The European Union Operations Centre (EU OPCEN) was an ad-hoc, non-standing, non-commanding headquarters facilitating the planning and conduct of military operations deployed as part of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...

's (EU) Common Security and Defence Policy (CFSP) that was active between 2012 and 2016. The OPCEN would be operational five days following a decision by the Council, and reach its full capability to command the operation after twenty days, at the latest. The EU OPCEN was not formally part of the EU’s chains of command.http://www.eeas.europa.eu/archives/docs/csdp/structures-instruments-agencies/eu-operations-centre/docs/factsheet_eu_opcen_23_06_2015.pdf From 2020, the OPCEN's role in executive operations will be transferred to the

Military Planning and Conduct Capability The Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) is a permanent operational headquarters (OHQ) at the military strategic level for military operations of up to 2500 troops (i.e. the size of one battle group) deployed as part of the Common S ...

.https://cdn4-eeas.fpfis.tech.ec.europa.eu/cdn/farfuture/aGKF41zrLDLuNeg8csm24scxmjEwj4JBvrRbaLeaY4M/mtime:1542656575/sites/eeas/files/mpcc_factsheet_november_2018.pdf

Mandate and tasks

According to the Council Decision, the Mandate and tasks of the EU OPCEN are: *To provide, using its military and specialised planning expertise, direct support to the Civilian Operations Commander for the operational planning and conduct of the civilian missions in the Horn of Africa and in the Sahel region. *To provide support to the military Missions and Operation Commanders in the Horn of Africa and in the Sahel region. *To provide support to the Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD), at its request, in its strategic planning for CSDP missions and operation in the Horn of Africa and in the Sahel region. *To facilitate interaction between the respective CSDP missions and operation and the Brussels-based structures. In relation to the "train and equip" pilot cases in Mali and Somalia, the EU OPCEN may usefully provide support to a functional coordination mechanism, in view of its implementation plan. *To facilitate coordination and improve synergies amongst the CSDP missions and operation in the Horn of Africa, in the context of the Horn of Africa strategy and in liaison with the European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa and the European Union Special Envoy for Somalia. *To facilitate coordination and improve synergies amongst the CSDP missions in the Sahel region, in the context of the Sahel Strategy in liaison with the European Union Special Representative for the Sahel.

Structure

An EU OPCEN that is activated for a particular predominantly military operation may consist of a total of 103 officers and civilians who start planning after five days following a deployment decision by the Council. The EU OPCEN would reach its full capability to command the operation after twenty days, at the latest. The staff of an activated EU OPCEN is composed of: *Chief of Staff; the present Operations Directorate Branch Chief OPSCEN/WKC (Watch-keeping Capability) of the

European Union Military Staff The Military Staff of the European Union (EUMS) is the directorate-general of the European Union's (EU) External Action Service (EEAS) that contributes to the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) by providing strategic advice to the H ...

(EUMS), appointed by the Council *Support Cells based in Brussels: **the permanent core team (the four permanent staff) **double-hatted personnel from the

European External Action Service The European External Action Service (EEAS) is the diplomatic service and combined foreign and defence ministry of the European Union (EU). The EEAS is led by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP), who is al ...

(EEAS), including the

(EUMS), the Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD), the

Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability The Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) is the directorate of the External Action Service (EEAS) of the European Union (EU) that serves as operational headquarters (OHQ) for the civilian missions of the Common Security and Defence ...

(CPCC) and the geographical desks *sixteen personnel seconded by member states The present EU OPCEN Chief of Staff is Captain Francisco Cornago Diufain. Diufain succeeded the first head, Captain Ad van der Linde.

History

In December 2004 the

(EUMS) was tasked by the European Council to be ready to set up an EU OPCEN capable of planning and conducting an operation, in particular where a joint civil/military response is required and where no national HQ is identified. The responsibility for assuring this capability lies with the OPSCEN/WKC (Watching Keeping Capacity) Branch of the EUMS Operations Directorate. Since 1 January 2007, the EU Operation Centre is ready for activation by the Council for the conduct of autonomous operations. EU OPCEN was first activated on 23 March 2012 by the

Foreign Affairs Council The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) is a configuration of the Council of the European Union that convenes once a month. Meetings bring together the foreign ministers of the member states. Ministers responsible for European affairs, defence, developm ...

in relation to three CSDP operations in the Horn of Africa. This mandate was later extended until the end of 2016 and expanded the geographical and functional scope to the entire Sahel region.

References

External links

EEAS DescriptionLeaflet''The EU Military Staff: a frog in boiling water?''
Militaire Spectator {{Common Security and Defence Policy Military history of the European Union

Mandate and tasks

Structure

History

See also

References

External links