Observatory on European defence, May 2013

IN THE SPOTLIGHT : MAY 28
CHANGE OF COMMAND AT THE EUROPEAN UNION MILITARY STAFF
The command of the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) has been changed from General Ton van Osch to General Wolfgang Wosolsobe, in the central courtyard of the European External Action Service (EEAS) building in Brussels.
Lieutenant General Wosolsobe started his military career in 1974. In the last years he has served as Defence Policy Director during the Austrian presidency of the EU-Council in 2006, joined Brussels as Military Representative in 2007 and was promoted to Major General in June of the same year. In 2009 and 2010 he served as Dean of the EU Military Committee and in 2012 he was elected Director General of the EU Military Staff. The EUMS and was established in June 2001 as part of the EEAS, and works under the direction of the EU Military Committee and the authority of the High Representative.

MAY 2/21/31
HIGH REPRESENTATIVE CATHERINE ASHTON APPOINTS EIGHT NEW HEADS OF EU DELEGATION
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission has appointed the new Head of EU Delegation to Libya, Myanmar/Burma, Azerbaijan, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Paraguay, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan. In more details:
Ms Nataliya Apostolova has been appointed Head of the EU Delegation in Libya. Currently she is the EU's Deputy Head of Delegation to Egypt and has previously worked in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement and at the Permanent Representation of Bulgaria to the EU. The European Union presence in Libya started in February 2011 at the beginning of the turmoil. Between May and August 2011 offices have been opened in Bengasi and Tripoli. In November of the same year they were converted in EU Delegation in Libya.
Mr Kobia is the new Head of the EU Delegation in Myanmar. Currently he is serving as Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan. Previously he has also worked in the former European Commission Delegations to Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The appointment is part of the 2013 rotation exercise within the European External Action Service (EEAS). The establishment of an EU Delegation in Yangon was decided in January 2013, thus an accreditation request for a new Head of Delegation has been sent to the host country in order to have the appointment completed.
Malena Mård, currently Deputy Director General and Head of Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, has been appointed Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan.
Alberto Navarro, currently the Spanish Ambassador to Morocco, has been appointed Head of the EU Delegation to the Dominican Republic.
Ketil Karlsen, Chargé d'Affaires at the Royal Danish Embassy to Zimbabwe since 2010, has been appointed Head of EU Delegation to Honduras.
Alessandro Palmero, currently Deputy Head of Division for the MERCOSUR countries in the EEAS, has been appointed Head of the EU Delegation to Paraguay.
David Daly, currently Head of the EU Delegation to Australia and New Zealand in Canberra, has been appointed Head of the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka.
Cesare de Montis has been appointed Head of the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan. Currently he is Coordinator for the economic chapters of the EU's Association Agreement negotiations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the Eastern Partnership Bilateral division of the EEAS.

MAY 22
EU ESTABLISHES AN INTEGRATED BORDER MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE MISSION IN LIBYA
The Council has established EUBAM Libya, a civilian EU integrated border management assistance mission in Libya to improve the management and security of the 4,348 km of Libyan land borders together with the 1,770 km of Libyan coastline. The civilian mission aims at supporting the Libyan transition and is part of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy. It will initially last two years and has a budget of €30.3 million for the first 12 months.

MAY 27
EU POLICE MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN EXTENDED
The Council has extended the EU police mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL Afghanistan) until 31 December 2014 by allocating a budget of €108 million for the period from 1 June 2013 until the end of 2014. The mission aims at helping the Afghan authorities and enhancing their police forces. Moreover, it contributes to implement sustainable and policies of civil security, it works in order to strengthen the connection between the police and the legal sector. In these regards, it provides the local authorities of leadership, specialized and effective instructors and advisors to the Ministry of Domestic Affairs, Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General’s office. The mission is led by the Swedish Police Commissioner Karl Åke Roghe, Head of Mission since August 2012, and counts approximately 350 international and 200 local staff, coming from 23 member states as well as from Croatia and Canada.

MAY 31
NEW ECONOMIC SANCTIONS TO SYRIAN REGIME
The European Council has decided to adopt new economic sanctions against the Syrian Regime that will be valid until June 2014. These measures include both the oil embargo and restrictions on investments, financial activities and the sector of transports. In addition, 179 people- related to the brutalities that took place in the country- have their goods suspended and halted from export.