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List of military and civilian missions of the European Union
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The European Union (EU) has undertaken a number of overseas missions and operations, drawing on civilian and military capabilities, in several countries across three continents (Europe, Africa and Asia), as part of its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The operation or mission in question will work in agreement and coordination with the EU delegations, until 2009 known as the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

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Classification

In the EU terminology, civilian CSDP interventions are called 'missions', regardless of whether they have an executive mandate such as EULEX Kosovo or a non-executive mandate (all others). Civilian missions include uniformed personnel such as Police and Gendarmerie, but not military personnel.

Military interventions, however, can either have an executive mandate such as for example Operation Atalanta in which case they are referred to as 'operations' and are commanded at two-star level; or non-executive mandate (e.g. EUTM Somalia) in which case they are called 'missions' and are commanded at one-star level.

Deployment procedure

Main article: Structure of the Common Security and Defence Policy § Deployment procedure

The decision to deploy – together with any subsequent management of – the mission or operation in question, will ultimately be taken by the EU member states in the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC).

Military operations may be launched after four planning phases, through which the Operation Commander (Op. Cdr.), Military Staff (EUMS), Military Committee (EUMC), Political and Security Committee (PSC) and Council have different roles.3

Command and control structure

Further information: Command and control structure of the European Union

The EU command and control (C2) structure is directed by political bodies composed of member states' representatives, and generally requires unanimous decisions. As of April 2019:4

Liaison:       Advice and recommendations       Support and monitoring       Preparatory work     
  • v
  • t
  • e
Political strategic level:[5]
ISSEUCO Pres. (EUCO)Chain of command
Coordination/support
SatCenCIVCOMHR/VP (FAC)
INTCENHR/VP (PMG)HR/VP (PSC)[6] CEUMC (EUMC)
CMPDDGEUMS[3] (EUMS)
Military/civilian strategic level:
Dir MPCC[3] (MPCC)JSCCCiv OpCdr CPCC[1]
Operational level:
MFCdr[4] (MFHQ)HoM[1]
Tactical level:
CC[2] LandCC[2] AirCC[2] MarOther CCs[2]
ForcesForcesForcesForces
1 In the event of a CSDP Civilian Mission also being in the field, the relations with the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) and its Civilian Operation Commander (Civ OpCdr), as well as the subordinate Head of Mission (HoM), are coordinated as shown. 2 Other Component Commanders (CCs) and service branches which may be established. 3 The MPCC is part of the EUMS and Dir MPCC is double-hatted as DGEUMS. Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), either a national OHQ offered by member states or the NATO Command Structure (NCS) would serve this purpose. In the latter instance, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), rather than Dir MPCC, would serve as Operation Commander (OpCdr). 4 Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), the MFCdr would be known as a Force Commander (FCdr), and direct a Force Headquarters (FHQ) rather than a MFHQ. Whereas the MFHQ would act both on the operational and tactical level, the FHQ would act purely on the operational level. 5 The political strategic level is not part of the C2 structure per se, but represents the political bodies, with associated support facilities, that determine the missions' general direction. The Council determines the role of the High Representative (HR/VP), who serves as Vice-President of the European Commission, attends European Council meetings, chairs the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) and may chair the Political and Security Committee (PSC) in times of crisis. The HR/VP proposes and implements CSDP decisions. 6 Same composition as Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) II, which also prepares for the CSDP-related work of the FAC.

List of ongoing missions

BeginningNameAbbreviation
2 December 2004European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina ALTHEAEUFOR ALTHEA
25 November 2005European Union Border Assistance Mission to RafahEUBAM Rafah
1 January 2006European Union Mission for the Support of Palestinian Police and Rule of LawEUPOL COPPS
1 October 2008European Union Monitoring Mission in GeorgiaEUMM Georgia
5 November 2008European Union Naval Force Operation Somalia ATALANTAEU NAVFOR ATALANTA
9 December 2008European Union Rule of Law Mission in KosovoEULEX Kosovo
10 April 2010European Union Training Mission in SomaliaEUTM Somalia
16 July 2012European Union Capacity Building Mission in SomaliaEUCAP Somalia
May 2013European Union Integrated Border Assistance Mission in LibyaEUBAM Libya
April 2014European Union Capacity Building Mission in MaliEUCAP Sahel Mali
December 2014European Union Advisory Mission in UkraineEUAM Ukraine
16 July 2016European Union Training Mission in the Central African RepublicEUTM RCA
22 November 2017European Union Advisory Mission in IraqEUAM Iraq
June 2019European Union Regional Advisory Cell for the SahelEU RACC SAHEL
9 December 2019European Union Advisory Mission in the Central African RepublicEUAM RCA
31 March 2020European Union Naval Force Mediterranean IRINIEUNAVFOR MED IRINI
17 October 2022European Union Military Assistance Mission in Support of UkraineEUMAM Ukraine
23 January 2023European Union Mission in ArmeniaEUM Armenia
December 2023European Union Security and Defence Initiative in Support of West African Countries of the Golf of GuineaEU SDI GOG
24 April 2023European Union Partnership Mission in the Republic of MoldovaEUPM Moldova
19 February 2024European Union Naval Force Operation ASPIDESEUNAVFOR ASPIDES
1 September 2024European Union Military Assistance Mission MozambiqueEUMAM Mozambique

List of past missions

BeginningEndNameAbbreviationAlternative namePersonnelOHQ
July 199131 December 2007European Union Monitoring Mission in the former YugoslaviaECMM / EUMMN/A??
December 2002—Police Assistance Mission of the European Community to AlbaniaPAMECAN/A??
1 January 200330 June 2012European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and HerzegovinaEUPM BiHN/A7745?
31 March 200315 December 2003European Union Military Operation in the Republic of MacedoniaEUFOR ConcordiaOperation Concordia4006 ACO
12 June 20031 September 2003European Union Military Operation in the Democratic Republic of the CongoEUFOR ArtemisOperation Artemis18007 Paris
15 December 200314 December 2005European Union Police Mission in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia8EUPOL FYROMEUPOL Proxima2009?
16 July 200414 July 2005European Union Rule of Law Mission in Georgia10EUJUST GeorgiaEUJUST Themis2711?
12 April 200530 June 2007European Union Police Mission in Kinshasa12EUPOL KinshasaN/A??
8 June 20052016European Union Security Sector Reform Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo13EUSEC RD CongoN/A??
1 July 200531 December 2013European Union Integrated Rule of Law Mission in IraqEUJUST LEX IraqN/A??
18 July 200531 December 2007European Union Support to African Union Mission in Sudan14AMIS EU Supporting ActionN/A??
15 September 200515 December 2006European Union Monitoring Mission in AcehAMMN/A??
15 December 200514 June 2006European Union Police Advisory Team in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia15EUPATN/A??
12 June 200630 November 2006European Union Military Operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2006)EUFOR RD CongoN/A230016?
15 June 200731 December 2016European Union Police Mission in AfghanistanEUPOL AfghanistanN/A??
1 July 200730 September 2014European Union Police Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo17EUPOL RD CongoN/A??
12 February 200830 September 2010European Union Mission in Support of Security Sector Reform in Guinea-Bissau18EUSSR Guinea-BissauN/A??
17 March 200815 March 2009European Union Military Operation in Chad and the Central African RepublicEUFOR Tchad/RCAN/A370019?
July 201230 June 202420European Union Capacity Building Mission in NigerEUCAP Sahel NigerN/A? CPCC
February 2013January 2014European Union Aviation Security Mission in South Sudan21EUAVSEC South SudanN/A??
18 February 201317 May 2024European Union Training Mission in MaliEUTM MaliN/A50022 MPCC
10 February 201423 March 2015European Union Military Operation in the Central African RepublicEUFOR RCAN/A60023?
23 March 201516 July 2016European Union Military Advisory Mission in the Central African RepublicEUMAM RCAN/A??
22 June 201531 March 2020European Union Naval Force MediterraneanEUNAVFOR MedOperation Sophia? ITA-JFHQ
20 February 202330 June 2024European Union Military Partnership Mission in Niger242526EUMPM NigerN/A??

See also

  • European Union portal

Related topics of the Common Security and Defence Policy:

Operations and exercises of the precursors of the Common Security and Defence Policy

Operations and exercises of the multinational forces made available to the CSDP in accordance with article 42.3 of the Treaty on European Union:

Missions and exercises of other organisations:

Notes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military operations involving the European Union.

References

  1. European Union External Action > EU Operations [1] http://www.eeas.europa.eu/csdp/missions-and-operations/completed/index_en.htm ↩

  2. Benjamin Pohl (2013) The logic underpinning EU crisis management operations, European Security, 22(3): 307-325, DOI:10.1080/09662839.2012.726220, p. 311. https://web.archive.org/web/20141214175238/http://euroakadeemia.ee/materjalid/Logic%20of%20the%20EU%20crises%20mang.pdf ↩

  3. "The EU Military Staff: A frog in boiling water?". 10 August 2017. https://www.militairespectator.nl/thema/internationale-samenwerking/artikel/eu-military-staff-frog-boiling-water ↩

  4. EU Command and Control, p. 13, Military Staff https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-8798-2019-INIT/en/pdf ↩

  5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  8. This operation was launched on 15 December 2003 and covered an initial period of one year. ↩

  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  10. This mission was launched on 16 July 2004 for a duration of 12 months, and was designed to support the Georgian authorities in challenges to the criminal justice system and reform process. ↩

  11. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  12. In October 2003, the Democratic Republic of Congo requested the EU for assistance in setting up an Integrated Police Unit. EUPOL Kinshasa monitored, mentored and advised the IPU once trained and operational under a Congolese chain of command, until the national elections in DRC held in 2005. The mission finished on 30 June 2007.[6] /wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_Congo ↩

  13. The European Union mission is to provide advice and assistance for security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[7] Among EUSEC DR Congo's projects was the 'Modernisation de l’Administration des Forces Armées de la RDC' (Modernisation of the Administration of the FARDC) underway in December 2008, under which, amongst other projects, information technology training was being delivered.[8] It appears that in December 2009, Secretary-General/High Representative Javier Solana issued a formal invitation for the United States government to offer a contribution to EUSEC RD Congo.[citation needed] EUSEC DR Congo was initially planned in 2005-06 to include eight EU advisors assigned to posts in the DRC's integrated military structure (Structure Militaire d'Integration (?)), the army general staff, the National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (CONADER?), the Joint Operational Committee, and the Ministry of Defence.[9] From 2007 to 2011 EUSEC personnel grew from 8 to 46, with about 30 locally employed staff. 34 locally employed staff were listed in 2011. In 2008 with 46 staff 26 were in Kinshasa and 20 in the eastern DRC. Two personnel have died due to illness.[10] ↩

  14. European Union support for the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), the mission of the African Union in Darfur. NATO likewise provided support to AMIS from 2005 to 2007[11] Both EU and NATO missions ended with the handover to UNAMID on 31 December 2007. It included provision of airlift for 2,000 personnel, financial aid totalling more than EUR 500 million, the deployment of 15 military experts, 30 police officers, two military observers with AMIS, plus several military advisors sent to Addis Ababa to support the EU Special Representative.[12] /wiki/African_Union_Mission_in_Sudan ↩

  15. Launched on 15 December 2005 as a follow-on mission to EUPOL Proxima. The EU monitors and mentors the country's police on priority issues in the field of border police, public peace and order and accountability, the fight against corruption and organised crime. It finished its mandate in May 2006.[6] ↩

  16. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  17. Established as a successor to EUPOL Kinshasa with an initial mandate until 30 June 2008. /w/index.php?title=EUPOL_Kinshasa&action=edit&redlink=1 ↩

  18. A mission for security sector reform in Guinea-Bissau with an initial mandate until 31 May 2009. Ended due to concerns over cooperation by Guinea-Bissau.[13] /wiki/Guinea-Bissau ↩

  19. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  20. "EUCAP Sahel Niger: mission prolongée jusqu'au 30 septembre 2024 avec un mandat adapté". www.consilium.europa.eu (in French). Retrieved 17 January 2023. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/fr/press/press-releases/2022/09/09/eucap-sahel-niger-mission-extended-until-30-september-2024-with-an-adjusted-mandate/ ↩

  21. Strengthening aviation security at Juba's airport.[15] ↩

  22. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  23. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) https://web.archive.org/web/20150922030534/http://www.lse.ac.uk/internationalRelations/centresandunits/EFPU/EFPUpdfs/EU-Civilian-and-Military-Missions-since-2003.pdf ↩

  24. "Niger: EU launches its military partnership mission". https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/02/20/niger-eu-launches-its-military-partnership-mission/ ↩

  25. "EU Military Partnership Mission in Niger | EEAS". https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eumpm-niger_en?s=410280 ↩

  26. "EU to end military mission to Niger by June 30". Reuters. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/eu-end-military-mission-niger-by-june-30-2024-05-27/ ↩