EUPOL in Afghanistan until 2014 or even ad vitam aeternam. A cooperation agreement to be negotiated

(BRUSSELS2) The "27" agreed today (Monday 14 November) to extend the mandate of the European police mission in Afghanistan "until the end of 2014". This is an “agreement in principle”; it will then be necessary to formalize it and possibly define the modification of the format of the mission. The 27 also indicated that the EU was willing to cooperate with Afghanistan " beyond 2014 to support the country's efforts to strengthen policing and the rule of law". But the 27 also put a condition, asking the Afghan government to ensure the presence of the EU (including EUPOL) in Afghanistan under adequate security conditions”.

A roadmap for the Bonn conference

In addition to the EUPOL mission, the EU will table a series of proposals at the Bonn conference on 5 December and is ready to commit to various projects, “as appropriate in coordination and cooperation with the United Nations and NATO and other international fora concerned", to ensure " strengthening governance institutions Afghans”:

• fostering better oversight by elected bodies at both national and sub-national levels, particularly regarding the flow and use of public funds;
• help Afghanistan ensure that provincial and national level institutions work together effectively and transparently;
• strengthen the role of parliament, the judiciary and audit authorities;
• to work in favor of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, with particular attention being paid to women;
• increase its support for capacity building, inter alia, in the areas of sub-national governance, training of civil servants and civilian law enforcement, justice sector reform and electoral reform;
• continue development cooperation with Afghanistan, with a view to promoting economic and social development and combating poverty.

It is also " improve the legal framework governing the activities of the private sector and in particular direct investments, with a view to improving the general investment climate and, therefore, reducing as far as possible political risks ».

A partnership agreement

The 27 signed their agreement to prepare a cooperation agreement “in terms of partnership and development” with Afghanistan. The High Representative, Catherine Ashton, has been mandated to do this. The mandate entrusted to it specifically mentions several sectors: cooperation in the areas already mentioned (for the Bonn conference) and a series of other areas: development, the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and international crime , migration, trade, the environment including climate change and economic and cultural cooperation.

« The agreement will establish, for the first time, a comprehensive, coherent and legally binding framework for EU-Afghan relations — indicate the 27 —, which will set out the common values ​​as well as the mutual rights and obligations of the parties, thereby concretizing a long-term commitment to cooperation with Afghanistan up to 2014 and beyond. »

Intangible financial envelope

The EU is committed "that the financing of its cooperation and assistance programs for Afghanistan and the region - both bilaterally and under the EU budget - is maintained in the years to come , at a level at least equivalent to the current level ».

Download the conclusions (in French): B2 docs