Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2025/508 of 12 March 2025 on the appointment of the Head of the EU Coordination Element in Naples for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH/39/2025)

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/508 14.3.2025 POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE DECISION (CFSP) 2025/508 of 12 March 2025 on the appointment of the Head of the EU Coordination Element in Naples for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH/39/2025) THE POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular 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 exercise the political control and strategic direction of the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Operation ALTHEA), to take the relevant decisions in accordance with Article 25 of the Treaty, and to take decisions on the appointment of the EU Operation Commander and Force Commander for Operation ALTHEA. (2) By Exchange of Letters between the Secretary-General/High Representative and the NATO Secretary-General on 28 September 2004 and on 8 October 2004, respectively, the North Atlantic Council agreed to make the Chief of Staff of the Joint Force Command Headquarters Naples available as Head of the EU Command Element (EUCE) in Naples. (3) On 6 December 2023 the PSC approved the Operation Plan of Operation ALTHEA (REV 7), which states that if the EU Operation Commander is no longer in a position to discharge their duties, for illness or other reason, the Head of the EUCE will deputise for the EU Operation Commander until the PSC decides otherwise. (4) On 4 February 2025, the EU Operation Commander of Operation ALTHEA recommended that Lieutenant General Rodolfo SGANGA, Chief of Staff of the Joint Force Command Headquarters Naples, be appointed as Head of the EU Coordination Element in Naples for Operation ALTHEA and that he substitute the EU Operation Commander when that person is no longer in a position to discharge their duties. (5) On 7 February 2025, the EU Military Committee endorsed that recommendation. (6) 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 Rodolfo SGANGA is hereby appointed Head of the EU Coordination Element in Naples for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Operation ALTHEA). Article 2 1. If the Operation Commander of Operation ALTHEA is no longer in a position to discharge their duties, the Head of the EU Coordination Element in Naples shall assume the command ad interim of Operation ALTHEA. In such an event, the chief of staff of the EU Staff Group of Operation ALTHEA shall inform the Political and Security Committee (PSC) in writing. (1) OJ L 252, 28.7.2004, p. 10, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/joint_action/2004/570/oj. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/508/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 14.3.2025 2. The command ad interim shall start immediately upon receipt of this information by the Chair of the PSC. 3. The command ad interim shall cease when the PSC adopts a new decision on the Operation Commander of Operation ALTHEA. Article 3 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Brussels, 12 March 2025. For the Political and Security Committee The Chairperson D. PRONK 2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/508/oj