POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE DECISION (CFSP) 2022/1611

of 13 September 2022

on the appointment of the EU Operation Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2020/1010 (BiH/33/2022)

THE POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 38 thereof,

Having regard to Council Joint Action 2004/570/CFSP of 12 July 2004 on the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1), and in particular Article 6(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Article 6(1) of Joint Action 2004/570/CFSP, the Council authorised the Political and Security Committee (PSC) to take the relevant decisions on the appointment of the EU Operation Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the ‘EU Operation Commander’).

(2) On 8 October 2018, the PSC decided in principle that the Vice-Chief of Staff at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) should be appointed as the EU Operation Commander as from 29 March 2019, subject to NATO confirming his availability.

(3) On 7 December 2018, the North Atlantic Council confirmed the availability of the Vice-Chief of Staff at SHAPE to assume the role of EU Operation Commander under the ‘Berlin plus’ Arrangements, as from 29 March 2019.

(4) On 2 July 2020, the PSC adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/1010 (2) appointing Major General Brice HOUDET, Vice-Chief of Staff at SHAPE, as the EU Operation Commander as from 18 July 2020.

(5) On 1 September 2022, NATO decided to appoint Lieutenant General Hubert COTTEREAU as Vice-Chief of Staff at SHAPE, replacing Lieutenant General Brice HOUDET as from that date. Lieutenant General Hubert COTTEREAU should also replace, as from that date, Lieutenant General Brice HOUDET in his capacity as the EU Operation Commander.

(6) On 7 September 2022, the EU Military Committee agreed to recommend the nomination of Lieutenant General Hubert COTTEREAU as the EU Operation Commander as from 1 September 2022.

(7) Decision (CFSP) 2020/1010 should therefore be repealed.

(8) On 12 and 13 December 2002, the Copenhagen European Council adopted a declaration stating that the ‘Berlin plus’ Arrangements and the implementation thereof will apply only to those Member States of the Union which are also either NATO members or parties to the ‘Partnership for Peace’, and which have consequently concluded bilateral security agreements with NATO,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 Lieutenant General Hubert COTTEREAU, Vice-Chief of Staff at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), is hereby appointed as the EU Operation Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina as from 1 September 2022.

Article 2 Decision (CFSP) 2020/1010 is hereby repealed.

Article 3 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. It shall apply from 1 September 2022.

Done at Brussels, 13 September 2022. For the Political and Security Committee The Chairperson D. PRONK

(1) OJ L 252, 28.7.2004, p. 10.

(2) Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2020/1010 of 2 July 2020 on the appointment of the EU Operation Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2019/264 (BiH/29/2020) (OJ L 224, 13.7.2020, p. 7).