EUMS host 7th EUMS – EUROCORPS Management Level Meeting in Brussels

Background

In order to develop closer ties between EUROCORPS (EC) and EU institutions, the Director General of the European Union Military Staff (DGEUMS) and EC Commander (COMEC) signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) on 18 January 2016, which listed 10 possible areas of cooperation between the two organisations.

In January 2017, an update to the Implementation Work Plan (IWP) was further agreed by DGEUMS and COMEC and this catered for both organisations to convene annually at Management Level, in order to assess the current IWP and give guidance on the way ahead. The Deputy Directors of both organisations oversaw the implementation of this process.

Now after eight years of fruitful cooperation between both organisations and in the light of evolving operational/training scenarios and institutional tasks, DGEUMS has decided to review the existing LoI, with a focus on updating areas of collaboration and identifying potential new common areas of interest.

Welcome

Speaking during his opening remarks, Major General HORVATH welcomed Major General DE LAROUZIERE and his staff to the EUMS and then took a moment to reflect on the fruitful collaboration between both organisations. He further outlined how “both organisations must also recognize that the world around us has changed significantly. The geopolitical landscape, the security environment, and even the expectations of our respective organisations and stakeholders have evolved in profound ways….this meeting will provide an opportunity for us to review our accomplishments, assess the lessons we have learned, and chart the path forward for a strengthened, more robust partnership.”

EUMS

Deputy Director General and Chief of Staff of the European Union Military Staff, Major General Gabor HORVATH opening the meeting.

Discussions

In order to chart the path forward, a number of interesting discussions took place during the Management Level Meeting including an update on EC's role in EU Battlegroups for 2025/26, EU and EC connectivity, Exercises, the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC) and the European Peace Facility (EPF).

Looking Forward

Major General HORVATH wrapped up the meeting by sincerely thanking the staff of EC for their engagement, commitment and valuable contributions throughout the discussions before looking ahead to updating the existing LoI and highlighting the exciting opportunities that lay ahead for both organisations.