**Executive Summary:**
Council Decision CFSP 2025/1499, adopted on 18 July 2025, establishes an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) to support the Togolese Armed Forces. The measure aims to enhance Togo's security and defence capabilities in response to regional threats. The duration of this assistance measure is 30 months from the date of adoption.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Establishment and Objectives:**
* Establishes an assistance measure for Togo, financed by the EPF.
* Aims to strengthen EU-Togo cooperation in security and defence.
* Seeks to bolster the military capabilities of the Togolese Armed Forces.
* Supports Togo's efforts to protect its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and civilian population.
* **Scope of Assistance:**
* Finances non-lethal equipment for deployment, organisation, individual protection, and combatting explosives.
* Covers related supplies, services, and training.
* **Financial Arrangements:**
* Sets a financial reference amount of EUR 10,000,000.
* Expenditure is managed according to Decision CFSP 2021/509 and EPF rules.
* **Arrangements with Togo:**
* Requires arrangements with Togo to ensure compliance with the Decision's requirements.
* Togo must ensure compliance with international law, proper use and maintenance of assets, and prevent asset loss or unauthorized transfer.
* Support may be suspended or terminated if Togo breaches these obligations.
* **Implementation and Monitoring:**
* The High Representative is responsible for implementation.
* Implementation of activities will be carried out by the Administrator for assistance measures.
* Requires monitoring of Togo's compliance with obligations, including human rights and humanitarian law.
* Includes delivery verification, inventory reporting, and on-site visits for control.
* A final evaluation will assess the measure's contribution to its objectives.
* **Reporting and Oversight:**
* The High Representative will provide six-monthly reports to the Political and Security Committee (PSC).
* The administrator will regularly inform the Facility Committee on revenue and expenditure.
* **Suspension and Termination:**
* The PSC may suspend the measure.
* The PSC may recommend the Council to terminate the measure.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Togolese Armed Forces:**
* *Impact:* Will receive equipment, training, and support to enhance their capabilities in protecting Togo's territory and population.
* *Action Required:* Must comply with international law, ensure proper use and maintenance of provided assets, and prevent their loss or unauthorized transfer.
* **High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for the overall implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the assistance measure.
* *Action Required:* Make necessary arrangements with Togo, ensure compliance with Decision CFSP 2021/509 and EPF rules, monitor Togo's compliance with obligations, and provide regular reports to the PSC.
* **Administrator for assistance measures:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementing specific activities related to the assistance measure.
* *Action Required:* Implement activities as directed, and regularly inform the Facility Committee on revenue and expenditure.
* **Political and Security Committee (PSC):**
* *Impact:* Oversees the implementation of the assistance measure and can decide to suspend or terminate it.
* *Action Required:* Review reports from the High Representative, monitor the effectiveness of the assistance measure, and make decisions regarding suspension or termination as necessary.
* **Facility Committee:**
* *Impact:* Receives regular updates on the implementation of revenue and expenditure related to the assistance measure.
* *Action Required:* Review information provided by the administrator and ensure proper financial management of the assistance measure.
Key Entities Referenced
European Peace Facility: A financing mechanism by Member States of Union actions under the common foreign and security policy.
Togolese Armed Forces: The military forces of Togo, the beneficiary of the assistance measure.
Togo: Country in West Africa that is receiving assistance under the European Peace Facility.
Council Decision CFSP 2021/509: Council decision establishing the European Peace Facility.
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: The individual responsible for making arrangements with Togo and implementing the decision.
Sahel region: The region from which Islamist militant groups are attacking Togo.
Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP: Council Common Position defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment.
Brussels: Location where the Council Decision was adopted.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/1499 21.7.2025
COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/1499
of 18 July 2025
on an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Togolese Armed Forces
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 28(1) and Article 41(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
(1) Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/509(1) establishes the European Peace Facility (EPF) for the financing by Member
States of Union actions under the common foreign and security policy to preserve peace, prevent conflicts and
strengthen international security pursuant to Article 21(2), point (c), of the Treaty. In particular, pursuant to
Article 1(2) of Decision (CFSP) 2021/509, the EPF is to be used for the financing of assistance measures such as
actions to strengthen the capacities of third States and regional and international organisations relating to military
and defence matters.
(2) Togo is currently facing attacks from Islamist militant groups from the Sahel region, particularly in northern parts of
the country. On 17 July 2023, Togo invited the Union to deploy a security and defence initiative in support of West
African countries of the Gulf of Guinea. On 3 August 2023, Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599(2)established such
an initiative in Benin and Ghana, and on 25 September 2023, Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/2066(3)extended that
initiative to Côte d’Ivoire and Togo. No adviser under the initiative has yet been deployed to Togo.
(3) On 18 March 2025, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy received a request
from Togo for the Union to assist the Togolese Armed Forces with the procurement of key equipment to enhance
their capabilities.
(4) Assistance measures are to be implemented taking into account the principles and requirements set out in Decision
(CFSP) 2021/509, in particular compliance with Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP(4), and in line with the
rules for the implementation of revenue and expenditure financed under the EPF.
(5) The Council reaffirms its determination to protect, promote and fulfil human rights, fundamental freedoms and
democratic principles and to strengthen the rule of law and good governance, in compliance with the Charter of the
United Nations, with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international law, in particular
international human rights law and international humanitarian law,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Establishment, objectives, scope and duration
1. An assistance measure benefiting Togo (the ‘beneficiary’) to be financed under the European Peace Facility (EPF) (the
‘assistance measure’) is hereby established.
(1) Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 of 22 March 2021 establishing a European Peace Facility, and repealing Decision (CFSP)
2015/528 (OJ L 102, 24.3.2021, p. 14, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2021/509/oj).
(2) Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599 of 3 August 2023 on a European Union Security and Defence Initiative in support of West
African countries of the Gulf of Guinea (OJ L 196, 4.8.2023, p. 25, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/1599/oj).
(3) Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/2066 of 25 September 2023 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/1599 on a European Union Security
and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea (OJ L 238, 27.9.2023, p. 141, ELI: http://data.
europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/2066/oj).
(4) Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP of 8 December 2008 defining common rules governing control of exports of military
technology and equipment (OJ L 335, 13.12.2008, p. 99, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/compos/2008/944/oj).
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OJ L, 21.7.2025
2. The objectives of the assistance measure are the following:
(a) to strengthen the cooperation between the Union and Togo in the area of security and defence;
(b) to strengthen the military and defence capacities of the Togolese Armed Forces;
(c) to support the Togolese Armed Forces in their efforts to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country,
and in their efforts to protect the civilian population of Togo against internal and external aggressions.
3. To achieve the objectives set out in paragraph 2, the assistance measure shall finance the following types of equipment
not designed to deliver lethal force:
(a) equipment to support the deployment and organisation of the Togolese Armed Forces in the field;
(b) individual protection and real life support equipment;
(c) equipment for combatting explosives.
The assistance measure shall also finance related supplies and services, including training linked to the delivered equipment,
where needed.
4. The duration of the assistance measure shall be 30 months from the date of adoption of this Decision.
Article 2
Financial arrangements
1. The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure related to the assistance measure shall be EUR
10 000 000.
2. All expenditure shall be managed in accordance with Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 and in line with the rules for the
implementation of revenue and expenditure financed under the EPF.
Article 3
Arrangements with the beneficiary
1. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’) shall make the
necessary arrangements with the beneficiary to ensure its compliance with the requirements and conditions established by
this Decision as a condition for the provision of support under the assistance measure.
2. The arrangements referred to in paragraph 1 shall include provisions obliging the beneficiary to ensure:
(a) compliance of the units of the Togolese Armed Forces supported under the assistance measure with relevant
international law, in particular international human rights law and international humanitarian law;
(b) proper and efficient use of any assets provided under the assistance measure for the purposes for which they were
provided;
(c) sufficient maintenance of any assets provided under the assistance measure to ensure their usability and operational
availability over their life cycle;
(d) that any assets provided under the assistance measure are not lost or transferred to persons or entities other than those
identified in those arrangements.
3. The arrangements referred to in paragraph 1 shall include provisions on the suspension and termination of support
under the assistance measure in the event of the beneficiary being found in breach of the obligations set out in paragraph 2.
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OJ L, 21.7.2025
Article 4
Implementation
1. The High Representative shall be responsible for ensuring the implementation of this Decision in accordance with
Decision (CFSP) 2021/509, and in line with the rules for the implementation of revenue and expenditure financed under
the EPF and with the Integrated Methodological Framework for assessing and identifying the required measures and controls
for assistance measures under the EPF.
2. The implementation of the activities referred to in Article 1(3) of this Decision shall be carried out by the
Administrator for assistance measures.
Article 5
Monitoring, control and evaluation
1. The High Representative shall monitor the compliance by the beneficiary with the obligations set out in Article 3.
That monitoring shall be used to provide awareness of the context and the risks of breaches of the obligations set out in
Article 3, and to contribute to the prevention of such breaches, including violations of international human rights law and
international humanitarian law by the units of the Togolese Armed forces supported under the assistance measure.
2. The post-shipment control of equipment and supplies shall be organised as follows:
(a) delivery verification, whereby EPF delivery certificates are to be signed by the end-user forces upon transfer of
ownership;
(b) reporting on the inventory, whereby the beneficiary is to report annually on the inventory of designated items until such
reporting is no longer deemed necessary by the Political and Security Committee (PSC);
(c) on-site visits, whereby the beneficiary is to grant the High Representative and the EPF auditors access to conduct on-site
checks and EPF audits, upon request.
3. The High Representative shall conduct a final evaluation upon completion of the assistance measure to assess whether
the assistance measure has contributed to reaching the objectives set out in Article 1(2).
Article 6
Reporting
During the period of implementation, the High Representative shall provide the PSC with six-monthly reports on the
implementation of the assistance measure, in accordance with Article 63 of Decision (CFSP) 2021/509. The administrator
for assistance measures shall regularly inform the Facility Committee established by Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 on the
implementation of revenue and expenditure in accordance with Article 38 of that Decision, including by providing
information on the suppliers and subcontractors involved.
Article 7
Suspension and termination
1. The PSC may decide to suspend wholly or partially the implementation of the assistance measure in accordance with
Article 64 of Decision (CFSP) 2021/509.
2. The PSC may recommend that the Council terminate the assistance measure.
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OJ L, 21.7.2025
Article 8
Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 18 July 2025.
For the Council
The President
M. BJERRE
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