On 23 July 2012, the Council recognised that the dramatic changes in Mali required a review of the actions the Union should undertake in order to support the restoration of democratic government and the rule of law throughout the territory of Mali. It requested the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR) and the Commission to make concrete proposals for Union action in a number of areas to respond to the changing situation.

By letter dated 18 September 2012, the President of the Republic of Mali requested Union support with a view to restoring the Malian territorial integrity.

In its Resolution 2071 (2012) on the situation in Mali, adopted on 12 October 2012, the United Nations Security Council, while expressing its grave concern about the consequences of instability in the north of Mali on the region and beyond, and stressing the need to respond swiftly in order to preserve stability across the Sahel region, invited international partners, including the Union, to provide assistance, expertise, training and capacity-building support to the Malian army and security forces.

In its conclusions of 15 October 2012, the Council requested that work on planning a possible Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) military mission be pursued and extended as a matter of urgency, in particular by developing a crisis management concept relating to the reorganisation and training of the Malian defence forces, taking account of the conditions necessary for the success of any such mission, which include the full support of the Malian authorities and the definition of an exit strategy.

In its conclusions of 19 November 2012, the Council welcomed the presentation of the Crisis Management Concept by the HR and called on the relevant groups to examine it as a matter of urgency so that it could be approved by the Council in December 2012.

On 10 December 2012, the Council approved a Crisis Management Concept on a possible military CSDP training mission in Mali. The Council emphasised that a mission in Mali would be an essential element in the Union’s comprehensive approach as elaborated in the Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel.

By letter dated 24 December 2012, the President of the Republic of Mali addressed an invitation letter to the HR welcoming the deployment of an EU military training mission in Mali.

The Political and Security Committee (PSC) should exercise, under the responsibility of the Council and of the HR, political control over the Union military mission, provide it with strategic direction and take the relevant decisions in accordance with the third paragraph of Article 38 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).

It is necessary to negotiate and conclude international agreements relating to the status of EU units and personnel and to the participation of third States in Union missions.

In accordance with Article 5 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark annexed to the TEU and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), Denmark does not participate in the elaboration and implementation of decisions and actions of the Union which have defence implications. Denmark does not participate in the implementation of this Decision and therefore does not participate in the financing of this mission,