US-Europe World Affairs

 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.

The 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 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.

The 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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March 2016© The UK Royal Navy 

From February 19 until March 22, the NATO Allied encompassing 16,000 Military personnel are participating in one of the NATO’s largest Training Multinational Military Exercise to upgrade and intensify the Allied Capability of Combat Operation in the cold environment.

Commanding General National Joint Headquarters Norway, Lt. Gen. Rune Jakobsen, addresses a Multinational Panel on the Training aspects of the Exercise, Norway March 2016 ©The U.S. Army Europe/ Sgt. 1st Class Crista Mary Mack.

Cold Response 16   is held in the Tr​øndelag of Norway and the Participants are from the  Armed-Forces of: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland​, France, ​Germany, Latvia,  Norway,  the Netherlands​, Poland, Spain, Sweden,  the United Kingdom  and the United States.

Remarks by the Commanding General of the U.S Army Europe LTG Ben Hodges during an interview at Cold Response 16

March 4, 2016 Norway © The U.S Army Europe

Standing NATO Maritime Group-1 ( SNMG1) visited Trondheim Norway, as a routine visit to the North and Baltic Sea, before launching one of the biggest NATO Maritime Military Training- Exercise ‘COLD RESPONSE 16’, which will take off in early March.  Most European States, with the U.S Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force are taking part in it. 

                                                 The SNMG1 in Trondheim Norway, February 25, 2016 ©NATO Maritime Command

At the present time under the command of Rear Admiral José Enrique Delgado from Spanish Navy, the SNMG1 is combined of :

• The United Kingdom Royal Navy Frigate HMS IRON DUKE (F234)
• The Spanish Flagship F100 class Frigate ESPS ÁLVARO de BAZÁN (F101)
• The Spanish Combat Replenishment Ship ESPS CANTABRIA (A15)
• The Norwegian Coastal Corvettes Skjold-class HNoMs STORM (P961) and HNoMs STEIL (P963)
 

 “SNMG1 just completed one more week of training off the Norwegian Coast, to make sure we are ready to provide NATO with a continuous presence and Maritime capability for Operations.”   “I´m looking forward to increasing SNMG1 readiness and proficiency by our participation in exercise COLD RESPONSE 16 where our Task Group capabilities will be upgraded with the addition of Allied units from Denmark and France”.  stated Rear Admiral Delgado. February 25, 2016  ©NATO Maritime Command

“This exercise provides a great opportunity for Allies to train together and better understand how we each operate and communicate,”  “The increased understanding and cooperative efforts between our Countries enable us to work together effectively, while also addressing any and all Security challenges that may arise in the Region or other parts of the World.” emphasized Lt. Col. Dennis Cummings from the U.S Air Force. February 27, 2016 © U.S Air Force Europe

Standing NATO Maritime Group-1 is  part of NATO’s  Immediate Reaction Forces which operates to enhance NATO Allied Maritime capability in peacetime, as well as in  conflict.