditure financed by the amount stipulated in paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the Community procedures and rules applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

3 The Commission shall supervise the proper management of the expenditure referred to in paragraph 2, which shall take the form of a grant. For this purpose, the Commission shall conclude financing agreements with the UN-ODA and the GICHD. The financing agreements shall stipulate that the UN-ODA and the GICHD are to ensure visibility of the EU contribution, appropriate to its size.

4 The Commission shall endeavour to conclude the financing agreements referred to in paragraph 3 as soon as possible after the entry into force of this Joint Action. It shall inform the Council of any difficulties in that process and of the date of conclusion of the financing agreements.

The Presidency, assisted by the SG/HR, shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Joint Action on the basis of bi-monthly reports prepared by the UN-ODA and the GICHD. These reports will form the basis for the evaluation carried out by the Council. The Commission shall be fully associated. It shall report on the financial aspects of the implementation of this Joint Action.

This Joint Action shall enter into force on the day of its adoption. It shall expire 18 months after the date of conclusion of the last of the two financing agreements referred to in Article 3(3) or 12 months after the date of its adoption if no financing agreement has been concluded within that period.

This Joint Action shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.