Council Operations and Exercises Committee (COEC)
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The Council Operations and Exercise Committee (COEC) deals with the development and improvement of Alliance crisis management procedures to support the North Atlantic Council (NAC) consultative and decision-making roles in times of crises.
This includes the formulation, development and enhancement of NATO’s crisis response arrangements and procedures, in particular those related to operations planning, the education of staffs and consultation bodies at NATO Headquarters as well as across the Alliance and in partner countries. The COEC also takes the lead in organising yearly crisis management exercises to test the Alliance’s decision-making process in reaction to a crisis situation.
All member countries are represented on the COEC. Its work is principally supported by the Operations Division and it can receive support from other bodies depending on the issue, including from all the International Staff Divisions, the International Military Staff and the Strategic Commands.