COUNCIL OF THE EU:update

 

Press material Wednesday 13 April 2022

● Council of the EU   13/04/2022 15:03 | Press release | EUAM Ukraine: Council further amends the mandate to also provide support in the investigation and prosecution of international crimes   The Council today adopted a decision amending the mandate of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine). Under the amended mandate, EUAM Ukraine will also provide support to Ukrainian authorities to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of any international crimes committed in the context of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine. EUAM Ukraine will provide Ukrainian authorities with strategic advice and training on related matters. It may also donate funds or equipment to Ukrainian authorities. The mission will ensure close cooperation with the International Criminal Court and with Eurojust, as well as with member states acting in direct support of the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in Ukraine. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine grossly violates international law and is causing massive loss of life and injury to civilians. Russia is directing attacks against the civilian population and is targeting civilian objects, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools and shelters. These war crimes must stop immediately. Those responsible, and their accomplices, will be held to account in accordance with international law. EUAM Ukraine is a non-executive civilian mission established on 22 July 2014. It began operations on 1 December 2014. Its overall objective is to support Ukraine in developing sustainable, accountable and efficient security services that strengthen the rule of law. EU response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine (background) European Council conclusions, 24-25 March 2022 EUAM Ukraine (EEAS)

● Council of the EU   13/04/2022 14:12 | Press release | EU introduces exceptions to restrictive measures to facilitate humanitarian activities in Ukraine   In view of the humanitarian crisis resulting from Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, the Council introduced humanitarian exceptions1 in two sanctions regimes concerning the situation in Ukraine: restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (“Ukraine territorial integrity regime”), and restrictive measures in response to the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and the ordering of Russian armed forces into those areas (“Donetsk and Luhansk regime”). In particular, organisations and agencies acting as humanitarian partners of the EU, such as the ICRC and the UN specialised agencies, are exempted from the prohibition to make funds or economic resources available to persons and entities designated under the Ukraine territorial integrity regime when the funds or resources are necessary for exclusively humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. In addition, certain clearly defined categories of humanitarian organisations are exempted from the export restrictions and the related prohibition on the provision of services under the Donetsk and Luhansk regime when this is necessary for exclusively humanitarian purposes in the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine. Furthermore, under both regimes, organisations not covered by the above exemptions can request Member States to grant a derogation from the same prohibitions when that is necessary for humanitarian activities in Ukraine. The aim of today’s decisions is to safeguard principled humanitarian action by impartial humanitarian actors addressing the humanitarian needs of the civilian population in Ukraine. It signals the EU’s commitment to adhere to humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law in EU sanctions policy, and to avoid any potential unintended negative impacts of EU restrictive measures on principled humanitarian action. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine grossly violates international law and is causing massive loss of life and injury to civilians. Russia is directing attacks against the civilian population and is targeting civilian objects, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools and shelters. These war crimes must stop immediately. Those responsible, and their accomplices, will be held to account in accordance with international law. The siege of Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities, and the denial of humanitarian access by Russian military forces are unacceptable. Russian forces must immediately provide for safe pathways to other parts of Ukraine, as well as humanitarian aid to be delivered to Mariupol and other besieged cities. The European Council demands that Russia immediately stop its military aggression in the territory of Ukraine, immediately and unconditionally withdraw all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine, and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognised borders. 1There are two types of exceptions in EU sanctions regimes: (i) ‘exemptions’, which are carve-outs from EU sanctions for specific types of goods or activities, and (ii) ‘derogations’, which are authorisations for specific types of goods or activities that would otherwise be prohibited by EU sanctions. EU restrictive measures in response to the crisis in Ukraine European Council conclusions, 24-25 March 2022

Today the Council adopted two assistance measures under the European Peace Facility (EPF) that will allow the EU to further support the capabilities … Press material Wednesday 13 April 2022   ● Council of the EU   13/04/2022 14:10 | Press release | EU support to Ukraine: Council agrees on third tranche of support under the European Peace Facility for total €1.5 billion   Today the Council adopted two assistance measures under the European Peace Facility (EPF) that will allow the EU to further support the capabilities and resilience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country, and protect the civilian population against the ongoing Russian military aggression. The EU will add €500 million to the resources already mobilised under the EPF for Ukraine, thereby tripling the initial budget to €1.5 billion. "With this new additional €500 million, the EU has allocated a total of €1.5 billion to support EU Member States’ supplies of military equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The next weeks will be decisive. As Russia prepares for an offensive on the East of Ukraine, it is crucial that we continue and step up our military support to Ukraine to defend its territory and population and prevent further suffering." Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy The agreed measures will finance both the provision of equipment and supplies to the Ukrainian Armed Forces by EU Member States, including personal protective equipment, first aid kits and fuel, as well as military equipment designed to deliver lethal force for defensive purposes. The duration of the assistance measures is also extended by 24 months. Previous assistance measures were agreed on 28 February and 23 March 2022. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine grossly violates international law and is causing massive loss of life and injury to civilians. Russia is directing attacks against the civilian population and is targeting civilian objects, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools and shelters. These war crimes must stop immediately. Those responsible, and their accomplices, will be held to account in accordance with international law. The siege of Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities, and the denial of humanitarian access by Russian military forces are unacceptable. Russian forces must immediately provide for safe pathways to other parts of Ukraine, as well as humanitarian aid to be delivered to Mariupol and other besieged cities. The European Council demands that Russia immediately stop its military aggression in the territory of Ukraine, immediately and unconditionally withdraw all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine, and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognised borders. EU support to Ukraine: Council doubles funding under the European Peace Facility, press release 23 March 2022 European Peace Facility EU adopts fifth round of sanctions against Russia over its military aggression against Ukraine, press release 7 April 2022 EU restrictive measures in response to the crisis in Ukraine European Council conclusions, 24-25 March 2022 Press material Wednesday 13 April 2022   ● Council of the EU   13/04/2022 13:48 | Press release | Sustainable finance: Council agrees its position on European Green Bonds   The EU is taking further steps to implement its strategy on financing sustainable growth and the transition to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient economy. EU permanent representatives greenlighted the Council's position on a proposal to create European Green Bonds. This regulation lays down uniform requirements for issuers of bonds that wish to use the designation ‘European Green Bond’ or ‘EuGB’ for their environmentally sustainable bonds made available to investors in the Union, and establishes a registration system and supervisory framework for external reviewers of European green bonds. Environmentally sustainable bonds are one of the main instruments for financing investments related to green technologies, energy efficiency and resource efficiency as well as sustainable transport infrastructure and research infrastructure. Now that the Council has agreed its position on the proposal, it is ready to start negotiations with the European Parliament in order to agree on a final version of the text. Financing the climate transition (background information) ● Council of the EU   13/04/2022 13:42 | Press release | Council agrees recommendation on the exchange of Ukrainian hryvnia banknotes into EU currencies to support people escaping the war in Ukraine   At today’s meeting, the Permanent Representatives Committee endorsed a Council recommendation on the conversion of hryvnia banknotes into the currency of member states hosting people escaping the war in Ukraine. The objective is to further support refugees who are having difficulty exchanging their banknotes into EU currencies. The recommendation invites member states to set up national schemes that would allow for the conversion of hryvnias under similar conditions across the EU. The schemes would allow displaced persons from Ukraine, including children, to exchange up to 10 000 hryvnias (approximately € 310), per person. This would be free of charges, and at the official exchange rate as published by the National Bank of Ukraine. The duration of these schemes would be a minimum of three months. Next steps The recommendation will now be formally adopted by the Council by written procedure. The tentative date for adoption is 19 April. Recommendations are not legally binding acts. The actual implementation and setting up of the schemes are therefore to be decided by the member states according to their national situations. A number of EU countries have already put in place national arrangements for this purpose. Background Due to the disruption caused by the Russian military aggression, the National Central Bank of Ukraine had to suspend the exchange of hryvnia banknotes into foreign currencies in order to protect the country's limited foreign exchange reserves. This has affected the convertibility of the hryvnia banknotes in EU countries, where many banks were unwilling to exchange the hryvnia due to exchange rate risks. On 1 April the Commission presented a proposal for a Council recommendation in order to promote a coordinated approach for national schemes put in place by member states. This proposal had the aim of offering displaced persons from Ukraine the same conditions for converting hryvnia banknotes into local currency independently of the member state that hosts them, establishing a level playing field for the credit institutions and preventing possible speculative behaviour on the market. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than four million people, escaping the war have arrived in the EU. The EU and its member states will continue to show their resolute support to Ukraine and its citizens, in the face of this unprecedented act of aggression by Russia. They are providing humanitarian assistance and temporary protection, including access to their labour markets, housing, healthcare and education systems. The recommendation complements these efforts. Council recommendation Commission proposal