Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/1448 of 26 June 2026 in support of a project on the reduction of ammunition safety risks in Ukraine

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/1448 29.6.2026 COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2026/1448 of 26 June 2026 in support of a project on the reduction of ammunition safety risks in Ukraine THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 28(1) and 31(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) On 19 November 2018, the Council adopted the EU Strategy against illicit firearms, small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition. The Union committed, inter alia, to promoting the application of new technologies for more effective SALW stockpile management and to continuing to support cooperation and assistance for the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action on SALW, including stockpile management for SALW and ammunition. (2) On 4 December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (the Global Framework), which is a cooperative voluntary framework containing a set of political commitments for strengthening and promoting existing initiatives on, and addressing existing gaps in, through-life conventional ammunition management. Objective 5 of the Global Framework encourages the establishment by states of the technical capabilities to perform adequate, systematic and sustainable surveillance of conventional ammunition in national stockpiles, as appropriate and consistent with national law, including through the provision and receipt of international cooperation and assistance. (3) On 14 April 2025, the Council approved Conclusions on Arms Export Control, in which it tasked the Working Party on Conventional arms exports (COARM) where relevant to support capacity building of third countries with respect to arms and ammunition stockpiles management. (4) The exercise of the inherent right of self-defence by Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression since 24 February 2022 has involved acquisition and management of significant stockpiles of conventional ammunition, which has generated serious safety risks and challenges. (5) Actions of the Union in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament should be employed as appropriate to reduce human suffering and contribute to the safety of people of Ukraine in the context of its self-defence against Russia’s war of aggression, and to mitigate negative consequences related to the war. (6) It is therefore appropriate for the Union to support, through a financial contribution, a project aimed at reducing ammunition safety risks in Ukraine, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 1. The Union shall support a project on the reduction of ammunition safety risks in Ukraine (the ‘project’). 2. The objective of the project shall be to reduce ammunition safety risks in Ukraine by determining the technical capacity requirements for ammunition surveillance by the national authorities of Ukraine and, on that basis, by improving national technical capacities through the acquisition and handing over of testing equipment and through the provision of related training. The project shall thereby contribute to the prevention of ammunition-related accidents and unplanned explosions, to improved personnel protection, and to enhanced civilian safety. 3. A detailed description of the project is set out in the Annex to this Decision. Article 2 1. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’) shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decision. 2. The technical implementation of the project shall be carried out by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and ITF Enhancing Human Security (ITF). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/1448/oj 1/6EN OJ L, 29.6.2026 3. GICHD and ITF shall perform their tasks under the responsibility of the High Representative. For that purpose, the High Representative shall enter into the necessary arrangements with GICHD and ITF. Article 3 1. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the project, financed by the Union (the ‘expenditure’) shall be EUR 1 996 834. 2. The expenditure shall be managed in accordance with the procedures and rules applicable to the Union budget. 3. The Commission shall supervise the proper management of the financial reference amount referred to in paragraph 1. For that purpose, it shall conclude the necessary agreements with GICHD and ITF. Those agreements shall stipulate that GICHD and ITF are to ensure the visibility of the Union’s contribution, appropriate to its context and its size. 4. The Commission shall endeavour to conclude the agreements referred to in paragraph 3 as soon as possible after the entry into force of this Decision. It shall inform the Council of any difficulties in that process and of the date of conclusion of the agreement. Article 4 1. The High Representative shall report to the Council on the implementation of this Decision on the basis of six-monthly reports prepared by GICHD and ITF. 2. The Commission shall report to the Council on the financial aspects of the project. Article 5 1. This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. 2. This Decision shall expire 36 months after the date of conclusion of the agreements referred to in Article 3(3) or 6 months after the date of its entry into force if either of those agreements has not been concluded within that period. Done at Luxembourg, 26 June 2026. For the Council The President M. DAMIANOS 2/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/1448/ojEN OJ L, 29.6.2026 ANNEX PROJECT DOCUMENT Reduction of ammunition safety risks in Ukraine 1. Background and Context Ukraine has been facing significant safety and security risks and challenges concerning national conventional ammunition stockpiles. These have been even more aggravated since Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022. These challenges resulted in numerous explosive incidents arising not only from acts of hostile attacks and sabotage of ammunition infrastructure, but also the transport, storage, handling, and disposal of unverified or unstable ammunition by Ukraine Armed Forces and law enforcement authorities in Ukraine. Even though Ukrainian authorities have adopted preventive measures to increase safety and reduce risks to personnel and civilian populations, infrastructure, and environment, inter alia, in and around ammunition storage areas, further measures need to be taken. In this context, technical assistance in the field of ammunition surveillance is urgently required to support Ukrainian authorities in mitigating ammunition safety risks. Effective ammunition surveillance is a cornerstone of ammunition safety management, enabling the early detection of degradation, defects, and resulting unsafe transport, storage or handling conditions. Current ammunition surveillance capacities in Ukraine are under strain due to: — High volumes and diversity of ammunition types, calibres, ages, and manufacturing standards; — Limited availability of trained ammunition surveillance personnel; — Insufficient or war-damaged infrastructure for systematic inspection, surveillance, testing, and life-cycle management; — Gaps in technical equipment, standardised procedures, documentation, and data management against the international good practices and standards; — Increased exposure of ammunition to adverse environmental and storage conditions. Beyond addressing immediate ammunition safety risks during the conflict, strengthened ammunition surveillance capacities will form a critical foundation for Ukraine’s post-conflict recovery and stabilisation, including transition from wartime to peacetime military posture. Large volumes of ammunition will require systematic inspection, verification, and risk-based management to enable safe storage, transport, and disposal. Early investment in sustainable national surveillance capacities will therefore reduce long-term humanitarian, environmental, and financial burdens associated with uncontrolled ammunition degradation and unplanned explosions in a post-conflict setting. Without enhanced surveillance capacities, the probability of ammunition-related accidents and unplanned explosions will remain high, with potentially catastrophic consequences for both national authorities and civilian populations. Against this backdrop, in summer 2025, the national authorities in Ukraine requested the EU to provide technical assistance in supporting ammunition safety verification throughout its entire life cycle, specifically focusing on the train-and-equip programme for ammunition surveillance. This request was reiterated during the workshop ‘Setting up the international training and cooperation platform in ammunition safety management in support of Ukraine’s post-conflict immediate risk reduction efforts’ organised by GICHD on 13-14 November 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. The requested action is aligned with EU SALW and broader non-proliferation and disarmament policies through its support to capacity building for safe and secure ammunition storage and handling, especially in partner countries, thereby creating an opportunity to deliver targeted, non-lethal support in line with the EU’s commitment to peace, stability, and risk reduction. Furthermore, the assistance request is aligned with the EU-supported Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (GFA) as it seeks to enable further reduction of safety risks posed by national conventional ammunition stockpiles in Ukraine, through: — prioritising the sustainability of relevant national authorities’ capacities in through-life conventional ammunition management, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/1448/oj 3/6EN OJ L, 29.6.2026 — striving for the adequate, systematic and sustainable surveillance of conventional ammunition in national stockpiles, and — employing adequate risk reduction processes for the management of national conventional ammunition stockpiles. By promoting responsible ammunition management practices, the action is also expected to contribute to wider regional safety by reducing the risk of cross-border impacts associated with unplanned explosions, environmental contamination, and uncontrolled ammunition degradation. In doing so, it supports longer-term stability and reflects internationally recognised preventive and risk-reduction approaches, in line with the EU’s preventive security approach. Finally, such an approach supports the EU and Ukraine's cooperation on non-proliferation and disarmament, including strengthening the capacities of Ukrainian authorities through partnerships with and complementary efforts of international organizations and multilateral fora. 2. Overall Objective To reduce ammunition safety risks in Ukraine through strengthened national capacities for ammunition surveillance, contributing to the prevention of ammunition-related accidents and unplanned explosions, improved personnel protection, and enhanced civilian safety. 3. Description of Action 3.1 Determining technical capacity requirements in ammunition surveillance of national authorities in Ukraine 3.1.1 Outcome 1 Confirmed and prioritised technical capacity requirements for effective ammunition surveillance of national authorities in Ukraine in line with ammunition safety risk reduction concepts and international standards, providing a clear and agreed basis for targeted capacity-building and technical assistance. 3.1.2 Description As a result of the action under Outcome 1, the relevant Ukrainian authorities will have a shared, evidence-based understanding of the technical capacities required to conduct systematic, sustainable and risk-informed ammunition surveillance across the ammunition life cycle. This will be achieved through structured technical assessments, advisory support, and engagement with national stakeholders. The confirmed capacities requirements will cover, inter alia, infrastructure and equipment, technical processes and procedures, human resources and competencies, and information management. 3.1.3 Expected Outputs Output 1 – A validated overview of current capacities and gaps in ammunition surveillance capacities recorded in the technical report. Output 2 – A report in the form of a prioritised list of technical capacity requirements and validated needs in ammunition surveillance, including equipment and training for the purpose of Outcome 2, endorsed by relevant national authorities, recorded in the technical report. While the list shall include requirements and needs to be fulfilled under the EU funding under the present project, it should also list prioritized requirements and needs recommended for funding in case further funds become available. The list will be subject to validation by COARM. Output 3 – Aligned ammunition surveillance-related provisions in ammunition safety regulations of the relevant national authorities with the internationally recognised good practice and standards. 3.1.4 Expected Activities Activities related to Output 1: 1. Desk review and methodology development. 4/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/1448/ojEN OJ L, 29.6.2026 2. Online and in-country stakeholder consultations, field assessment, and validation meeting. 3. Documentation analysis & report writing. Activities related to Output 2: 1. Review of assessment findings and map of identified gaps against internationally recognised good practice and standards. 2. Online and in-country stakeholder consultations, and priorities endorsement meeting with Ukrainian national authorities. 3. Documentation analysis, report writing, and submission of the report for COARM validation Activities related to Output 3: 1. Drafting of a proposed update of national ammunition safety regulations by including ammunition surveillance provisions aligned with internationally recognised standards and good practice. 2. Advisory support to national authorities in internal and external validation, and final legal review of ammunition safety regulations, including ammunition surveillance. 3. Revision of draft provisions based on feedback and support for the formal alignment/approval by competent authorities of Ukraine. 3.2 Developing technical capacity in ammunition surveillance of national authorities in Ukraine 3.2.1 Outcome 2 Improved national technical capacities for ammunition surveillance through a structured equipping and training programme, enabling the relevant Ukrainian authorities to conduct systematic, safe and risk-informed ammunition surveillance in line with internationally recognised good practice and standards. 3.2.2 Description As a result of the action under Outcome 2, building on the confirmed and prioritised technical capacity requirements and validated needs, the operational ammunition surveillance capacities will be augmented through the provision of non-lethal surveillance equipment, targeted technical training and advice on the use of equipment, and advisory services on operational integration of training and equipment in ammunition surveillance activities. The surveillance equipment will be used to conduct thermodynamic and chemical, mechanical, optical, and electrical testing of ammunition, with the preference given to the EU origin of the equipment. Priority will be given to provision of mobile equipment to ensure operational flexibility and survivability, and to enable integrated checks by functional groups of devices where necessary. The outcome will ensure that assistance is needs-driven, proportionate and coherent, while directly addressing identified gaps and avoiding duplication with other initiatives. 3.2.3 Expected Outputs Output 1 – Ammunition surveillance equipment from the COARM-validated list procured and delivered to the national authorities in Ukraine. Output 2 – Ammunition surveillance personnel trained on the use of procured equipment against the relevant ammunition surveillance methods and operational procedures of Ukraine aligned with international good practice and standards. 3.2.4 Expected Activities Activities related to Output 1: 1. Procuring of all ammunition surveillance equipment included in the list in accordance with approved specifications. 2. Transport, customs clearance, and in-country distribution of equipment. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/1448/oj 5/6EN OJ L, 29.6.2026 3. Equipment handover and verification of its use. Activities related to Output 2: 1. Confirmation of training requirements and training programme against the provided equipment. 2. Arrangement and implementation of training on the use of equipment. 3. Provision of mentoring and on-the-job technical support in integrating equipment into operational surveillance activities. 4. Beneficiaries The beneficiaries of the action are directly: the national authorities in Ukraine - authorised ammunition custodians and ammunition safety regulatory authorities, and indirectly: civilian populations living in proximity to ammunition storage areas and transport routes. 5. Sustainability The project ensures sustainability by institutionalising ammunition surveillance as a nationally owned safety function through standardised procedures, durable equipment, and trained personnel embedded within existing structures, ensuring continuity under the conflict conditions and relevance for post-conflict recovery. Technical resilience, cost-effective equipment, decentralised deployment, and full national ownership enable long-term risk reduction, accident prevention, and compliance with international ammunition safety standards without ongoing external dependence. 6. Implementation Modality The action will be implemented jointly and in a coordinated manner by the GICHD and the ITF Enhancing Human Security, whereby each specialised implementation entity will be entrusted with the delivery of a defined outcome in accordance with their respective mandates, expertise, and comparative advantages. The GICHD will implement the activities under Outcome 1, including the development of the list of equipment and training for the purpose of Outcome 2, while the ITF will implement the activities under Outcome 2. Activities will be coordinated closely with relevant Ukrainian authorities to ensure national ownership, relevance, and sustainability. 6/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/1448/oj