Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to the Internal Agreement between the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Union, meeting within the Council, on the financing of European Union aid under the multiannual financial framework for the period 2014 to 2020, in accordance with the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, and on the allocation of financial assistance for the Overseas Countries and Territories to which Part Four of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union applies^f1, and in particular Article 1(4) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

The ongoing Union engagement in peace and security on the African continent under the African Peace Facility (APF) should be sustained until the end of June 2021 or until the expiration of the application of the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part^f2, as last amended (the ‘ACP-EU Partnership Agreement’), whichever comes first.

APF financial requirements for the period from January to June 2021 are estimated at EUR 113 000 000.

It is appropriate to use decommitted funds from projects under the 10th European Development Fund (the ‘10th EDF’) to ensure the financing of the APF until the end of June 2021 or until the expiration of the application of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, whichever comes first. Those additional funds should finance support to African-led Peace Support Operations.

The funds should be used in accordance with the relevant APF multiannual action programme and with the rules and procedures applicable to the 11th European Development Fund (the ‘11th EDF’), as set out in Council Regulations (EU) 2015/322^f3 and (EU) 2018/1877^f4.

Reused 10th EDF funds, previously not committed in accordance with Article 1(3) of the 11th EDF Internal Agreement or decommitted in accordance with Article 1(4) of that Agreement, shall remain a resource of the 10th EDF under point (a) of Article 1(2) of the 10th EDF Internal Agreement^f5,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: