# Chairman of the European Union Military Committee

The chairman of the European Union Military Committee (CEUMC) is the four-star rank officer representing and presiding over the European Union's (EU) Military Committee (EUMC), composed of the chiefs of defence (CHODs) of the EU member states. The chairman is selected by the chiefs of defence of the member states and appointed by the members of the Council of the European Union for a three-year term.

## Task

The chairman has the following tasks:
* Acting as the spokesperson for the EUMC
* Participating in Political and Security Committee meetings as appropriate
* Acting as 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
* Representing the primary point of contact with the Operation Commanders of the EU's military operations
* Attending Council meetings with defence and security implications
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.

## List of holders

| No. | Chairman | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | State | Ref. |
| 1 | Hägglund, GustavGeneral Gustav Hägglund (born 1938) | 3 June 2001 | 9 April 2004 | 2 years, 311 days | Finnish Army | Finland | |
| 2 | Moschini, Rolando MoscaGeneral Rolando Mosca Moschini (born 1939) | 9 April 2004 | 6 November 2006 | 2 years, 211 days | Italian Army | Italy | – |
| 3 | Bentégeat, HenriGeneral Henri Bentégeat (born 1946) | 6 November 2006 | 6 November 2009 | 3 years, 0 days | French Army | France | – |
| 4 | Syrén, HåkanGeneral Håkan Syrén (born 1952) | 6 November 2009 | 6 November 2012 | 3 years, 0 days | Swedish Amphibious Corps | Sweden | – |
| 5 | de Rousiers, PatrickGeneral Patrick de Rousiers (born 1955) | 6 November 2012 | 6 November 2015 | 3 years, 0 days | French Air and Space Force | France | |
| 6 | Kostarakos, MichailGeneral Michail Kostarakos (1956–2023) | 6 November 2015 | 6 November 2018 | 3 years, 0 days | Hellenic Army | Greece | |
| 7 | Graziano, ClaudioGeneral Claudio Graziano (1953–2024) | 6 November 2018 | 1 June 2022 | 3 years, 207 days | Italian Army | Italy | |
| 8 | Brieger, RobertGeneral Robert Brieger (born 1956) | 16 May 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 144 days | Austrian Land Forces | Austria | |