# European Union Military Committee

The Military Committee of the European Union (EUMC) is the body of the European Union's (EU) Common Security and Defence Policy that is composed of member states' Chiefs of Defence (CHOD). These national CHODs are regularly represented in the EUMC in Brussels by their permanent Military Representatives (MilRep), who often are two- or three-star flag officers.
The EUMC is under the authority of the EU's High Representative (HR) and the Political and Security Committee (PSC).

## History

The EUMC was established in December 2000 by the European Council of Nice. It is one of several defence and security-related bodies established as a result of the Helsinki Headline Goal, which was decided in December 1999.

## Function

The EUMC gives military advice to the EU's High Representative (HR) and Political and Security Committee (PSC). The EUMC also oversees the European Union Military Staff (EUMS).
The relationship between the High Representative, the Military Staff and Military Committee as of November 2017:
Colour key:  High Representative (a Vice-President of the Commission)  Military Committee (EUMC; a Council body)  Military Staff (EUMS; a Directorate-General of the External Action Service)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | High Representative | High Representative | High Representative | High Representative | High Representative | High Representative | | | | |
| | | | | Chairman EUMC | Chairman EUMC | Chairman EUMC | Chairman EUMC | Chairman EUMC | Chairman EUMC | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Working Group | Working Group | Working Group | Working Group | Working Group | Working Group | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Working Group/Headline Goal Task Force | Working Group/Headline Goal Task Force | Working Group/Headline Goal Task Force | Working Group/Headline Goal Task Force | Working Group/Headline Goal Task Force | Working Group/Headline Goal Task Force | | | | | | | Director General EUMS/ Director MPCC | Director General EUMS/ Director MPCC | Director General EUMS/ Director MPCC | Director General EUMS/ Director MPCC | Director General EUMS/ Director MPCC | Director General EUMS/ Director MPCC | | |
| | | | | | | | | Legal advisor | Legal advisor | Legal advisor | Legal advisor | Legal advisor | Legal advisor | | | Deputy Director General | Deputy Director General | Deputy Director General | Deputy Director General | Deputy Director General | Deputy Director General | | | Horizontal Coordination | Horizontal Coordination | Horizontal Coordination | Horizontal Coordination | Horizontal Coordination | Horizontal Coordination | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Assistant Chief of Staff for Synchronisation | Assistant Chief of Staff for Synchronisation | Assistant Chief of Staff for Synchronisation | Assistant Chief of Staff for Synchronisation | Assistant Chief of Staff for Synchronisation | Assistant Chief of Staff for Synchronisation | | | EU cell at SHAPE | EU cell at SHAPE | EU cell at SHAPE | EU cell at SHAPE | EU cell at SHAPE | EU cell at SHAPE | | | EU Liaison at the UN in NY | EU Liaison at the UN in NY | EU Liaison at the UN in NY | EU Liaison at the UN in NY | EU Liaison at the UN in NY | EU Liaison at the UN in NY | | | Assistant Chief of Staff for External Relations | Assistant Chief of Staff for External Relations | Assistant Chief of Staff for External Relations | Assistant Chief of Staff for External Relations | Assistant Chief of Staff for External Relations | Assistant Chief of Staff for External Relations | | | NATO Permanent Liaison Team | NATO Permanent Liaison Team | NATO Permanent Liaison Team | NATO Permanent Liaison Team | NATO Permanent Liaison Team | NATO Permanent Liaison Team | | |
| Concepts & Capabilities Directorate | Concepts & Capabilities Directorate | Concepts & Capabilities Directorate | Concepts & Capabilities Directorate | Concepts & Capabilities Directorate | Concepts & Capabilities Directorate | | | Intelligence Directorate | Intelligence Directorate | Intelligence Directorate | Intelligence Directorate | Intelligence Directorate | Intelligence Directorate | | | Operations Directorate | Operations Directorate | Operations Directorate | Operations Directorate | Operations Directorate | Operations Directorate | | | Logistics Directorate | Logistics Directorate | Logistics Directorate | Logistics Directorate | Logistics Directorate | Logistics Directorate | | | Communications & Information Systems Directorate | Communications & Information Systems Directorate | Communications & Information Systems Directorate | Communications & Information Systems Directorate | Communications & Information Systems Directorate | Communications & Information Systems Directorate | | | Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) Chief of Staff Working Group Current Operations | Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) Chief of Staff Working Group Current Operations | Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) Chief of Staff Working Group Current Operations | Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) Chief of Staff Working Group Current Operations | Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) Chief of Staff Working Group Current Operations | Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) Chief of Staff Working Group Current Operations |

### Role in command and control of missions

The EU command and control (C2) structure is directed by political bodies composed of member states' representatives, and generally requires unanimous decisions. As of April 2019:
    Liaison: Advice and recommendations Support and monitoring Preparatory work vte
Political strategic level: :
| Political strategic level: | Political strategic level: | Political strategic level: | Political strategic level: | Political strategic level: | Political strategic level: | ISS | ISS | ISS | ISS | | | | | EUCO Pres. (EUCO) | | | | Chain of command |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Coordination/support | Coordination/support | Coordination/support | Coordination/support | Coordination/support | Coordination/support |
| SatCen | SatCen | SatCen | SatCen | SatCen | SatCen | CIVCOM | CIVCOM | CIVCOM | CIVCOM | CIVCOM | CIVCOM | HR/VP (FAC) | HR/VP (FAC) | HR/VP (FAC) | HR/VP (FAC) | HR/VP (FAC) | HR/VP (FAC) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTCEN | INTCEN | INTCEN | INTCEN | INTCEN | INTCEN | | | HR/VP (PMG) | HR/VP (PMG) | HR/VP (PMG) | HR/VP (PMG) | HR/VP (PMG) | HR/VP (PMG) | HR/VP (PSC) | HR/VP (PSC) | HR/VP (PSC) | HR/VP (PSC) | HR/VP (PSC) | HR/VP (PSC) | CEUMC (EUMC) | CEUMC (EUMC) | CEUMC (EUMC) | CEUMC (EUMC) | CEUMC (EUMC) | CEUMC (EUMC) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CMPD | CMPD | CMPD | CMPD | CMPD | CMPD | | | | | | | | | | | | | DGEUMS (EUMS) | DGEUMS (EUMS) | DGEUMS (EUMS) | DGEUMS (EUMS) | DGEUMS (EUMS) | DGEUMS (EUMS) |
| Military/civilian strategic level: | Military/civilian strategic level: | Military/civilian strategic level: | Military/civilian strategic level: | Military/civilian strategic level: | Military/civilian strategic level: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Dir MPCC (MPCC) | Dir MPCC (MPCC) | Dir MPCC (MPCC) | Dir MPCC (MPCC) | Dir MPCC (MPCC) | Dir MPCC (MPCC) | JSCC | JSCC | JSCC | JSCC | JSCC | JSCC | | | Civ OpCdr CPCC | Civ OpCdr CPCC | Civ OpCdr CPCC | Civ OpCdr CPCC | Civ OpCdr CPCC | Civ OpCdr CPCC |
| Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | Operational level: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MFCdr (MFHQ) | MFCdr (MFHQ) | MFCdr (MFHQ) | MFCdr (MFHQ) | MFCdr (MFHQ) | MFCdr (MFHQ) | | | | | | | HoM | HoM | HoM | HoM | HoM | HoM |
| Tactical level: | Tactical level: | | | | |
| CC Land | CC Land | CC Land | CC Land | CC Land | CC Land | CC Air | CC Air | CC Air | CC Air | CC Air | CC Air | CC Mar | CC Mar | CC Mar | CC Mar | CC Mar | CC Mar | | | Other CCs | Other CCs | Other CCs | Other CCs | Other CCs | Other CCs |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces | Forces |
    $^1$ In the event of a CSDP Civilian Mission also being in the field, the relations with the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) and its Civilian Operation Commander (Civ OpCdr), as well as the subordinate Head of Mission (HoM), are coordinated as shown.
    $^2$ Other Component Commanders (CCs) and service branches which may be established.
    $^3$ The MPCC is part of the EUMS and Dir MPCC is double-hatted as DGEUMS. Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), either a national OHQ offered by member states or the NATO Command Structure (NCS) would serve this purpose. In the latter instance, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), rather than Dir MPCC, would serve as Operation Commander (OpCdr).
    $^4$ Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), the MFCdr would be known as a Force Commander (FCdr), and direct a Force Headquarters (FHQ) rather than a MFHQ. Whereas the MFHQ would act both on the operational and tactical level, the FHQ would act purely on the operational level.
    $^5$ The political strategic level is not part of the C2 structure per se, but represents the political bodies, with associated support facilities, that determine the missions' general direction. The Council determines the role of the High Representative (HR/VP), who serves as Vice-President of the European Commission, attends European Council meetings, chairs the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) and may chair the Political and Security Committee (PSC) in times of crisis. The HR/VP proposes and implements CSDP decisions.
    $^6$ Same composition as Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) II, which also prepares for the CSDP-related work of the FAC.

## Current EU Chiefs of Defence

| Member | CHOD | Member | CHOD | Member | CHOD |
| Chief of the General Staff of Austria | Major General Rudolf Striedinger of the Austrian Land Forces | Chief of Defence of Belgium | General Frederik Vansina of the Belgian Air Component | Chief of Defence of Bulgaria | Admiral Emil Eftimov of the Bulgarian Navy |
| Chief of the General Staff of Croatia | Colonel general Tihomir Kundid of the Croatian Army | Chief of the General Staff of Cyprus | Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas of the Cypriot Ground Forces | Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Republic | Lieutenant General Karel Řehka of the Czech Special Forces |
| Chief of Defence of Denmark | Major General Michael Hyldgaard of the Royal Danish Army | Commander of the Defence Forces of Estonia | Major General Andrus Merilo of the Estonian Land Forces | Chief of Defence of Finland | General Janne Jaakkola of the Finnish Army |
| Chief of the Defence Staff of France | General Thierry Burkhard of the French Army | Inspector General of the Bundeswehr of Germany | General Carsten Breuer of the German Army | Chief of the General Staff of Greece | General Dimitrios Choupis of the Hellenic Army |
| Chief of the General Staff of Hungary | Colonel General Gábor Böröndi of the Hungarian Ground Forces | Chief of Staff of Ireland | Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy of the Irish Army | Chief of the Defence Staff of Italy | General Luciano Portolano of the Italian Army |
| Commander of the Armed Forces of Latvia | Major General Kaspars Pudāns of the Latvian National Guard | Chief of Defence of Lithuania | General Raimundas Vaikšnoras of the Lithuanian Land Force | Chief of Defence of Luxembourg | General Steve Thull of the Luxembourg Army |
| Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta | Brigadier Clinton J. O'Neill of the Armed Forces of Malta | Chief of Defence of the Netherlands | General Onno Eichelsheim of the Royal Netherlands Air Force | Chief of the General Staff of Poland | General Wiesław Kukuła of the Polish Territorial Defence Forces |
| Chief of the General Staff of Portugal | General José Nunes da Fonseca of the Portuguese Army | Chief of the General Staff of Romania | General Gheorghiță Vlad of the Romanian Land Forces | Chief of the General Staff of Slovakia | Lieutenant General Daniel Zmeko of the Slovak Ground Forces |
| Chief of the General Staff of Slovenia | Major General Robert Glavaš of the Slovenian Ground Force | Chief of the Defence Staff of Spain | Admiral General Teodoro Esteban López Calderón of the Spanish Navy | Supreme Commander of Sweden | General Michael Claesson of the Swedish Army |

## Chairman

The EUMC is chaired by a General Officer, Admiral, or Air Officer of four-star level (i.e. NATO OF-9 equivalent), who is selected by the Chiefs of Defence and appointed by the Council of the European Union. For a term of three years the chairman is the spokesperson for the EUMC. He participates in PSC meetings as appropriate, he is the military adviser to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR) who heads the EEAS European External Action Service, he represents the primary point of contact with the Operation Commanders of the EU's military operations, and he attends Council meetings with defence and security implications.