List of military and civilian missions of the European Union

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v t e

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).

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.

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.

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:

Liaison:       Advice and recommendations       Support and monitoring       Preparatory work     

• v
• t
• e

Political strategic level:[5]

ISS

EUCO Pres. (EUCO)

Chain of command

Coordination/support

SatCen

CIVCOM

HR/VP (FAC)

INTCEN

HR/VP (PMG)

HR/VP (PSC)[6]

CEUMC (EUMC)

CMPD

DGEUMS[3] (EUMS)

Military/civilian strategic level:

Dir MPCC[3] (MPCC)

JSCC

Civ OpCdr CPCC[1]

Operational level:

MFCdr[4] (MFHQ)

HoM[1]

Tactical level:

CC[2] Land

CC[2] Air

CC[2] Mar

Other CCs[2]

Forces

Forces

Forces

Forces

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.

Related topics of the Common Security and Defence Policy:

• Operations of the European Border and Coast Guard
• Defence forces of the European Union
• History of the Common Security and Defence Policy

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

• Missions of the Western European Union
• Exercises of the Western Union

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

• List of operations of the European Maritime Force
• List of operations of the European Rapid Operational Force
• List of missions of the European Gendarmerie Force
• List of exercises of the European Maritime Force
• List of operations of the European Corps

Missions and exercises of other organisations:

• List of missions of the United Nations
• List of operations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
• List of exercises of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

• List of CSDP missions
• EU Civilian and Military Missions 2003-14, London School of Economics
• PhD Thesis on Civilian CSDP – EU Civilian crisis management (University of Geneva, 2008, 441 p. in French)
• Benjamin Pohl (2013) The logic underpinning EU crisis management operations, European Security, 22(3): 307–325, DOI:10.1080/09662839.2012.726220.
• European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management