There will not be a single German officer left in Operation Sophia… just a few thousand euros

(B2) All German participation in Operation EUNAVFOR Med/Sophia is now over

German personnel deployed to Operations HQ in Rome will return to their quarters by June 30. Only the financial contribution via the Athena budget will therefore remain = a little more than 0,5 million euros according to our estimates (for the six months from the end of March to the end of September).

The federal government decided, in fact, at the end of the last mandate authorized by the Bundestag, not to present a new extension of the mandate. And no date is set for this one. The German Ministry of Defense had reported this in writing to the deputies, it explained, orally this time, the non-renewal before the Defense Committee last Wednesday (June 5), indicates our colleague from Augergeradeaus.

A new participation that depends on political conditions 

Only if " the prerequisites for the full implementation of the main mission of the operation are met that the Federal Government will consider a new German participation in due course. As our colleague Thomas Wiegold observes, the participation of German personnel in the EUNAVFOR MED Sophia operation remains theoretical. There will be no new mandate for this deployment of the Bundeswehr without a certain delay: this will require verification that the conditions are met, a new proposal from the federal government and acceptance by the Bundestag.

Another blow to the operation

This is a new blow for Italy and the European operation, even if it remains symbolic. The main decision was taken in January when Berlin decided to withdraw its ships from Operation EUNAVFOR (read: Germany withdraws from Operation Sophia), thus signaling the end of Operation Sophia's presence at sea (read: Operation Sophia. Stop or again!). The other countries had followed in the face of the persistent blockage with the Italian government to find a solution on the distribution of migrants and refugees recovered at sea by European ships. The only way to save the operation was for member states to keep an aerial surveillance component to it and extend it for six months (until September 30, 2019) (read: The extension of EUNAVFOR Med formalized for six months. Intensified aerial patrols).

A saving time that is running out

Everyone hoped that this delay (after the European elections) could save the operation. So far, the miracle has not happened. And the decision just taken by the German government does not bode well. The next meeting of EU Defense Ministers is June 17 in Luxembourg. But it is not obvious that a decision will be made at that time, or even that the subject will be discussed. The next meeting is set for Helsinki at the end of August for the traditional informal meeting of ministers... We will then see if the pure air of the Finnish lakes will be conducive to more compromise between the various Member States.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)