67 Common Security and Defence Policy
(CSDP) Mission in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: EUBAM
Rafah and EUPOL COPPS
| Committee's assessment
| Politically important |
| Committee's decision | Cleared from scrutiny
|
| Document details | (a) Council Decision on the EU Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS)
(b) Council Decision the EU Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah)
|
| Legal base | Articles 28, 42(4) and 43(2) TEU; unanimity
|
| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
|
| Document numbers | (a) 36913, — (b) 36927, —
|
Summary and Committee's conclusions
EUBAM RAFAH
67.1 Following the 15 November 2005 Agreement on Movement and
Access for Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian Authority,
the EU established a European Security and Defence Policy Border
Assistance Mission at the Rafah crossing point between Gaza and
Egypt. Whilst active, EUBAM Rafah facilitated the crossing of
over 500,000 people and contributed to confidence building activity
between the parties regarding border control and customs. However,
following the Hamas takeover of the Gaza strip, the mission has
not been opened since June 2007, and has been on standby ever
since.
67.2 The draft Council Decision that the previous
Committee cleared on 18 June 2014 extended the mandate for 12
months to 30 June 2015. The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)
explained that his political agreement in April to this 12-month
mandate extension took account of the broader political situation
at that time, viz., US Secretary of State Kerry and his team's
efforts to secure agreement from Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu
and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to extend the talks beyond
the original deadline of 29 April 2014, which meant there could
be a renewed role for EUBAM Rafah in the coming months; whereas
cutting the mission at that time could have been seen by the US,
Israel and the Palestinians as a lack of confidence in the peace
process.
EUPOL COPPS
67.3 In 2006, the EU Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian
Police Support (established in 2005, within the office of the
EU Special Representative (EUSR)
to the Middle East Peace Process, with financial support from
Sweden, Denmark, the UK and Spain) was elevated to a full CSDP
mission, EUPOL COPPS, with 33 staff and a three-year mandate.
67.4 It was intended to merge the two missions by
June 2012: but Israel rejected this proposal. EUBAM Rafah's operational
element was relocated to Tel Aviv to reduce costs; and the overall
number of staff was reduced from 19 to five.
67.5 The most recent EUPOL COPPS Council Decision
extended its mandate for 12 months, to 30 June 2015. Proposed
expenditure should not exceed €9 million, representing what
the Minister for Europe described as a significant reduction on
the current budget of €9.57 million for 2013/14 (the original
budget proposed was €9.82 million). The Minister supported
this 12-month extension because:
"i) it is a successful Mission that plays an
important role in Palestinian state-building efforts; and ii)
cutting the mission now could be seen by the US, Israel and the
Palestinians as a change in the EU's position on the importance
of the Middle East Peace Process."
67.6 The Minister then wrote to the previous Committee
on 11 March 2015 concerning a European External Action Service
(EEAS) Review covering both missions; once published (which he
expected "within the next few weeks") his officials
would "look to support" their continuation. Negotiations
on mandate renewals and budgets would take place during dissolution;
however, his officials would continue to press for value for money,
and monitor mission performance carefully to ensure that the CSDP
operation in the Palestinian Territories remained on track to
achieve its objectives, and lobby Member States to achieve UK
objectives.
67.7 On EUBAM Rafah specifically, the Minister
says that the Government's view is that:
"should the necessary political and security
conditions arise to enable reactivation to take place (agreement
from Israel, the PA and Egypt, an enduring ceasefire and effective
PA control of Gaza), EUBAM Rafah could make a significant contribution
to improving the situation in Gaza and reducing the likelihood
of a return to conflict."
67.8 That is why, in October 2014 the Foreign Secretary,
along with his French and German counterparts, had written to
the previous HR (Baroness Ashton) "to emphasise the important
role of EUBAM Rafah". Regrettably, the Minister said, "the
necessary conditions for reactivation are not yet in place",
although the UK, along with EU partners, "continues to urge
the parties to make progress". All in all:
"In light of the potential usefulness of EUBAM
Rafah and the very negative message about the EU's commitment
to the reconstruction of Gaza and its reintegration with the West
Bank as part of a future Palestinian state that closure would
bring, the UK's view is that we should support an extension in
the mission's mandate."
67.9 However:
"Should EUBAM Rafah reactivation look unlikely
in the longer term, I will reconsider whether closure should be
considered a serious option. I will update the Committee on the
outcome of the Strategic Review in due course."
67.10 With regard to EUPOL COPPS, the Minister
recalled the shift to a more strategic role in 2013-2015, leaving
the mission with three core objectives — support reform
of the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP); strengthen and support
the criminal justice system; and improve prosecution-police interaction
— and said that he believed that the Strategic Review was
likely to assess that this work needed to continue and that the
mandate should be extended:
"The UK supports EUPOL COPPS, as it is a key
component of EU support to Palestinian state-building efforts.
We want to see a sustainable and well managed policing operation,
which is transparent and accountable and operating within a sound
legal framework in accordance with international standards; an
effective community policing operation; and a sustainable criminal
justice sector, in full compliance with human rights. We believe
the mandate should be extended to enable the mission to eventually
drawdown and transition activities to other stakeholders."
67.11 Turning to the wider context, the Minister
reiterates the Government's overall priority — achievement
of a two-state solution, through negotiations — and hoped
that it would be possible to resume direct talks after the Israeli
elections in March; meanwhile, on the eve of those elections,
the Government was "urging the parties to avoid taking any
steps which will make the resumption of meaningful talks more
difficult".
The previous Committee's assessment
67.12 The previous Committee noted that Prime Minister
Benyamin Netanyahu had emerged as the victor of those elections.
During campaigning, he said he would not allow the creation of
a Palestinian state if re-elected. In the immediate aftermath,
a US White House spokesman that the US would "re-evaluate
our approach" in the wake of Mr Netanyahu's comments. Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas was also reported as having said peace
negotiations stood "no chance" without Israeli government
acceptance of the two-state solution.[ 481]
And HR Federica Mogherini, having congratulated Mr Netanyahu on
his victory and reiterated the EU's commitment to working with
the next Israeli government on a mutually beneficial relationship
as well as on the re-launch of the peace process, called for "bold
leadership" from all to reach "a comprehensive, stable
and viable settlement of a conflict that has already deprived
too many generations of peace and security".[ 482]
67.13 It was accordingly impossible to know precisely
how these long-running CSDP missions would be best able to contribute;
but it made sense not to prejudge that at this critical juncture,
and instead to contemplate a further mandate extension (though
no more than 12 months, they presumed).
67.14 The previous Committee also thanked the Minister
for having set out his position prior to that process so frankly,
and encouraged him to do so more widely with regard to the many
other such CSDP missions, in the decisive period before such mandate
renewals (thus avoiding presenting the Committee with a fait
accompli when the relevant Council Decisions are subsequently
submitted for scrutiny).
67.15 In the meantime, they reported these developments
to the House because of the widespread interest in the situation
in Israel and the OPTs and the response of the Government and
the European Union to it; and again drew this exchange to the
attention of the Foreign Affairs Committee.[ 483]
The draft Council Decisions
67.16 The first (document 36913) extends the mandate
of EUPOL COPPS for 12 months to 30 June 2016. The proposed
budget is €9,175,000 for 12 months. The previous budget was
€8,975,000.
67.17 The second (document 36927) extends the mandate
of EUBAM Rafah for 12 months to 30 June 2016. The EUBAM
Rafah proposed budget is €1,270,000 for 12 months. The previous
budget was €940,000.[ 484]
67.18 On EUPOL COPPS, the Minister says that
the EEAS Strategic Review assessed that progress has been made
in mandate delivery against the mission's three objectives, and
that more work remains to be done in developing PA capabilities;
and recommends that the mandate be extended accordingly. The Minister
agrees with this assessment, and has agreed to a 12 month mandate
extension, to 30 June 2016, and to the principle of a further
12 month extension to 30 June 2017. However, the Minister
says that it was also:
"made clear that we do not see any automaticity
in the EU's agreement for a further year beyond 2016. We insisted
on a Strategic Review to be presented in spring 2016 and that
there needs to be a discussion based on it in spring 2016 before
any decision is made about any further year. We have also ensured
that over the course of the next mandate the mission will begin
to explore options for transition and drawdown of activities.
The mission will include these options in the spring 2016 Strategic
Review."
67.19 On EUBAM Rafah, the Minister recalls
that its mandate is to remain prepared to return to the Rafah
Crossing Point (RCP) should political and security conditions
allow, and to contribute through mentoring, to building up the
Palestinian capacity in all aspects of border management of Rafah.
He says that during the 2014/15 mandate, with agreement from EU
Member States, EUBAM Rafah launched the Palestinian Authority
(PA) Preparedness Project, which aims to help the PA General Agency
for Borders and Crossings (GABC) in further developing operational
capabilities for running the Rafah Crossing Point according to
international standards.
67.20 The Minister signifies his agreement with the
EEAS Strategic Review's assessment that the GABC does not currently
have the capability to run the RCP to international standards
and recommendations that the EUBAM Rafah mandate is extended to
maintain its readiness to redeploy and that it continues the PA
Preparedness Project. He describes the proposed 2015/16 activities
as useful and consistent with the mission's mandate and the UK's
Gaza objectives (one element of which is to mitigate the risk
of a return to conflict in Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation
being to encourage the PA to resume control of the Gaza border
crossings, as this would enable an increase in the movement of
goods and people and help solidify the PA's presence of the in
Gaza). The PA Preparedness Project demonstrates the EU's commitment
to play an active role on Gaza and, if reactivation of EUBAM Rafah
does prove possible, would help ensure that the PA has the capacity
to begin to manage the border in line with international standards
quickly. However, in agreeing to this 12 month mandate extension,
the Minister says that it was again:
"made clear that we do not see any automaticity
in the EU's agreement for a further year beyond 2016. We insisted
on a Strategic Review to be presented in spring 2016 and that
there needs to be a discussion based on it in spring 2016 before
any decision is made about any further year."
67.21 These missions have been running for a long
time, and have cost a good deal thus far. Since we have not seen
the Strategic Review, we can only rely on the generalisations
in the Minister's Explanatory Memoranda as to what they have achieved.
It seems extraordinary that, after ten years, only now has EUBAM
Rafah "developed a detailed knowledge of the GABC's capabilities
and preparedness for managing the RCP"; is still working
with GABC Senior Management in setting out a vision for operating
the RCP; and has only just begun to assist the PA in developing
a Border Catalogue, or strategic framework upon which the PA will
operate the RCP, and an Action Plan, which will set out the tactical
and operational requirements for operating the RCP. There is still
clearly a massive agenda for the much more expensive EUPOL COPPS.
Given what work remains to be done, and the political significance
attached to these missions (see paragraphs 67.08 and 67.10 above),
it is difficult to see them ever being wound up, notwithstanding
what the Minister says about next Spring's further Strategic Review.
67.22 Given their political significance, we also
find it odd that the Minister has nothing to say about what has
been happening since the March general election in Israel, or
with the PA and Hamas, i.e., the political context that is fundamental
to these missions' proper functioning. We therefore ask the Minister
to ensure that any future exchanges on these missions include
a clear exposition of the political context at that time.
67.23 We envisage such exchanges before the next
iteration of these Council Decisions. Looking to the further
Strategic Review, we endorse our predecessors' earlier observations,
both specific and general (see paragraph 66.14 above). This means
that, with regard to the 2016 Strategic Review, we would appreciate
a letter from the Minister as the process gets underway, outlining
his views at that time on what the future of these missions should
be.
67.24 In the meantime, we now clear the draft
Council Decisions and, in the circumstances and on this occasion,
do not take issue with the scrutiny overrides.
Full
details of the documents:
(a) Council Decision amending
Council Decision 2013/354/CFSP on the European Union Police Mission
for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS): (36913), —:
(b) Council Decision amending Joint Action 2005/889/CFSP on establishing
a European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing
Point (EUBAM Rafah): (36927), —.
Background
67.25 The Minister's letter referred to above is
set out in full in our predecessors' 24 March 2015 Report, and
the wider background to the two missions in their earlier relevant
Reports.[ 485]
EUPOL COPPS
67.26 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 5 June 2015,
the Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington) recalls his 11 March
2015 letter and the previous Committee's 24 March 2015, and then
turn to the EEAS Strategic Review:
"The Strategic Review assessed that progress
has been made in mandate delivery against the mission's 3 objectives.
Key achievements include:
· "The
Palestinian Civil Police is able to undertake core policing tasks;
· "Strengthening
the Ministry of Interior's (MoI) strategic planning capacity through
the co-location of strategic advisers with the MoI;
· "Preparing
a new draft Law on Police;
· "Supporting
the PCP in human resource management, principally with the standardisation
of Standard Operating Procedures and job descriptions;
· "Supporting
the drafting of the PCP's first Code of Conduct and helping to
promote it in all policing districts;
· "Making
progress on developing a coherent PCP training system and improving
the capacity of the Palestinian College for Police Services;
· "Working
closely with the Chief Justice to promote internal structural
reforms;
· "Carrying
out enhanced planning in support of the Palestinian Judicial Institute,
aimed at providing coherent training packages across the West
Bank for judges;
· "Improving
the capacity and skills of police investigators and prosecutors.
"The Strategic Review assesses that more work
remains to be done in developing PA capabilities, particularly
on the legal basis, internal arrangements and the division of
responsibilities in the security and justice sector of the PA.
It recommends that the mandate be extended so that the mission
can: continue to strengthen security sector governance through
structural and organisational reform within the MoI; propose and
enable the adoption of intelligence-led and community policing
as organisational policies; continue to develop standard police
policy and procedures; ensure the development and implementation
of internal accountability measures, including disciplinary guidelines
and regulations; establish and reinforce the separation of powers
within the judicial system that the mandate be extended; and support
training and capacity building for judges and prosecutors, including
on anti-corruption measures, access to justice, human rights and
gender."
The Government's view
67.27 The Minister comments as follows:
"We agree with the Strategic Review's assessment
and therefore have indicated in Brussels that we would be content
for a 12 month extension of the mandate for EUPOL COPPS to 30
June 2016. All EU Member States also agreed to the principle of
a further 12 month extension to 30 June 2017. We agreed to this,
but made clear that we do not see any automaticity in the EU's
agreement for a further year beyond 2016. We insisted on a Strategic
Review to be presented in spring 2016 and that there needs to
be a discussion based on it in spring 2016 before any decision
is made about any further year. We have also ensured that over
the course of the next mandate the mission will begin to explore
options for transition and drawdown of activities. The mission
will include these options in the spring 2016 Strategic Review."
67.28 With regard to the Mission Budget (see Annex
2 to this chapter of our Report for detail), the Minister says:
"The proposed budget for the period 1 July 2015
to 30 June 2016 is €9,175,000, which represents an
increase of around 2.2% on the 2014/15 budget. However, this increase
is largely due to exchange rate fluctuations, the overall impact
of which has been offset by around 50% through efficiency savings.
"UK officials in Brussels participated in detailed
discussions on the budget and I am content that the proposed expenditure
is commensurate with mission activity and represents value for
money."
EUBAM RAFAH
67.29 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 15 June 2015,
the Minister recalls that EUBAM Rafah's mandate is to remain prepared
to return to the Rafah Crossing Point (RCP) should political and
security conditions allow, and to contribute, through mentoring,
to building up the Palestinian capacity in all aspects of border
management at Rafah.
67.30 He continues as follows:
"During the 2014/15 mandate, with agreement
from EU Member States, EUBAM Rafah launched the Palestinian Authority
(PA) Preparedness Project. This project aims to help the PA General
Agency for Borders and Crossings (GABC) in further developing
operational capabilities for running the Rafah Crossing Point
according to international standards.
"The project has achieved a number of successes
since it began in October 2014. It has:
· "developed
a detailed knowledge of the GABC's capabilities and preparedness
for managing the RCP;
· "led
a workshop with the GABC Senior Management, which resulted in
the PA setting out a vision for operating the RCP;
· "begun
to assist the PA in developing a Border Catalogue, or strategic
framework upon which the PA will operate the RCP;
· "begun
to assist the PA in developing an Action Plan, which will set
out the tactical and operational requirements for operating the
RCP;
· "led
a study trip for 10 Senior Managers from the GABC to the border
control and EU external border in Hungary, which provided theoretical
and practical experience about the Integrated Border Management
System."
67.31 With regard to the EEAS Strategic Review, the
Minister says:
"The Strategic Review recommends that the EUBAM
Rafah mandate is extended to maintain its readiness to redeploy.
It assesses that the GABC does not currently have the capability
to run the Rafah Crossing Point to international standards and
recommends that the mission continues the PA Preparedness Project."
67.32 Looking ahead, the Minister says that in 2015/16
the mission intends to provide support to the PA in the following
areas:
· "Assisting
the PA define the roles and responsibilities of the different
agencies that operate under the GABC's umbrella (Police, Customs,
International Cooperation, Audit/internal control, Preventative
Security and General and Military Intelligence);
· "Supporting
the PA improve the coordination and cooperation among these different
agencies;
· "Supporting
the PA in improving the professionalisation of personnel to be
deployed at the RCP, through tailored training to a group of PA
personnel and developing a training policy for wider use;
· "Preparing
a joint PA-EUBAM Rafah redeployment plan."
The Government's view
67.33 The Minister comments as follows:
"We agree with the Strategic Review's assessment.
We consider that the proposed 2015/16 activities are useful and
are consistent with the mission's mandate and the UK's Gaza objectives.
One element of the UK's efforts to mitigate the risk of a return
to conflict in Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation has
been and continues to be to encourage the PA to resume control
of the Gaza border crossings, as this would enable an increase
in the movement of goods and people and help solidify the presence
of the PA in Gaza. The PA Preparedness Project is a demonstration
of the EU's commitment to play an active role on Gaza and if reactivation
of EUBAM Rafah does prove possible, would help ensure that the
PA has the capacity to begin to manage the border in line with
international standards quickly.
"We have therefore indicated in Brussels that
we would be content for a 12 month extension of the mandate for
EUBAM Rafah to 30 June 2016. All EU Member States also agreed
to the principle of a further 12 month extension to 30 June 2017.
We agreed to this, but made clear that we do not see any automaticity
in the EU's agreement for a further year beyond 2016. We insisted
on a Strategic Review to be presented in spring 2016 and that
there needs to be a discussion based on it in spring 2016 before
any decision is made about any further year. The UK ensured during
Operational Plan negotiations that sufficient benchmarking be
included to provide a means of evaluation of the project work
in 2015/16. An annex with benchmarking will be produced over the
coming weeks. We will continue to carefully scrutinise the delivery
of the project and outcomes over the next mandate."
67.34 With regard to the Mission Budget (see Annex
2 to this chapter of our Report for detail), the Minister says:
"The proposed budget for the period 1 July 2015
to 30 June 2016 is €1,270,000. This represents a rise
of €330,000 (approximately 35%) on the current budget. The
increase is predominantly due to increases in personnel and office
costs as a result of the PA Preparedness Project. Although a
significant increase, I am satisfied that this expenditure
is necessary to enable delivery of the mandate. Throughout the
Strategic Review process, UK officials pressed for value for money
and a budget commensurate with mission activity. I judge that
the pursuit of further efficiencies would generate only marginal
savings; and would force EUBAM to cut important activity under
the PA Preparedness Project."
67.35 Concerning the Timetable, the Minister
says in connection with both missions that, with their mandates
and budgets due to expire on 30 June 2015, both Council Decisions
will be adopted at the 22 June 2015 Foreign Affairs Council. In
accompanying letters of 5 and 15 June, he says that, given that
the Committee was unlikely to have been formed before the Council
is required to adopt the Decision, he regrets having had to agree
to their adoption before the Committee has had an opportunity
to scrutinise the documents, but delaying their extension "would
mean that certain mission staff would have to temporarily leave
the country, pending mandate renewal", which would have been
"costly and disruptive".
Previous Committee Reports
None, but see EUBAM Rafah: (36115), —, and
EUPOL COPPS: (36161) —: Thirty-ninth Report HC 219-xxxvii
(2014-15), chapter 20 (24 March 2015) and the earlier Reports
cited therein.
Annex 1: the Minister's comparison
of the current and proposed EUPOL COPPS budget:
| Budget heading
| 2014/15 (Euros)
| 2015/16 (Euros)
|
| Personnel costs | 6,463,492
| 6,536,975 |
| Missions | 205,104
| 208,698 |
| Running expenditure |
1,666,930.40 | 1,710,712
|
| Capital expenditure |
538,159 | 549,148
|
| Representation | 15,600
| 15,600 |
| Contingencies | 85,714.60
| 153,867 |
| Total
| 8,975,000
| 9,175,000
|
KEY SUBHEADS:
· Personnel
Costs (€6,536,975):
o "An
increase of €73, 483 represents a small rise of 1.1% on current
expenditure. The rise is mainly due to the standard payment of
salary increments; and the addition to the payroll of three positions
which had previously been occupied by secondees for whom costs
were borne by Member States.
· Mission
Expenditure (€208,698):
o "This
expenditure relates to the costs incurred in implementing the
mandate and includes transportation, per diems and accommodation.
Proposed expenditure represents an increase of €3594 (1.75%)
on the existing allocation.
· Running
Costs (€1,710,712):
o "This
covers a range of costs such as transport, IT, communications,
office accommodation, office supplies, welfare and goods &
services. Compared to the existing budget, the new allocation
will mean an increase of €43,872 (2.63%).
· Capital
Expenditure (€549,148):
o "This
is for equipment for media, IT, Communications, offices, security
and quick impact projects. Proposed expenditure represents an
increase of €10,989 (2.0%) on the current subhead allocation.
· Representation
(€15,600):
o "No
change.
· Contingencies
(€153,867):
o "The
contingency reserve is 1.7% of the budget."
Annex 2: the Minister's comparison
of the current and proposed EUPOL COPPS budget:
| Budget heading
| 2014/15 (Euros)
| 2015/16 (Euros)
|
| Personnel costs | 625,764.31
| 847,016.83 |
| Missions | 20,211
| 21,570 |
| Running expenditure |
275,327 | 360,350
|
| Capital expenditure |
1,500 | 14,000
|
| Representation | 2,040
| 2,040 |
| Contingencies | 15,891.34
| 25,023.17 |
| Total
| 940,000
| 1,270,000
|
· Personnel
Costs (€847,016.83):
o "Proposed expenditure of €847,016.83 is 35% greater than for 2014/15. Costs for Local Staff have risen by €140,000 on account of the recruitment of two more local staff (a Interpreter/Project Assistant for the PA Preparedness Project and an HR Assistant); the yearly step increase; and an increase of €41,000 for social security and pension fund payments. In addition, the allocation for staff severance costs has doubled to €20,000: local staff are entitled to severance only after one year of service so this money is to allow for any cancellation of contract. The new staff will only be entitled to severance pay from the next mandate (in case they leave the mission).
o "EUBAM
intends to recruit four visiting experts for a total of 732 days
under the PA Preparedness project. The budget proposes an
allocation of €69,688 to cover per diem payments, travel
and insurance.
· Missions
Expenditure (€21,570):
o "This
expenditure relates to the costs incurred in implementing the
mandate. The 2015/16 budget represents an increase of €1,359
(6%) on the current year, primarily due to increased expenditure
in respect of daily allowances and accommodation in Israel/Occupied
Palestinian Territories, Europe and other countries.
· Running
Costs (€360,350):
o "This
covers a range of costs such as transport, IT, communications,
services and supplies, activities with counterparts, welfare,
press and public information, financial costs and audit. Proposed
expenditure represents a rise of €35,608 (30%).
o "Transport:
Anticipated expenditure of €57,120 is an increase of almost
over €23,000. Visiting experts will require transportation,
which will necessitate the use of all vehicles in the car fleet.
The mission will incur additional running costs as a consequence;
i. "Information and Technology: The
intended allocation of €8000 is double that for 2014/15.
The rise is due primarily to domain registration and web services
costs, which have increased from €400 to €3400. EUBAM
has been requested by the EEAS Strategic Communication Division
to update its website in order to harmonise it with the visual
identity of other missions. The website has not been updated for
two years.
ii. "Communications: Negligible decrease.
iii. "Offices - Rent and Services: Planned expenditure of €153,260 is an increase of €87,560 on the current allocation. This is due to a necessary move to different premises. The EEAS and Commission have stressed that the current accommodation is unsuitable for the mission in terms of available space to accommodate the HOM, additional staff and visiting experts. Although more expensive, the proposed location is within the same premises as the EU Delegation, which will offset security costs that would be incurred if the move was elsewhere. In addition, EUBAM is 'waitlisted' for when a smaller but sufficient office space becomes available in the same building. Should a suitable space become available, then the mission will go for the smaller solution. The office move will only take place in the beginning of next mandate. In addition, costs for storage have risen. The cars are stored in the EU Delegation parking space, prices for which have already risen during the current mandate.
o "Office supplies: These have increased from €1440 to €3000: Already during the current mandate the funds were deemed insufficient. The forecasted spending will be €2,400 for the mandate. This is due to several factors: inaccurate original calculation, the change of the exchange rate throughout the mandate, the deployment of Visiting Experts in the mission, additional local staff.
· Capital
Expenditure (€14,000)
o "This covers software and office equipment. Proposed expenditure is up €12,500 on the current year. The bulk of the increase is in respect of €11,500 for communications equipment. The mission has previously procured the services of external translators for workshops and conferences. However, the use of in-house staff for translation should be more cost effective. The mission plans to buy a dedicated translation unit (headsets, speakers, etc.), which can be used during the seminars/workshops etc. The price indicated in the budget is based on offers for the aforementioned equipment received by the mission from local suppliers.
· Representation
(€2040):
o "No
change."
481 See News Middle East. Back
482 See the EU High Representative's (Federica Mogherini) 18 March
2015 statement. Back
483 See EU BAM Rafah: (36115), -, and (EUPOL COPPS): (36161), -:
Thirty-ninth Report HC 219-xxxvii (2014-15), chapter 20 (24 March
2015). Back
484 See the "Background" section of our Report below for
details of each mission's past and prospective activities, and
the Annexes to this chapter for a detailed breakdown of each mission's
budgets. Back
485 See EU BAM Rafah: (36115), -, and (EUPOL COPPS): (36161), -:
Thirty-ninth Report HC 219-xxxvii (2014-15), chapter 20 (24 March
2015) and the earlier Reports cited therein. Back
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