OSCE: EU Statement on the draft decision on OSCE Concept on Security Sector Governance (SSG)

Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Joint PC-FSC Meeting

15 November 2006

EU Statement on the draft decision on OSCE Concept on Security Sector Governance (SSG) PC.DEL/999/06

The European Union takes note of the draft decision on OSCE Concept on Security Sector Governance (SSG) PC.DEL/999/06.

The OSCE has a long experience on Security Sector Governance which should be taken into account. It is touched upon in many CSCE/OSCE documents, such as the Helsinki Final Act and Code of Conduct of Politico-Military Aspect of Security.

In this regard the valuable work in the SSG area being carried out particularly by the UN should also be continued. Through its achievements in the Western Balkans, the EU has shown that its own Security Sector Reform concept has an important role to play.

The EU understands that the objective with the proposal would be to assess the cohesiveness of the cross-dimensional approach of the Security Sector. As such and as the proposal does not open already existing OSCE norms and commitments the EU can in principle support a draft decision.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.

* Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process