Instrument for Stability – The EU’s response to some of today’s global threats

Reference:  MEMO/09/164    Brussels,  17/04/2009

Responding to threats posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and organised crime will remain a major security and development challenge for the European Union for the foreseeable future.

The EU’s Instrument for Stability provides an innovative tool to respond, primarily through capacity building and in close consultation with beneficiary countries, to evolving and multi-faceted security threats and risks.

Building on experience gained since the Instrument for Stability was launched in 2007, the European Commission on 8 April 2009 adopted a total amount of €225 million for Instrument for the period 2009-2011 . Activities will respond to the key threats identified in the 2003 European Security Strategy and will aim to increase resilience and the capacity to confront security challenges in the countries of concern, taking account of the political dialogue between the EU and beneficiary countries. Moreover, the actions will reflect the broader multilateral context, including programmes and projects carried out by the UN, G8 partners and regional organisations active in security-related matters.

Over the period 2009-2011, the Instrument for Stability will address three major priorities for long-term action:

1. Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) – support to the EU non-proliferation strategy

EU assistance in critical areas such as redirecting scientists, export controls and illicit trafficking will as appropriate be consolidated in the former Soviet Union and significantly extended to new regions of WMD risks and threats, including South and South-East Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

A number of “Centres of Excellence” will be created to enable the development of coherent assistance packages tailored to the needs of countries in the region concerned and relying on existing capacities in the EU at Community and Member States level.

Specific attention will be paid to the development of a safety and security culture with regard to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials, in particular in the Middle East,South and South-East Asia and China, where rapid economic development increases proliferation risks, particularly in the nuclear and biological fields.

The 2009-2011 programme will also support a global response to WMD risks and threats by strengthening capabilities to prevent the spread of sensitive nuclear technologies, in particular by contributing to Multilateral Nuclear Assurances.

2. Trans-regional threats

Over the period 2009-2011, the Instrument for Stability will also address trans-regional security threats, many of which are interconnected, e.g. terrorism, organised crime and the trafficking of drugs, human beings, small arms and light weapons.

Actions will include:

• Improving counter-terrorism capabilities at global level, in the Sahel region and in Pakistan/Afghanistan: a new programme will be implemented in close cooperation with the United Nations, EU Member States and the Council.
• Fight trafficking from and to Afghanistan: the ongoing programme will be complemented by an action against maritime illicit trafficking in the Black Sea basin.
• An example of the trans-regional links between organised crime, trafficking and terrorism is the new cocaine route from Latin America and the Caribbean to Western Africa and further on to the EU. A major new programme will confront drug trafficking along this route.
• Improving security in key maritime routes: Maritime routes are essential for EU trade and regional stability. A specific programme will aim at improving security along critical maritime routes, with an initial focus on the Malacca Straits, the Bab-el-Mandeb Straits, and the Gulf of Aden.
• Preventing trafficking of small arms and light weapons. Action will build on lessons learnt from existing actions and support compliance with relevant UN instruments.

3. Peace-Building Partnership – Building capacities for effective crisis response

The Peace-building Partnership is the main thrust of the crisis preparedness component and will mobilise and consolidate civilian expertise for peace-building in all stages of a crisis, including conflict prevention, crisis management and early recovery. It will also develop upstream civilian capacity for crisis prevention, including early warning and response.

The main aim is to strengthen international and local capacity, to prevent and mitigate crises and to respond more effectively and coherently to crises. Therefore, the capabilities inherent in the relevant target groups active in the field of peace-building will be mobilised and strengthened: non-state actors; relevant international organisations (including regional and sub-regional organisations); and relevant Member States’ agencies.

Under the previous Stability Instrument (2007-2008), an Expert Support Facility (ESF) was established to facilitate the active participation of experts from Member States in the Instrument. The ESF has been, and will continue to be, used both to identify areas for action and to consult potential beneficiary countries in their concrete needs.

Close coordination, within the relevant agreed policy framework, with EU Member States will continue to be essential in order to create synergies and coherence with bilateral projects and the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Wherever appropriate, close cooperation and coordination with key regional and international organisations and donors is provided for.