Proposal for a Council Decision extending the period of application of the appropriate measures laid down for the Republic of Guinea by Decision 2011/465/EU and amending that Decision

In July 2011 the Council of the European Union eased the appropriate measures imposed on Guinea in recognition of progress made towards a return to constitutional rule since the inauguration of President Alpha Condé following democratic elections. The Council recalled, however, that the transition would end only with the holding of free and transparent parliamentary elections – the last benchmark for resumption of cooperation with Guinea under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF).

Council Decision 2011/465/EU, extended by Council Decision 2012/404/EU, expires on 19 July 2013. It established two benchmarks: (1) adoption of a detailed timetable for the holding of parliamentary elections by the end of 2012; (2) the holding of free and transparent parliamentary elections. With the adoption and transmission by Guinea's independent National Electoral Commission of an electoral timetable for holding elections in May 2013, the EU Council considered that the first of these benchmarks had been met. The 10th EDF CSP/NIP was signed in Brussels on 21 December 2012.

On 13 April 2013 a presidential decree set 30 June 2013 as the date for holding the parliamentary elections.

In view of the delays already accumulated in implementation of the electoral timetable and the strong political tensions affecting the holding of elections on the date and under the conditions laid down, the validity of Council Decision 2011/465/EU should be extended by one year and the deadline for holding the parliamentary elections extended until end of October 2013. If elections are held after that date, the EU will not be able to fulfil its commitment to sign the financing decisions for the rest of the 10th EDF projects/programmes, as Council Decision 1/2006 sets 31 December 2013 as the time limit for committing 10th EDF funds ('sunset clause').

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)440: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:440:FIN

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