On November 6-7 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas took part in the second European Union Defence Committee (EUDC) conference this year. The event in Brussels (Belgium) addressed relevant EU security and defence issues.
Under the chairmanship of General Mikhail Kostarakos the EU Chiefs of Defence addressed the implementation of security and defence aspects of the Global Strategy for the European Union, discussed NATO-EU cooperation, including in hybrid and electronic realms, with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee General Peter Pavel and Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Curtis M. Scaparrotti.
One of the conference sessions concerned the outcome and prospects of the European Union military operations. The participants reviewed the European Force (EUFOR) Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina, European Union Naval Force Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR Med) Operation Sophia launched to tackle illegal migration, and the counter-piracy efforts European Union Naval Force ATALANTA (EU NAVFOR). The EU training missions in the Central African Republic, Mali and Somalia where also addressed.
Intense discussions also took place on the fight against terrorism and prevention of radicalism. The session was also attended by Chiefs of Defence of EU partner nations - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Jordan, Montenegro, Moldova, South Korea, Serbia and Tunisia.
The conference concluded with a vote for a new EUMC Chairman. Italy's Chief of Defence General Claudio Graziano was elected to take over from Chairman General Mikhail Kostarakos next November.
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The EU Military Committee is the highest military institution of the European Union made up of the Chiefs of Defence of the EU member countries. The Committee has been in force since 2001 leading military actions of the EU, primarily, planning and conduct of military mission and operations of the Common Security and Defence Policy and development of military capabilities, and rendering military advice to the EU Political and Security Committee in charge of common Foreign and Security Policy of the Union. The NATO Chiefs of Defence convene for the EUMC meetings twice a year.
Spokesperson for the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major Mindaugas Neimontas
Contacts: (+370 5) 278 5091, +370 682 25359, e-mail: mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
