EU Council Secretariat
~FACTSHEET~
ATH/02 (update 2)
1 October 2004
EU military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(Operation EUFOR - Althea)
EU Political Objectives:
A strong commitment of the International Community (IC) remains necessary in BiH to help building a secure, self-sustaining and democratic BiH. The Thessaloniki Declaration confirmed that the future of the Western Balkans is within the EU. The SAP is the framework for the European course of BiH, all the way to future accession. It is within this wider context of European integration that a comprehensive policy for addressing BiH’s security needs has to be situated.
(1) Long Term Objective. A stable, viable, peaceful and multiethnic BiH, co-operating peacefully with its neighbours and irreversibly on track towards EU membership.
(2) Medium Term Objective. Supporting BiH’s progress towards EU integration by its own efforts, by contributing to a safe and secure environment with the objective of signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). This complements the HR/EU Special Representative’s (EUSR) Mission Implementation Plan (MIP) and the end of the EU’s executive role in peace implementation, including through gradual transfer of ownership to BiH authorities.
(3) Short Term objectives. To ensure a seamless transition from SFOR to EU Force (EUFOR) in order to help maintain a secure environment for the implementation of the GFAP, as highlighted in the MIP, and the strengthening of local capacity building through support of the BiH authorities in implementing the 16 conditions in the feasibility study as part of the SAP, to make sure that the SAP and the implementation of the MIP reinforce one another.
The operation:
§ The EU has decided to conduct a military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) - (Operation EUFOR - ALTHEA).
§ The key objectives of ALTHEA are:
- to provide deterrence, continued compliance with the responsibility to fulfil the role specified in Annexes 1A and 2 of the Dayton/Paris Agreement (General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH); and
- to contribute to a safe and secure environment in BiH, in line with its mandate, required to achieve core tasks in the OHR's Mission Implementation Plan and the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP).
§ The aim is to deploy by the end of the year a robust force (EUFOR) - starting at the same force levels as SFOR (7,000 troops) - with a Chapter VII mission to ensure continued compliance with the Dayton/Paris Agreement and to contribute to a safe and secure environment in BiH.
§ The EU operation will be part of a coherent EU approach. It will add in a significant way to the EU's political engagement, its assistance programmes and its ongoing police and monitoring missions with a view to helping BiH make further progress towards European integration in the context of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
§ United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution No 1551/2004, adopted unanimously on 9 July 2004, welcomed the EU's intention to launch an EU mission in BiH, including a military component, from December 2004.
§ The decision by EU to launch ALTHEA follows the decision by NATO to conclude its successful SFOR-operation.
§ ALTHEA will be carried out with recourse to NATO assets and capabilities, on the basis agreed with NATO ("Berlin Plus").
§ The Headquarters of EUFOR will be established in Sarajevo (Camp Butmir)
§ Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and Host Nation Support (HNS) arrangements will be established;
§ Member States and non-EU Troop Contributing Nations (TCN) will provide the necessary capabilities;
§ A new UNSCR will be adopted prior to the deployment of EUFOR detailing its mandate and role, based on Chapter VII of the UN Charter and will grant EUFOR full authority under the GFAP.
§ As initially part of EUFOR an Integrated Police Unit (IPU) style capability will have executive powers, derived from EUFOR mandate.
§ One of the key supporting tasks of the EU-led force will be to provide support to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and relevant authorities, including the detention of PIFWCs.
§ Envisaged date of launch of the Operation: early December 2004
Chain of command and main actors:
§ Once the Council has taken the necessary decisions, including the approval of the Operation Plan (OPLAN) and the Rules of Engagement (RoE), tCouncil to decide on the launching of the operation. following the approval of the Operation Plan (OPLAN) and the Rules of Engagement (RoE) and any necessary further decisions.
§ The EU's Political and Security Committee (PSC) to exercise the political control and strategic direction of the operation, under the responsibility of the Council. Powers of decision with respect to the objectives and termination of the military operation to remain vested in the Council, assisted by the SG/HR.
§ EU Military Committee (EUMC) to monitor the proper execution of the EU military operation.
§ General John REITH (UK), Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (D-SACEUR), has been appointed EU Operation Commander (OpCdr) for ALTHEA with the EU Operation Headquarters (OHQ) located at SHAPE.
Major General A. David LEAKEY (UK) has been appointed EU Force Commander.
Overall EU coherence:
§ Operation to reinforce the EU's comprehensive approach towards BiH, and support BiH's progress towards EU integration by its own efforts, with the objective of the signing of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement as a medium-term objective.
§ Operation to be part of the overall European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) mission in BiH and of a closely co-ordinated EU presence in BiH.
§ EUSR to promote overall EU political co-ordination in BiH. EU Commanders to co-ordinate closely with the EUSR in BiH with a view to ensuring consistency of the EU military operation with the broader context of the EU activities in BiH.
Budget:
§ Common costs of the EU military operation to be administered by the "ATHENA" mechanism (contributions by Member States on a GDP-based key). Financial reference amount for the common costs of the operation: € 71.7 million. (Personnel and other items are on a "costs lie where they fall" basis.)
Participation of third States:
In addition to EU Member States, the following third countries are expected to participate in the Althea Operation: Argentina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey.