The conditions governing the disciplinary or criminal liability of the operation commander, the administrator and other staff made available in particular by the Union institutions or Member States, in the event of misconduct or negligence in the implementation of the budget shall be governed by the staff regulations or the arrangements applicable to them. In addition, Athena may at its own initiative or at the request of a contributing State or third party bring a civil action against the abovementioned staff.

In no case may the Union or the Secretary-General of the Council be held liable by a contributing State as a result of the performance of their duties by the administrator, the accounting officer or the staff assigned to them.

The contractual liability which may arise from contracts concluded in the context of implementation of the budget shall be covered through Athena by the contributing States or third parties. It shall be governed by the law applicable to the contracts in question.

In the case of non-contractual liability, any damage caused by the operation headquarters, force headquarters and component headquarters of the crisis structure, the composition of which shall be approved by the operation commander, or by their staff in the course of their duties shall be covered through Athena by the contributing States or third parties, in accordance with the general principles common to the laws of the Member States and the staff regulations of the forces, applicable in the theatre of operations.

In no case may the Union or the Member States be held liable by a contributing State for contracts concluded in the framework of budget implementation or for damage caused by the units and departments of the crisis structure, the composition of which shall be approved by the operation commander, or by their staff in the course of their duties.