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Eplo Conflict Prevention Newsletter EPLO CONFLICT PREVENTION NEWSLETTER VOLUME 8, ISSUE 5 – NOVEMBER 2013 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Pages 1-2: – EU Update Page 8: – Job Vacancies and Internships – Training Courses Page 2: – Upcoming Civil Society Events – Publications Pages 3-5: – EU Press Releases Page 9: – Civil Society Dialogue Network – The EU and Peacebuilding: From Peace Page 6-7: – Special Focus: The Implementation Project to Global Actor of UNSCR 1325 in Europe EU UPDATE Council of the EU The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) met on 18 and 21 October in discussed ongoing reforms in Myanmar Luxembourg. On 18 October, EU trade ministers: received a briefing on the preparations for the meeting of the took stock of preparations regarding the trade aspects of the EU-Myanmar Task Force (13-15 November, Yangon and EU's association agreements with Armenia, Georgia, Moldova Naypyidaw) and Ukraine ahead of the upcoming Eastern Partnership sum- adopted the EU position for the first meeting of the EU-Serbia mit (28-29 November, Vilnius) Stabilisation and Association Council (21 October, Luxem- adopted a mandate for the European Commission (EC) to bourg) negotiate an investment agreement with China on behalf of extended the EU restrictive measures against the Republic of the EU Guinea until 27 October 2014 adopted an updated mandate allowing the EC to open negoti- allocated € 8 million from the EU budget to support the activi- ations on investment protection provisions with countries of ties of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the areas of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as part nuclear security and verification of ongoing free trade negotiations adopted the second part of the EU annual report on human discussed a draft regulation aimed at establishing a legal and rights and democracy. financial framework for investor-state dispute settlement pro- ceedings, as part of a broader framework for foreign direct The General Affairs Council (GAC) met on 30 September in Brus- investment sels and on 22 October in Luxembourg. received a briefing from the EC on preparations and pro- In September, EU foreign and European ministers noted the spects for the ninth World Trade Organisation ministerial con- report on the implementation of the obligations under the Con- ference (3-6 December, Bali, Indonesia). vention on Nuclear Safety which will be examined at the next review meeting (24 March – 4 April 2014). On 21 October, EU foreign ministers adopted conclusions on In October, they agreed to confirm the EU common position Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Central African Republic, Syria, for the opening of chapter 22 on regional policy and coordination Yemen, the European Court of Auditors’ special report on EU co- of structural instruments with Turkey, and to convene an acces- operation with Egypt in the field of governance, and ensuring the sion conference at ministerial level (5 November, Brussels). They continued pursuit of an effective EU policy on the new challenges also gave a mandate to the Presidency to negotiate on the basis presented by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction of the EU-Central Asia Action Plan on Drugs (2014-2020) and to and their delivery systems. They also: endorse it during the EU-Central Asia Senior Officials’ meeting took stock of developments in the EU’s Eastern Partnership in (12 November, Brussels). preparation for the upcoming summit Click here to read the FAC conclusions from 18 October, here to read the FAC discussed the situation in Egypt conclusions from 21 October, here to read the GAC conclusions from 30 Septem- ber, and here to read the GAC conclusions from 22 October. exchanged views on Libya European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) Tel.: +32 (0)2 233 37 37 Rue Belliard / Belliardstraat 205, Box 12 Fax: +32 (0)2 233 37 38 1040 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] Belgium Website: www.eplo.org EPLO CONFLICT PREVENTION NEWSLETTER – VOLUME 8, ISSUE 5 PAGE 1 EU UPDATE (CONTINUED) European Council decision of the European Parliament and of the Council providing The European Council met on 24-25 October in Brussels. EU macro-financial assistance to the Kyrgyz Republic. heads of state and government looked ahead to the upcoming On 16 October, the EC published a report on the implementa- Eastern Partnership summit. tion of Regulation (EC) No 428/2009 setting up a Community regime for the control of exports, transfer, brokering and transit of Click here to read the European Council conclusions. dual-use items, and a communication on ‘Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2013-2014’. Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Click here to read the documents which were published by the EC in September On 23 September, the Council of the EU extended the two EU and October. missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): the EU police mission (EUPOL RD Congo) and the EU advisory and assistance mission for security reform (EUSEC RD Congo). It European Parliament (EP) also announced that this would be the last mandate for both mis- The European Parliament had plenary sessions on 7-10 and 21- sions and that they would hand over their activities by 30 Sep- 24 October in Strasbourg. tember 2014. Members adopted resolutions on gendercide, corruption in the public and private sectors and its impact on human rights in Click here to read the press release about the CSDP missions in the DRC. third countries, EU and Member State measures to tackle the flow of refugees as a result of the conflict in Syria, recent vio- lence in Iraq, clashes in Sudan and subsequent media censor- European Commission (EC) ship, recent cases of violence and persecution against Christians On 25 September, the EC published the Annual Report on the in Iran, Pakistan and Syria; caste-based discrimination, alleged European Union's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Policies transportation and illegal detention of prisoners in European and their Implementation in 2012. countries by the CIA, the participation of Jordan in EU pro- On 30 September, the EC and the European External Action grammes, EU pre-accession funds, local authorities and civil Service (EEAS) published a joint proposal for a Council Regula- society, human rights in the Sahel region, macro-financial assis- tion amending Regulation (EC) No 147/2003 concerning restric- tance to the Kyrgyz Republic, the European Neighbourhood Poli- tive measures in respect of Somalia, and a joint proposal for a cy, and the annual report on the Common Foreign and Security Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 con- Policy. cerning restrictive measures against Iran. On 7 October, the EC published a communication concerning Click here to read the texts which were adopted by the EP in October. the position of the Council at first reading on the adoption of a UPCOMING CIVIL SOCIETY EVENTS Post-2015: Objective Peace Tuesday 26 November 2013, Brussels (Organisers: Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid) & Saferworld) For more information about this event, please visit the European Development Days website. Young Voices for Inclusive Governance Wednesday 27 November 2013, Brussels (Organisers: European Youth Forum, Plan EU Office, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages International and World Vision International) For more information about this event, please visit the European Development Days website. Tackling Conflict and Violence Post-2015 Wednesday 27 November 2013, Brussels (Organiser: Saferworld) For more information about this event, please visit the European Development Days website. The Situation of Syrian Refugees in the Neighbouring Countries: What Role Should the European Union Play? Wednesday 27 November 2013, Brussels (Organisers: Heinrich Böll Stiftung and IKV Pax Christi) For more information about this event, please contact Marianne Ebertowski. Human security as a tool for a comprehensive approach to human rights and security linkages in EU Foreign policy Friday 6 December 2013, The Hague (Organisers: Centre for the Law of EU External Relations and the T.M.C. Asser Instituut) For more information about this event, please contact the Centre for the Law of EU External Relations. EPLO CONFLICT PREVENTION NEWSLETTER – VOLUME 8, ISSUE 5 PAGE 2 EU PRESS RELEASES President of the European Council 11 October 2013 – President Herman Van Rompuy congratulates the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, winner of the 2013 No- bel Peace Prize 10 October 2013 – Speech by President Herman Van Rompuy at the French National Assembly 25 September 2013 – Speech by President Herman Van Rompuy to the General Assembly of the United Nations 23 September 2013 – Joint message by President Herman Van Rompuy and President José Manuel Barroso to the President of Kenya Uhuru Ken- yatta on the terrorist attack in Nairobi 19 September 2013 – Déclaration présidentielle conjointe à l'occasion de l'investiture du Président de la République du Mali Ibrahim Boubakar Keïta Click here to read all the latest press releases from the President of the European Council. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy 31 October 2013 – Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton ahead of Kosovo elections 31 October 2013 – Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the latest Israeli announcement of settlement plans 28 October 2013 – Déclaration du porte-parole de Catherine Ashton, Haute Représentante de l'UE, suite au premier tour des élections présiden- tielles à Madagascar le 25 octobre 2013 28 October 2013 – Joint statement
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