Operation Althea

SHAPE-EU cooperation

Background

At the Istanbul Summit on 28 June 2004, NATO agreed to conclude the Alliance’s successful SFOR operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of 2004 and welcomed the readiness of the EU to deploy a new and distinct UN-mandated Chapter VII mission to the country, based on the Berlin Plus arrangements agreed between the two organisations.

Following the UNSCR 1551 (2004) on 9 July 2004, which welcomed NATO’s decision to conclude SFOR as well as the EU’s intention to launch a follow-on mission in BiH, including a military component, starting in December, the EU Council adopted the Joint Action on the EU military operation in BiH, to be operational from Dec 04 to conduct a military operation in BiH named "ALTHEA". This operation shall be part of the overall ESDP mission in BiH.
This EU-LED military operation will be carried out with recourse to NATO common assets and capabilities. The Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) has been appointed as the Operation Commander (Op Cdr) for the military component of this ESDP mission, and SHAPE is designated as the EU Operation Headquarters (OHQ).

Aim

The initial objective of Operation ALTHEA is to provide a seamless transition from SFOR to EUFOR in order to help maintain a secure environment and to assist the strengthening of local BiH authorities as highlighted in the High Representative/EU Special Representative’s Mission Implementation Plan (MIP).

In the long term, the overall aim is to ensure a stable, viable, peaceful and multiethnic BiH, cooperating peacefully with its neighbours and irreversibly on track towards EU membership.

Mission Methodology

A seamless transition from SFOR to EUFOR must be ensured in the conduct of the mission in order to demonstrate continuity of the policy and a process review will be undertaken periodically to evaluate progress and to assess the prevailing situation. This is intended to allow a fine tuning of the overall process and should assure the accomplishment of the GFAP tasks and the maintenance of stability through a democratic process.

Chain of Command and Control

The EU Council has established the following Chain of Command under the political control and strategic direction of the Political Security Committee (PSC). (The PSC is assisted by the EUMC, which will monitor and advise on the operation).

The EU Operation Headquarters (OHQ) at SHAPE – Mons/Belgium

The EU Command Element at JFC – Naples/Italy

The HQ EUFOR at Camp Butmir – Sarajevo/BiH

EUFOR Structure