Common Committee Meeting at Headquarters Eurocorps

On 11 December 2003, the 12th meeting of the Common Committee of Eurocorps’ five Framework Nations Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Spain was held in Strasbourg.

France as the current presidency nation asked Headquarters Eurocorps to host and to support this meeting. The Common Committee is the supervising and decision authority of the Framework Nations. Attendees are the Chiefs of Defense Staff and the Political Directors of the Ministeries of Foreign Affairs. This high-ranking board implements the governments’ decisions and gives directives to the Eurocorps Commanding General. The Common Committee meets once a year or on demand of a Member Nation.

The 12th Meeting started with reports of the Politico-Military- and the Military Working Group, the two most important bodies of the Common Committee, on the activities of Eurocorps during the last twelve months. After this the Commanding General of Eurocorps, Lieutenant General Jean-Louis Py, welcomed the representatives and made his report. Since September 04, 2003 he has been the sixth Commanding General of the Eurocorps.

In his adress to Common Committee General Py put the emphasis on the efforts making the EUROCORPS available for the European Union and NATO. He also underlined that Eurocorps’ Framework Nations have an efficient tool at their disposal, ready for use and bearing a strong hope for the future.

Then the representatives exchanged views on respective prospective commitments and mandates for 2004 and discussed the necessary structures and resources to carry out the missions that can be allocated to Eurocorps.

Finally the presidency was handed over from France to Luxembourg.

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