This report comprises the annual report from the European Commission on the Instrument for Stability (IfS) in 2007. It is submitted to the European Parliament and the Council in compliance with the reporting requirement set out in Article 23 of Regulation (EC) N°1717/2006 of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 November 2006 establishing an Instrument for Stability.
The report contains information relating to the previous year on the measures financed and information on the results of monitoring and evaluation exercises and the implementation of budget commitments and payments, broken down by country, region and cooperation sector. The current practice established by the Commission during 2007 is to systematically inform the European Parliament and the Council of Exceptional Assistance Measures about to be supported under the IfS as part of the EU’s crisis response. In view of the need to keep the reporting requirements on each individual programme manageable, it is proposed to use this and the future annual reports for a global implementation update on all on-going measures earlier described, including those aspects on which information could not be provided upstream of the start of implementation.
IfS crisis response programmes adopted in the course of 2007: the crisis response component of the Stability Instrument represents the bulk of the budget under title 19.06 (EUR 91 million in 2007). This allocation was almost entirely used in 2007: consumption of commitment appropriations reached 99% of the available total, while consumption of payment appropriations reached 68% of the available total. While full use of available budget appropriations is not a priori an essential aim for an instrument of this nature, the high consumption rate of commitment appropriations demonstrates that more could have been spent. Thus, a number of already developed programmes had to be deferred for adoption in early 2008. This demonstrates the appropriateness of the foreseen increases on this budget article during the financial perspectives. The measures adopted in the course of 2007 vary both geographically and thematically. A number of programmes adopted in the course of 2007 have already started delivering concrete results.
Thematically, the measures supported cover a broad range of issues, targeted on the specific needs of each conflict/post-conflict situation: short-term advice to develop and kick-start post-conflict security system reform (DRC, Guinea Bissau, Lebanon), complementary measures in areas where European Security and Defence Policy missions are deployed (e.g. DRC, Afghanistan, Chad), support to regional peace-building capacity (AU – AMISOM Somalia, AU-UN Mediation in Darfur), Rule of Law and transitional justice (Afghanistan, Colombia, Haiti), support to interim administrations (ICO Kosovo), conflict resolution and reconciliation (Uganda, Zimbabwe, Burma/Myanmar, Southern Thailand), post-conflict needs assessments and rehabilitation (Lebanon refugee camp), support to displaced populations (Lebanon, Syria), and conflict resources (Kimberley Process through dedicated facility).
No major disaster response programmes were funded in the course of 2007, however the IfS was able to support several post-disaster needs assessments in late 2007 and early 2008, which are likely to materialise in disaster response programmes this year.
Geographically, the largest share of funds (EUR 38.9 million, some 43% of the total) was allocated for measures in Sub-Saharan Africa, namely in Chad, Darfur, Somalia , DR Congo, Uganda, Guinea-Bissau and Zimbabwe. In the Middle East, some EUR 19.7 million or 22% of the funds were committed for programmes in Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territories, and in support of Iraqi refugees in Syria. In the Western Balkans, EUR 10 million were adopted to support the running costs of the International Civilian Office (ICO) in Kosovo. In Latin America and the Caribbean, EUR 9 million (some 10% of the funds) were used on programmes in Colombia, Haiti, and Bolivia.
Finally, in the Asia-Pacific region, EUR 5.9 million, some 6% of the total, were made available for IfS programmes in Afghanistan, Southern Thailand, and Burma/Myanmar.
In addition to the above-enumerated programmes adopted and measures supported, a series of preparatory measures (e.g. expert assessment missions) were funded in the course of 2007 towards related programmes likely to be proposed under the IfS in the course of 2008. Close and regular monitoring of all IfS programmes is ensured by EC Delegations in the beneficiary countries. Delegations are in many cases also directly responsible for the implementation of assistance programmes. In view of the fact that the first IfS programmes have only been on-going for some months, no evaluations were conducted to date.
The Crisis preparedness component of the Stability Instrument: the Instrument for Stability is innovating by introducing a ‘crisis preparedness’ component (EUR 7 million in 2007, and a further EUR 8 million in 2008). Framed as a new Peace-building Partnership, it aims at mobilising and consolidating civilian expertise for peace-building activities. It will focus principally on strengthening directly the up-stream capacity of the relevant partners to rapidly respond to a crisis scenario, and will address, notably, civil society organisations, but also international organizations and relevant agencies in EU Member States. The work under the Peace-building Partnership is the subject of a fruitful on-going dialogue with the relevant sub-group of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The first (2007) Annual Action Programme under the Peace-building Partnership will finance (to the tune of EUR 7 million), inter alia : capacity-building and early warning activities and exchange of experience on best practice for civil society organizations; early warning and early recovery work with UNDP and the African Union; and training for civil stabilization missions. A second (2008) Annual Action Programme for EUR 8 million has just been endorsed by Member States and the Parliament and shall be adopted by 31 March.
Mine Action and the Instrument for Stability: as far as landmines are concerned, it is worth recalling that the IfS is not meant to be an instrument replacing - legally or financially - the repealed Anti-Personnel Landmines (APL) thematic budget line. Main funds to support mine action should come from the geographic and development instruments (DCI, IPA, ENPI besides the EDF) or the humanitarian aid instrument in case of crisis situations.
As for the IfS, support to mine action is foreseen only under its short-term remit and with some constraints. There are no provisions for possible APL support under the IfS long-term part. However, the latter does cover firearms and ammunition. From a stock-taking exercise carried out among relevant Commission services in terms of programming funds committed to mine action after the repeal of the APL budget line, it is evident that funds have dropped by one third, which was the ratio covered by the APL horizontal budget line vis-à-vis the geographic and development instruments (the remaining two thirds). DG Relex A is strengthening internal coordination within the Commission to ensure that APL are given proper attention and hence are effectively mainstreamed in national programmes.