Eurocorps
Encyclopedia
Eurocorps is a multinational
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...

 standing army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...

 corps available for the European Union and the Atlantic Alliance.
Headquartered in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...

, France, the force was created in May 1992, activated in October 1993 and declared operational in 1995.

Five countries participate in Eurocorps as "framework nations": Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

 and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

. A further seven countries have pledged to contribute personnel to the staff: Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

, and the USA. Most of these countries are members of the EU (with the exception of Turkey and the USA) and of NATO (with the exception of Austria).

Eurocorps comprises approximately 1,000 soldiers stationed in the Headquarters in Strasbourg.

The French-German Brigade with 5000 troops, (under operational command) stationed at Müllheim
Müllheim
Müllheim is a town in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It belongs to the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. Müllheim is generally considered to be the center of the region known as Markgräflerland.-History:...

, Donaueschingen
Donaueschingen
Donaueschingen is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river Danube ....

, Immendingen
Immendingen
Immendingen is a town in the district of Tuttlingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....

, Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district....

, Meßstetten
Meßstetten
Meßstetten is a town in the Zollernalbkreis district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the Swabian Alb, 24 km southeast of Balingen.- References :...

, Stetten am kalten Markt
Stetten am kalten Markt
Stetten am kalten Markt is a municipality in the Sigmaringen district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-Towns:The towns of Nusplingen, Frohnstetten, Storzingen and Glashütte are part of Stetten am kalten Markt.-History:...

, Villingen-Schwenningen
Villingen-Schwenningen
Villingen-Schwenningen is a city in the Schwarzwald-Baar district in southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It has 80,941 inhabitants .-History:...

 in Germany and Illkirch-Grafenstaden in France.

The force consist of 60,000 troops pledged for deployment in EU or NATO rapid-response missions. The nucleus of the force is the Franco-German Brigade
Franco-German Brigade
The Franco-German Brigade is a joint formation consisting of units from both the French Armée de Terre and German Heer armies and is integrated in Eurocorps.-History:...

 established in 1987.

Organization

The EUROCORPS is designed to ‘...serve as a model for closer military cooperation in general between EU member-states.’16

The Eurocorps is not subordinate to any other military organization. It is deployed on the authority of the Common Committee representing the framework nations Chief of Defense and Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This committee considers requests for support from multinational organizations such as the UN, NATO, OSCE or EU. The Corps can also be deployed at the behest of the framework nations. In 2008 and 2009 the European Parliament voted with a large resolution proposing that Eurocorps should become the standing army of the EU, under EU command.

Headquarters

The Eurocorps headquarters is based in Strasbourg near the Franco-German border, the seat of several European institutions. The headquarters contains the following units:
  • A Command Group, based in Quartier Aubert-de-vincelles, consisting of the Commanding General, the Deputy Commanding General, the Chief of Staff, the Deputies Chief of Staff, the Air and Navy representatives, the legal advisers, a public affairs office, a medical adviser and a political adviser (only during engagement).
  • A Staff of approximately 350 providing support to the command group. The staff includes also officers from Austria
    Austria
    Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

    , Poland
    Poland
    Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

    , Greece
    Greece
    Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

    , Italy
    Italy
    Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

     and Turkey
    Turkey
    Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

    .
  • A Multi-national Command Support Brigade is co-located in Strasbourg (Quartier Aubert-de-Vincelles). This brigade is separate and subordinate to the Corps headquarters and provides additional support when the Corps is deployed. The brigade is formed from units provided by the nations on a case-by-case basis but has a permanent headquarters of 80 personnel.
  • A Headquarters Support Battalion (subordinated to the Multi-national Command Support Brigade), based in Strasbourg (Quartier Lizé), providing protection, transport, food, etc. to the headquarters. This battalion consists of approximately 500 soldiers but can be significantly reinforced in case of commitments.


Since 2002 English is the command language and all personnel assigned to Eurocorps headquarters must be able to use it.

Subordinate units

The 5 framework countries have earmarked the following units to the Eurocorps:
  • The French-German Brigade
    Franco-German Brigade
    The Franco-German Brigade is a joint formation consisting of units from both the French Armée de Terre and German Heer armies and is integrated in Eurocorps.-History:...

     (under operational command) (Müllheim
    Müllheim
    Müllheim is a town in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It belongs to the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. Müllheim is generally considered to be the center of the region known as Markgräflerland.-History:...

    )
  • French Contribution
    • A "Etat-Major de Force" (EMF) (equivalent to a divisional HQ)
  • German Contribution
    • A division-size unit like the 10th Armored Division
      10th Armoured Division (Germany)
      The 10th Armoured Division is an armoured division in the German Army of the Bundeswehr.Its staff is based at Sigmaringen. The division is a unit of the German Army's stabilization forces and specialized on conflicts of low intensity.- History :This division was founded as the 10. Panzerdivision...

      , with its HQ in Sigmaringen
      Sigmaringen
      Sigmaringen is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district....

  • Belgian Contribution
    • The 1st Medium Brigade, stationed in (Leopoldsburg
      Leopoldsburg
      Leopoldsburg is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Leopoldsburg had a total population of 14,403. The total area is 22.49 km² which gives a population density of 640 inhabitants per km².-External links:*...

      )
  • Spanish Contribution
    • The "Cuartel General del Mando de Fuerzas Pesadas" (Heavy Forces Command) in Burgos
      Burgos
      Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...

       where the 1st Mechanized Division is stationed.
  • Luxembourg Contribution
    • A reconnaissance company (180 soldiers) based in Diekirch
      Diekirch
      Diekirch is a commune with city status in north-eastern Luxembourg, capital city of the canton Diekirch and the district of Diekirch. The city is situated on the banks of the Sauer river....

      , composed of two reconnaissance platoons, an anti-tank platoon and a logistics support element. This unit will probably be integrated into the Belgian contribution during operations.


Except for the Franco-German Brigade and the Staff of the Multinational Command Support Brigade (MNCS Bde) that are permanently under operational command of HQ Eurocorps, the national contributions remain under national command in peacetime. They become fully subordinated after Transfer of Authority has been decided by member states.

The size and type of Eurocorps units required in operations will depend on the nature and scope of assigned missions, likely employment, and the expected operational outcome. In the case that all earmarked national contributions are committed, the Corps would number approximately 60,000.

Deployments

The Eurocorps participated in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...

 and led KFOR III in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...

 from 18 April 2000 to October 2000 and led the ISAF6 Force
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...

 in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

 from 9 August 2004 to 11 February 2005. From 1 July 2006, to 10 January 2007, HQ Eurocorps was the land component stand by element of the NATO Response Force 7
NATO Response Force
The NATO Response Force is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable"...

. From 1 July 2010, to 10 January 2011, HQ Eurocorps was the land component stand by element of the NATO Response Force 15. Today HQ Eurocorps prepares for its deployment to ISAF 2012 in Afghanistan.

Participating countries

"Framework nations": - since 1993 - since 1992 - since 1992 - since 1996 - since 1994

Other contributors: since 2002 since 2003 since 2009 since 2003 since 2003

See also

  • European Institutions in Strasbourg
    European Institutions in Strasbourg
    There are a range of European Institutions in Strasbourg , the oldest of which dates back to 1815. In all, there are more than twenty different institutions based in the Alsatian city...

  • Franco-British Defence and Security Cooperation Treaty and Downing Street Declaration

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK