Observatory on European defence, February 2011

February 28, 2011
EU IMPOSES SANCTIONS AND PUT AN ARMS EMBARGO TO LIBYA
Following the resolution 1970/2011 of UN Security Council on Libya, the EU Council has adopted a set of measures against those responsible for the use of force and violence against Libyan civilians. The EU has prohibited the supply of weapons, ammunitions and related material, and equipments which can be used for the internal repression. It has also imposed a ban of entry and the freezing of financial assets of 26 Libyan citizens, including Muhammar Gaddafi.
On February 21, EU Foreign Affairs Council condemned the violent repression of civilians, and called for the prompt end of the use of force and the respect of human rights. The Council also encouraged a national dialogue to satisfy the people’s call for reforms. At the same time Hungary’s EU Presidency activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, via Monitoring Information Centre in Brussels, to help the evacuation of European citizens in Benghazi.
In the same breath NATO was monitoring the Libyan situation and called for an end of the violent repression, but it did not decide about possible military actions in Libya.

February 9, 2011
APPINTED NEW NATO SENIOR CIVILIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN AFGHANISTAN
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has appointed Simon Gass as Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, replacing Mark Sedwill. Mr. Gass is the current British Ambassador in Iran.

February 20, 2011
FRONTEX DISPATCHES A SUPPORT TEAM IN LAMPEDUSA TO MEET IMMIGRATION EMERGENCY
A team of 30 officials of EU Agency FRONTEX has been sent to Lampedusa, following the state of emergency declared by the Italian Government on the island. Also an aircraft and some ships of nine EU countries and Switzerland were dispatched.
The task of the FRONTEX team, called Joint Operation Hermes 2011, is to contribute to the identification of the 6.000 immigrants landed on the island in the previous weeks, and the repatriation of those who haven’t the asylum requirements.
EUROPOL also cooperates with the operations, in particular to identify and prosecute those responsible of illegal traffic of immigrants.

February 21, 2011
EU-MONTENEGRO AGREEMENT ON CRISIS MANAGEMENT
The EU Foreign Affairs Council has approved an agreement with Montenegro to establish the mechanisms for its participation to the EU crisis management operations. The Council has also extended until April 30, 2011 the mandate of the EU Special Representative in Kosovo, Pieter Feith.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council has also adopted an updated version of the EU Common Military List, which defines the elements covered by Common Position 2008/844 on common rules for the control of exports of military equipment and technologies.