Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1249 of 18 September 2018 on a European Union action in support of the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism in Yemen

1 The Union shall support UNVIM with the overall objective of contributing to the restoration of the unimpeded free flow of commercial items to Yemen through the provision of a transparent and effective clearance process for commercial shipments destined for Yemeni ports which are not under the control of the Government of Yemen.

2 The specific objectives of this project are as follows: to increase the flow of commercial cargo to Yemen by accelerating further the clearance process of commercial shipments and restoring the confidence of shipping companies as regards the accessibility of the port of Hodeydah and Saleef, to increase UNVIM's ability to deploy additional personnel and resources in Djibouti, King Abdullah Port (KSA), Salalah and Sohar (Oman) and Dubai (UAE) ports as well as its capability to respond in case UNVIM is given additional responsibilities in the Hodeydah port during the duration of the project.

3 The Union shall contribute through this Decision to costs associated with the reinforcement of UNVIM and thereby also helping to respond to the needs of the Yemeni population as part of a broader humanitarian strategy. A detailed description of the activities of the project is set out in the Annex.

1 The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR) shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decision.

2 The technical implementation of the activities referred to in Article 1 shall be entrusted to UNOPS. It shall perform this task under the responsibility of the HR. For this purpose, the HR shall enter into the necessary arrangements with UNOPS.

1 The financial reference amount for the implementation of the project referred to in Article 1(2) shall be EUR 4915504,24.

2 The amount intended to cover the period of six months following the conclusion of the financing agreement referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article shall be EUR 2748472,96. The remaining amount of EUR 2167031,28 shall be used if the Council so decides, following the review referred to in Article 5(2).

3 The expenditure financed by the amount set out in paragraph 1 shall be managed in accordance with the procedures and rules applicable to the Union budget.

4 The Commission shall supervise the proper management of the expenditure referred to in paragraph 1. For this purpose, it shall conclude a financing agreement with UNOPS. The financing agreement shall stipulate that UNOPS is to ensure visibility of the Union's contribution.

5 The Commission shall endeavour to conclude the financing agreement referred to in paragraph 4 as soon as possible after 18 September 2018. It shall inform the Council of any difficulties in that process and of the date of conclusion of the financing agreement.

1 The HR shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Decision on the basis of regular reports prepared by UNVIM, including on the monthly UNVIM's Steering Committee meetings. Those reports shall form the basis for the evaluation by the Council.

2 The Commission shall provide the Council with information on the financial aspects of the implementation of the project referred to in Article 1.

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

2 The Council shall review this Decision five months after the date of the conclusion of the financing agreement referred to in Article 3(4).

3 This Decision shall expire 12 months after the date of the conclusion of the financing agreement between the Commission and UNOPS referred to in Article 3(4). However, it shall expire six months after its entry into force if no financing agreement has been concluded by that time.