The European Peace Facility and support for Ukraine
On 22 March 2021, the Council adopted a decision establishing the European Peace Facility (EPF).
The European Peace Facility (EPF) is an off-budget instrument aimed at enhancing the Union's ability to prevent conflicts, build peace and strengthen international security, by enabling the financing of operational actions under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) that have military or defence implications.
The EPF consists of two pillars:
- Operations Pillar - finances the common costs of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations;
- Assistance Measures Pillar - finances Union action for third states, regional or international organisations aimed at strengthening military and defence capacities and supporting military aspects of peace support operations
The EPF operates under the authority and direction of a Facility Committee, composed of representatives of each EU member state, chaired by a representative of the presidency of the Council.
After Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and in the face of mass war crimes, crimes against humanity committed by Russia, the Council decided to finance the supply of arms and military equipment from the EPF for Ukraine. The seven tranches of financial assistance agreed so far, total amount of EUR 4.6 billion. Financial assistance from the EPF includes, among others, on reimbursing the costs of individual Member States for their deliveries of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine.
