Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 3 U.K. Assistance in response to situations of crisis or emerging crisis to prevent conflicts

1. The Union shall provide technical and financial assistance in pursuit of the specific objectives set out in point (a) of Article 1(4) in response to the following exceptional and unforeseen situations:

(a) a situation of urgency, crisis or emerging crisis;

(b) a situation posing a threat to democracy, law and order, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, or the security and safety of individuals, in particular those exposed to gender-based violence in situations of instability; or

(c) a situation threatening to escalate into armed conflict or to severely destabilise the third country or countries concerned.

Such assistance may also address situations where the Union has invoked the essential elements clauses of international agreements in order to suspend, partially or totally, cooperation with third countries.

2. The technical and financial assistance referred to in paragraph 1 may cover the following:

(a) support, through the provision of technical and logistical assistance, for the efforts undertaken by international and regional organisations and by State and civil society actors in promoting confidence-building, mediation, dialogue and reconciliation;

(b) support for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security, in particular in fragile, conflict and post-conflict countries;

(c) support for the establishment and functioning of interim administrations mandated in accordance with international law;

(d) support for the development of democratic, pluralistic State institutions, including measures to enhance the role of women in such institutions, effective civilian administration and civilian oversight over the security system, as well as measures to strengthen the capacity of law-enforcement and judicial authorities involved in the fight against terrorism, organised crime and all forms of illicit trafficking;

(e) support for international criminal tribunals and ad hoc national tribunals, truth and reconciliation commissions, and mechanisms for the legal settlement of human rights claims and the assertion and adjudication of property rights, established in accordance with international standards in the fields of human rights and the rule of law;

(f) support for measures necessary to start the rehabilitation and reconstruction of key infrastructure, housing, public buildings and economic assets, and essential productive capacity, as well as other measures for the re-starting of economic activity, the generation of employment and the establishment of the minimum conditions necessary for sustainable social development;

(g) support for civilian measures related to the demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants and their families into civil society, and where appropriate their repatriation, as well as measures to address the situation of child soldiers and female combatants;

(h) support for measures to mitigate the social effects of restructuring the armed forces;

(i) support for measures to address, within the framework of Union cooperation policies and their objectives, the socio-economic impact on the civilian population of anti-personnel landmines, unexploded ordnance or explosive remnants of war. Activities financed under this Regulation may cover, inter alia, risk education, mine detection and clearance and, in conjunction therewith, stockpile destruction;

(j) support for measures to combat, within the framework of Union cooperation policies and their objectives, the illicit use of and access to firearms, small arms and light weapons;

(k) support for measures to ensure that the specific needs of women and children in crisis and conflict situations, including their exposure to gender-based violence, are adequately met;

(l) support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of the victims of armed conflict, including measures to address the specific needs of women and children;

(m) support for measures to promote and defend respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law, and the related international instruments;

(n) support for socio-economic measures to promote equitable access to, and transparent management of, natural resources in a situation of crisis or emerging crisis, including peace-building;

(o) support for measures to address the potential impact of sudden population movements with relevance to the political and security situation, including measures addressing the needs of host communities in a situation of crisis or emerging crisis, including peace-building;

(p) support for measures to promote the development and organisation of civil society and its participation in the political process, including measures to enhance the role of women in such processes and measures to promote independent, pluralist and professional media;

(q) support for measures in response to natural or man-made disasters which pose a threat to stability, and to threats to public health linked to pandemics, in the absence of, or by way of complement to, Union humanitarian and civil protection assistance.

3. In the situations referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Union may also provide technical and financial assistance not expressly covered by paragraph 2 of this Article. Such assistance shall be limited to exceptional assistance measures as referred to in Article 7(2) which fulfil all of the following conditions:

(a) they fall within both the general scope of this Regulation and the specific objectives set out in point (a) of Article 1(4);

(b) they are limited in duration to the period laid down in Article 7(2);

(c) they would normally be eligible under other Union instruments for external assistance or the other components of this Regulation but, because of the need to respond rapidly to the situation, they should be addressed through crisis or emerging crisis measures.