The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo ‘EULEX’

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 The Operation is one of the largest Law-Enforcement Mission in the frameworks of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), launched in February 2008 and reached full Operational capacity in April 2009. The EULEX assists the Kosovo Authorities in strengthening the Rule of  Law in the areas of Security, Law-Enforcement, Judiciary and Customs.

And it has  Four Operational Objectives   implemented via:  1- Monitoring, Mentoring and Advising  2- Executive Objective 3- North objective  4- Support to Dialogue Implementation Objective.

USNational Guard with EULEX Kosovo 2010The U.S National Guard working with KFOR and EULEX  2010 © The North Dakota National Guard

In general aspect the Mission consists mainly of  Judges, Prosecutors, Law-Enforcement,  Customs Officials. And works with Law-Enforcement and Police, Judicial Authorities in the Region and with INTERPOL and EUROPOL, to ensure their support to all investigations. 

With the Headquarters in Pristina,  EULEX has a unified Chain of Command to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and to EU Member States (The Political-Security Committee). ©EULEX

Most of the EU member States as well as  Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States are the contributor Nations to the EULEX Kosovo.

As a EU member State– in the last 50 years Austria has been one of the most important  contributor to the European and International Law-Enforcement Missions in overseas, including in the recent years deployments in : Afghanistan, Georgia, Kosovo and Palestine.

Austrian Police in EULEX 2014 Aus.GovAustrian Law-Enforcement and their significant contributions in the EULEX Kosovo October 2014 © Osterreich BMI

The Army and U.S National Guard have been holding as well an important role– particularly  in the areas of Training and upgrading the EULEX capabilities.

US and EULEX hold Training Sep 2015The U.S National Guard and the ‘EULEX CPF’  during training in Kosovo. August 31, 2015 ©The U.S Army/Sgt. Erick Yates

In the ongoing process of Enhancement, in August 2015 the U.S Army EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) technicians form the Alabama National Guard’s 666th held a special Training for the Security Officers of the Close Protection Force from the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo ‘EULEX’s CPF’ on Camp Bondsteel.

The Training was formulated to upgrade, the Close Protection Force Unite of the EULEX,   with the latest techniques on how to detect the explosive devices including the IEDs

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