A FORCE FOR EUROPEAN UNION
In May 1993, France and Germany made EUROCORPS available for “Petersberg” missions (crisis response operations) to the former Western European Union. At the European Summit in Köln (3 and 4 June 1999), the European Union wished to have multinational forces prepared for future military crisis management. EUROCORPS could foster closer relationship with the European Union. Additionally, the signature of a “Letter of Intent” between EUROCORPS and the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) on 18 January 2016, has demonstrated EUROCORPS’ effort towards closer ties with the European Union.
EUTM MALI
EUROPEAN UNION TRAINING
MISSION IN MALI
EUTM RCA
EUROPEAN UNION TRAINING
MISSION IN RCA
EUTM Mali
EUTM Mali constitutes the military pillar of the EU strategy in Mali, which includes other fields such as political and humanitarian development. The mission was born in 2013 to respond to the need to strengthen the capabilities of the Malian Armed Forces, with the ultimate result being self-sustaining armed forces capable of contributing to the defense of their population and territory. EUTM Mali was the first engagement of Eurocorps for the European Union. Around 70 key personnel under the leadership of Brigadier General Pfrengle deployed to Mali at the end of June 2015 and took over the command of the mission. This was the starting point for many more rotations in Mali and the Central African Republic and laid the foundation for a privileged cooperation between Eurocorps and the EUMS. Two more six-month rotations followed in 2021, during which EUROCORPS provided the Mission Force Commanders as well as key multinational staff, Advisor Group and Training Task Force leadership. With more than a thousand soldiers from up to 26 nations, EUTM Mali was the most important military mission of the European Union to date.
During the exercise European Endeavour 16. From 23 May to 3 June 16 some 350 exercise participants gathered in the Aubert de Vincelles barracks for the exercise European Endeavour 2016 This final Command Post Exercise served to certify the Force Headquarters ((F)HQ) of the European Battle Group 2016-2, composed by Headquarters Eurocorps and the Troop Contributing Nations Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. It aimed at evaluating the capabilities and performance of the (F) HQ acquired throughout a challenging exercise series, which already started in November 2015.
EU Battlegroups are multinational, military units, usually composed of 1500 personnel each and form an integral part of the European Union’s military rapid reaction capacity to respond to emerging crises and conflicts around the world. Like any decision relating to the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) their deployment is subject to a unanimous decision by the Council. Although Battlegroups have been fully operational since 2007 and have proven their value as a tool for defence cooperation and transformation, issues relating to political will, usability, and financial solidarity have prevented them from being deployed. However, in recent months much progress has been made to overcome these obstacles – giving the Battlegroups renewed impetus and relevance.
EUTM RCA
First rotation, European Union Training Mission in Central African Republic (EUTM – RCA) was launched on 16 July 2016 on a request of the Central African Government. The main objective of the mission is to support the build-up of a modernized, effective, credible, ethnically balanced and democratically accountable FACA (Central African Armed Forces) very similar to Mali. EUROCORPS provided the first three rotations of the new EUTM RCA. With around 70 key personnel under the leadership of a brigadier general, the EUROCORPS was, in a sense, the mission’s midwife.
15th-28th June 2016
From 12 to 21 October 2016 more than 200 soldiers from HQ Eurocorps as well as from Troop Contributing Nations France and Belgium participated in the exercise European Spearhead. During the exercise Eurocorps had to show its ability to plan and conduct an EU crisis response operation in close coordination and interaction with other missions. European Spearhead 16 was the certification exercise in order to assume the role of a (F) HQ for the European Union Battlegroup during the first semester of 2017.
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EUTM RCA
First and second semester: Eurocorps headquarters bid farewell to its personnel deploying abroad in the framework of the European Union Training Mission in Central African Republic. Deputy Chief of Staff Support & Enabling, Brigadier General Herman Ruys, led the 64-member team from EUROCORPS that made up the key nucleus of EUTM RCA Mission Headquarters, in Bangui, comprising a total of 170 military personnel from Belgium, France, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
EUTM MALI
EUROCORPS in lead of the mission with 60-member team. “I am very proud of your work and commitment to protecting the most vulnerable.” Mr David Sassoli, the President of the European Parliament could not attend the farewell ceremony due to the COVID19 pandemic but he really wanted to address the Eurocorps soldiers before their departure for EUTM Mali.
EUTM RCA
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As of 1 July 2025, EUROCORPS officially entered the Express Readiness Phase as the Force Headquarters (FHQ) for EU Battlegroup 2025 (EUBG 25). This designation places EUROCORPS on heightened alert, fully prepared to mobilise within 10 days to support EU missions or respond to emerging crises worldwide. This milestone in the operational trajectory of Eurocorps confirms its key role within the European Union’s rapid reaction architecture.
December 2024
In December 2024, Eurocorps conducted MILEX 24, a Command Post Exercise (CPX) held at the Bergen Training Area in Germany. The scenario focused on a crisis management operation outside EU borders, with the primary goal of validating Eurocorps’ ability to operate under EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) procedures. This included the Operational planning in co-ordination with the Military Planning and Conduct Capability at a strategic level, the development of a Joint Operations Plan and Leading a military mission within a civil-military context and multinational environment.
April 2025
As part of its continued operational build-up, Eurocorps conducted a second exercise in Hungary in April 2025, focused this time on the entry into theatre and tactical-level command of deployed forces. The central theme of this exercise was the multinational logistical manoeuvre, a crucial component of any large-scale deployment. This training validated Eurocorps’ ability to command forward-deployed units in initial operational phases, to coordinate multinational logistic flows and sustainment and to ensure mission readiness during early entry operations under real-world constraints. As a result of this exercise, EU officially declared the RDC operational.
EUBG 2025
In recognition of its operational excellence, the European Union has entrusted Eurocorps with the role of Force Headquarters for two additional consecutive alert periods:
