Observatory on European defence, January 2011

January 27, 2011
FIRST TEST FOR NATO MISSILE DEFENSE CAPABILITY
NATO has acquired its first theatre ballistic missile defence capability. In the Uedem military base, Germany, weapons and systems provided by France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and the United States have been integrated in a single system under NATO control.
The ceremony and the tests have been attended by NATO Deputy Secretary General, amb. Claudio Bisogniero, and brig. General Alessandro Pera, as Head of Active Layered Theatre Missile Defence (ALTBDM).
The tested capacity is mobile, and it can be used to protect the deployed troops in an operational theatre. It is an important step forward to build a NATO system able to defend its members’ territory from missile attacks, as decided by the Lisbon Summit in November 2010.

January 5, 2011
EU DISPATCHES AN OBSERVATION MISSION IN NIGER
The EU has deployed an observation mission for the presidential and legislative elections of Niger which took place on January 31. The mission is composed by 38 observers led by Euro-MP Santiago Fisas Ayxela. The EU has also contributed to the elections with 20 million euro.

January 5, 2011
CHANGE IN NATO SURVEILLANCE MISSION ON THE BALTIC STATES AREA
Germany has taken over from the US the command of NATO air surveillance mission over the Baltic States Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As usual, the German contingent handles about 100 troops and six “F-4 Phantom” fighters, which will remain on duty for four months before a new change. The mission started in 2004 with the accession of the Baltic countries in NATO. The Alliance actively assists member countries that lack the necessary capabilities to patrol their own national airspace.

January 6, 2011
APPOINTED A NEW EDA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Claude-France Arnould has been appointed Executive Director of European Defence Agency (EDA) with a three years mandate.

January 9, 2011
THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT ON THE CONTROL OF TECHNOLOGY EXPORTS AND MILITARY EQUIPMENTS IS PUBLISHED
The EU has published the twelfth annual report on the basis of EU Council’s Common Position 2008/944 aimed to define common rules about the export control of military technologies and equipments. The principles and criteria stated in the Common Position were official aligned by seven non-EU countries including Canada and Norway.

January 26, 2011
THE CHIEFS OF STAFF OF NATO-RUSSIA COUNCIL APPROVE THE 2011 WORK PLAN
The Chiefs of Staff of NATO-Russia Council have approved the work plan for 2011, which concerns six areas of cooperation: missile defence, counter piracy, counterterrorism, logistics, search and rescue on the sea, military academic exchanges.

January 31, 2011
EU COUNCIL RE-ESTABLISHES AND WIDENS THE SANCTIONS AGAINST BELARUS
The European Council has imposed EU visa restrictions and the freezing of financial assets of those Belarus officials responsible for the electoral frauds of December 2010 and the following violent repression of the opposition. The restrictions suspended in 2008 to encourage the political process have been restored by the Council. Altogether the measures concern 160 people, including the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
The Council also confirmed the black list of people, companies and entities involved in terrorist acts, as defined in July 2010.
Previously, the Council has decided the freezing of financial assets and has extended the ban of entry in EU to other 85 persons and 11 entities who are hindering the peace process in Ivory Coast.