Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2587 of 15 December 2025 in support of the South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) for the implementation of the Regional Roadmap on combating illicit arms trafficking in the Western Balkans and in support of disarmament and arms control activities in South-East and East Europe

1 The Union shall support Western Balkans partners with the implementation of the ‘Regional Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of SALW/firearms and their ammunition in the Western Balkans’.

2 The new phase of the Union’s support shall build upon the achievements under Decisions (CFSP) 2018/1788 and (CFSP) 2022/2321, and the project ‘Support for Enhancing the Fight Against the Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Western Balkans’ funded through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA/2021/425-067), all implemented by SEESAC.

3 The new phase of the Union’s support shall be implemented in complementarity with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/3006 .

1 The focus shall be on four main areas, maintaining the holistic approach to tackling the threat posed by SALW in the region.

2 Those main areas address the strategic and policy levels, as well as the operational aspects, thus directly assisting at all levels of SALW control, with an emphasis on: coordinating the regional approach and monitoring of the implementation of the Roadmap, strengthening of knowledge exchange and inter-regional cooperation on SALW control, strengthening the capacities of law enforcement services in Moldova and Ukraine to counter illegal possession, misuse and trafficking, strengthening the capacities of law enforcement and customs services in the Western Balkans for countering illicit trafficking.

3 The action’s geographic scope shall be the Western Balkans, with direct project beneficiaries being Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo , Montenegro, Serbia and North Macedonia. In addition, for the goals set out in paragraph 1, the action shall provide support to the Republic of Moldova and to Ukraine.

4 A detailed description of the action is set out in the Annex to this Decision.

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

2 The technical implementation of the action referred to in Article 1(1) shall be carried out by SEESAC, where necessary in coordination with the Driver of the European multidisciplinary platform against criminal threats (EMPACT) Firearms.

3 SEESAC shall perform its tasks under the responsibility of the High Representative. For that purpose, the High Representative shall enter into the necessary arrangements with UNDP, which shall act on behalf of SEESAC.

1 The financial reference amount for the implementation of the project financed by the Union referred to in Article 1(1) shall be EUR 3499363,97.

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

3 The Commission shall supervise the proper management of the expenditure referred to in paragraph 2. For that purpose, it shall conclude the necessary agreement with UNDP, which shall act on behalf of SEESAC. The agreement shall stipulate that SEESAC has to ensure the visibility of the Union’s contribution, appropriate to its size.

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

1 The High Representative shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Decision on the basis of 6-monthly reports prepared by SEESAC. Those reports shall form the basis of the evaluation carried out by the Council.

2 The Commission shall report on the financial aspects of the project referred to in Article 1(1).

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

2 This Decision shall expire 36 months after the date of conclusion of the agreement referred to in Article 4(3). However, it shall expire six months after the date of its entry into force if no such agreement has been concluded within that six-month period.