The mini European military HQ is born
(B2) The 28 today adopted the decision establishing the mini-military HQ (the MPCC in Brussels parlance). The High Representative of the Union, Federica Mogherini, confirmed this today in Zaragoza (where she inaugurated a new European system, the training center for tactical air transport). " This is an important step for European defence, she said. Rightly... one might add.
To conduct non-executive missions
This new command will ensure the conduct and control, at the strategic (= political) level, of the three EU military missions deployed in Africa: in Mogadishu (EUTM Somalia), in Bamako (EUTM Mali) and in Bangui (EUTM RCA). These missions are called "non-executive". Because they have neither the mandate nor the capacity to ensure the maintenance of order or peace by force (role more devolved to the forces of the African Union or the United Nations. Read our interview with the head of EUTM RCA: We must be proud of the European work to rebuild the CAR (García Blázquez)). Their objective is to provide military assistance, advice and training for African armies in the countries where they are established.
A core of around thirty people
This command should include, according to our information, around thirty people (coming for the most part from the staff already present in Brussels). So without really additional cost. He will be based in the Belgian capital, within the EU Military Staff (EUMS), rue Cortenbergh. It is a Finnish general, the current European Chief of Staff, Esa Pulkinnen, who will lead it. He will be assisted, in the day-to-day management, by a French general (3 stars), Daniel Grammatico.
A delay due to the elections in Great Britain
The decision should have been taken in mid-May... but the British delayed its adoption. A very political maneuver, but quite logical: the government wanted to avoid any interference with the legislative elections being held today (1).
Comment: The end of a long journey, the beginning of another
This is the end of a long journey for this operational command which should have seen the light of day in 2006-2007 (in the form of an operations center never realized). But the job is still only half done. On the one hand, this HQ will be small (about 30 people according to our information). Which is all in all modest and silences all suspicions (largely fantasized) of a possible rivalry with the headquarters of NATO (Shape). On the other hand, it is necessary to build all the logistics of a headquarters, that this HQ has all the technical and human resources to operate efficiently, anticipate crises, plan future missions and successfully carry out current missions. Finally, Europe will only have gained its stripes of strategic autonomy when it will also have acquired the capability of strategic command of military operations (with an executive mandate). Which could be possible from 2019 (the decision establishing the MPCC must indeed be reviewed by the end of 2018 at the latest).
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
(1) The British electoral campaign was above all marked by the terrorist threat, which constitutes a much more significant topicality and a much more real threat than the creation of this HQ in Brussels.
Read also:
All the details on the future HQ and the discussions that preceded it:
- Cover this HQ that I will not be able to see… The text on the MPCC finalized. Details*
- MPCC. True to form, the British blocked. Points of disagreement*
- An agreement at the end on the mini EU military HQ (MPCC)*
- MPCC. True to form, the British blocked. Points of disagreement*
- An agreement to create an MPCC in slow-rock rhythm, pop rock will be for later*
- The MPCC to conduct military missions. Composition, Function, Command…*
- Conduct of military missions: an MPCC to fill a missing hole*
* On B2 Pro
