ABOUT EUROGENDFOR

ABOUT EUROGENDFOR

WHAT IS EUROGENDFOR?
Based on the Treaty of Velsen (18 October 2007), EUROGENDFOR is a multinational
organization, operational, robust, and rapidly deployable, constituted by seven
police forces with military status within the European Union.
Dedicated as a priority to the European Union (EU) Foreign and Security Policy,
EUROGENDFOR may be placed inter alia, under civilian authority or military command, at
the disposal of the EU, the United Nations (UN), the Organisation for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
Designed to perform the full spectrum of police tasks within the scope of crisis
management, from executive policing to support to the development of local police and
security forces, EUROGENDFOR participates to the stabilization of crisis and conflict
areas outside the European Union, where it contributes to the protection of population, the
upgrading of the Human Rights, and the reestablishment of the Rule of Law.
Doing so, the EUROGENDFOR’s objective is also to contribute to the European Union's
area of freedom, security and justice and to its citizens' security by mitigating transnational
threats such as international terrorism and organized crime or massive smuggling
of migrants.

EUROGENDFOR LOGO AND MOTTO
The EUROGENDFOR blazon: on an field of azure, a
sword in argent symbolizing force; the laurel and oak
crown, victory; and the flaming grenade, which is the
traditional distinction of elite troops, the common
military roots of the gendarmerie forces.
The EUROGENDFOR motto is “ LEX PACIFERAT”,
which means “Law is bringing Peace”. It stresses the
strong connection between the enforcement of the
Rule of Law and the restoring of a safe and secure
environment, the cornerstone of EUROGENDFOR’s
commitment.

STRATEGIC LEVEL:
THE EUROGENDFOR STRUCTURES
The EUROGENDFOR decision-making body
is the HIGH LEVEL INTERDEPARTMENTAL
COMMITTEE, or CIMIN (Comité Inter-
MInistériel de haut Niveau).
The Committee ensures the politicalmilitary
coordination, the political control
and gives strategic guidance to
EUROGENDFOR and in particular to its
permanent headquarters.
Decisions and guidelines shall be
adopted by consensus.
Each EUROGENDFOR Member State is usually represented in the CIMIN by the
General Commander or Director-General of the Gendarmerie Force, a high
representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and for some states a high
representative of the Ministry of Defence or Interior, depending on subordination of the
national force.

OPERATIONAL LEVEL
THE EUROGENDFOR STRUCTURES
The Permanent Headquarters (PHQ), consisting of the Commander and his staff,
represents the most visible part of the Force, in addition to EUROGENDFOR
contingents deployed.
The PHQ is dedicated to:
Implementation of CIMIN decisions;
Planning and conduct of crisis
management operations,
coordination of EUROGENDFOR
contribution to International Crisis
Management Operations (CMO’s);
provision of police expertise for
operations planning;
The PHQ is currently 39 staff strong,
and might welcome liaison officers.
It shall be able to deploy the nucleus of a police force headquarters in theatre.

TACTICAL LEVEL
THE EUROGENDFOR STRUCTURES
EUROGENDFOR shall be able to
deploy up to 800 personnel within 30
days, tasked with the substitution,
strengthening, training, mentoring, and
advising of local police and security
forces.
It shall deploy, including at short notice,
either a standalone operation or a
contribution to a wider IO operation in
various forms, including:
Police Force/components of HQ;
Integrated Police Units;
Coherent expert teams;
High level experts...

MEMBERS OF EUROGENDFOR
SPAIN
Guardia Civil
FRANCE
Gendarmerie Nationale
ITALY
Arma dei Carabinieri
THE NETHERLANDS
Koninklijke Marechaussee
POLAND
Żandarmeria Wojskowa
PORTUGAL
Guarda Nacional Republicana
ROMANIA
Jandarmeria Română

PARTNERS AND OBSERVERS OF EUROGENDFOR
Partner status can be achieved
by EU Members or Candidate
countries possessing a force with
military status and police skills.
EUROGENDFOR Partner:
Observer status can be granted to
an EU Candidate Member state
possessing a police force with
military status.
EUROGENDFOR Observer:
LITHUANIA
Viesojo Saugumo Tarnyba
TURKEY
Jandarma
CONTRIBUTING STATES
A State that is not a Party to the Velsen Treaty can participate in
EUROGENDFOR missions and tasks, subject to CIMIN agreement.

CHARACTERISTICS AND CAPABILITIES
EUROGENDFOR is a flexible tool that can deploy
a robust capacity under either military
command or civilian authority, and is able to
act autonomously or jointly with other forces.
It is able to select and deploy experienced
police officers among 360.000 staff from its
seven gendarmerie forces, reflecting the
highest EU police standards.
EUROGENDFOR is able to manage every
police aspect of crisis management:
In the initial phase: carrying out stabilization operations and ensuring order
and security, substituting or strengthening weak or non-existent local police forces;
During the transition phase: continuing to fulfil its mission, including as part of a
military expeditionary force, facilitating coordination and cooperation with other local
or international police actors;
During the disengagement phase: including by facilitating the military exit
strategy and the transfer of responsibilities to the civilian chain of command.

SCENARIOS OF INTERVENTION
The possible scenarios of intervention for EUROGENDFOR are, inter alia:
Substitution / complementing of local police/security forces in areas where conflicts have led
to a significant administration breakdown. The international police presence may be mandated to
perform either all or some aspects of the police functions, thus being entitled to executive police
powers.
Strengthening of local police forces in areas
characterized by a high level of insecurity and
criminality. The international police officers could train,
monitor, mentor, and advise the Local Interior Security
Forces in order to improve their professional standards,
contributing to their restructuring and wider security
sector reform.
Protection of populations in case of natural or manmade
disasters, unsafe environments, internally
displaced persons or refugees...

ADDED VALUE OF EUROGENDFOR
Rapid planning and rapid deployment: EUROGENDFOR is able to plan
and deploy within a short timeframe, including alongside the military in the
first and generally most critical stages of a crisis management operation, thus
filling the security gaps.
Operating in non-benign environments: Gendarmerie forces combine
police and military skills as well as robust equipment that allow them to act in
de-stabilised environments, performing police tasks from the very outset of a
crisis.
Acting under military or civilian authority: EUROGENDFOR is able to
act under civilian and/or military chains of command.
A bridging capability: Able to deploy at an early stage of the crisis
management, EUROGENDFOR can ensure transition and continuity from the
military to the civilian primacy, allow synergy of efforts and consistency of
action, and facilitate the military exit strategy.

EUROGENDFOR MISSIONS
PAST AND CURRENT

EUFOR ALTHEA MISSION IN BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA
The engagement in the EUFOR ALTHEA mission, from November 2007 to October 2010,
represented the first mission of EUROGENDFOR since its creation in 2004.
EUROGENDFOR took over the responsibility for
manning the Integrated Police Units (IPU) Headquarters
and coordinating the national EUROGENDFOR
contributions for the IPUs within the framework of the
European Union ALTHEA mission in Bosnia
Herzegovina.

EUROGENDFOR CONTRIBUTION TO MINUSTAH HAITI
The quick deployment within MINUSTAH, from February to December 2010, represented
the first EUROGENDFOR contribution to a United Nations mission.
EUROGENDFOR deployed in Haiti one French and
one Italian Formed Police Unit (FPU), alongside with
a Spanish Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
Platoon, tasked with supporting the UN civilian police
activities, and assisting the Haitian National Police,
the humanitarian agencies, and other organizations
acknowledged by the United Nations.

EUROGENDFOR DEPLOYMENT IN AFGHANISTAN
Since the establishment of the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan (NTM-A) in April 2009,
EUROGENDFOR has been engaged in the Afghan theatre of operations since 8 December 2009,
playing a relevant role in the training of the Afghan National Police.
EUROGENDFOR is involved in three areas of commitment:
Contributing with expert officers to the NTM-A and the
Combined Training Advisory Group-Police (CTAG-P)
chains of command.
Mentoring and training advisors for the Afghan National
Police.
Mentoring the Afghan Uniformed Police through the
provision of Police Advisory Teams (PAT’s).
After the end of NTM-A on 31 December 2014, EUROGENDFOR continues its engagement in
Afghanistan within the framework of the new NATO Resolute Support Mission.

EUROGENDFOR IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
The European Union Military Mission in the Central African Republic (EUFOR RCA) was
deployed from April 2014 to March 2015. EUROGENDFOR deployed 101 police officers in
this mission.
More than one hundred EUROGENDFOR police
officers were deployed in the Capital city, within an
Integrated Police Unit (IPU), in order to reinforce the
rule of law, maintain public order, and fight against
impunity.
The Gendarmerie component played a key role in
the progressive implementation of a safe and secure
environment, providing public order, community
policing, criminal investigation and intelligence
capacities.

EUROGENDFOR IN EUCAP SAHEL MALI
On 15 April 2014, the European Council established the European Union Capacity Building Mission
in Mali (EUCAP Sahel Mali), a civilian mission under the Common Security and Defense Policy
(CSDP), aimed at strengthening the Internal Security Forces in Mali.
The Mission supports the Malian State to ensure constitutional and democratic order and the
conditions for lasting peace, as well as to maintain its authority throughout the entire territory.
EUCAP Sahel Mali delivers strategic advice and training
for the three Internal Security Forces in Mali
(Gendarmerie, National Police, and National Guard).
On 17 April 2014, the CIMIN decided to engage
EUROGENDFOR in the EUCAP Sahel Mali mission, by
sending experts to mentor and train personnel from both
the Malian Gendarmerie and the National Guard.
EUROGENDFOR staff in the EU mission are performing
HQ functions, among them Chief of Operations, and
training activities in the Police Academy, the Gendarmerie
school, and the National Guard Training Center.

THE STABILITY POLICING HUB
The EUROGENDFOR PHQ is located in the Chinotto Barracks
in Vicenza (Italy), which also hosts two centres dedicated to
stability policing:
the Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units
(CoESPU), dedicated to United Nations peacekeeping
missions training and doctrinal development ;
the NATO Stability Policing Centre of Excellence
(NATO SP-COE), tasked with doctrinal elaboration,
staff training, and Lessons Learned development within
the North Atlantic Alliance.
The three organisms, gathering 209 staff members, just
concluded a joint arrangement in 2016 in order to enhance
their respective capacity, as well as to develop a consistent
stability policing hub at international level.

European Gendarmerie Force Permanent Headquarters
Caserma General Chinotto, Via G. Medici 87, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Tel: (+39) 0444/935201
protocol@eurogendfor.org
www.eurogendfor.org
www.facebook.com/EUROGENDFOR