The Council of the European Union decided to extend the mandates of two of its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) civilian missions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Council said in a press statement that it extended until 30 June 2022 the mandates of the European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah) and the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS). The missions are part of wider EU efforts in support of Palestinian state-building.

It pointed that EUBAM Rafah was launched on 25 November 2005 following the Israeli "disengagement" from Gaza, in order to provide a third-party presence at the Rafah Crossing Point between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and to build confidence between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Currently, the mission is on stand-by and maintains its readiness to redeploy to the Rafah crossing point once the political and security situation allows.

In the meantime, EUBAM Rafah will continue to provide technical assistance to the Palestinian General Administration for Borders and Crossings in integrated border management.

EUPOL COPPS was established on 1 January 2006. The mission will continue to assist the Palestinian Authority in building the Palestinian institutions in the areas of policing and wider criminal justice arrangements.

Through its contribution to security and justice sector reform, the mission supports efforts to increase the security of the Palestinian population and to reinforce the rule of law, said the statement.