POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE DECISION (CFSP) 2023/2130

of 26 September 2023

on the appointment of the EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2022/2539 (BiH/35/2023)

THE POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 38 thereof,

Having regard to Council Joint Action 2004/570/CFSP of 12 July 2004 on a European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1), and in particular Article 6(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Article 6(1) of Joint Action 2004/570/CFSP, the Council authorised the Political and Security Committee (PSC) to take the relevant decisions on the appointment of the EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Operation ALTHEA) (the ‘EU Force Commander’).

(2) On 13 December 2022, the PSC adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/2539 (2) appointing Major General Helmut HABERMAYER as the EU Force Commander.

(3) On 10 March 2023, the Hungarian authorities recommended the appointment of Major General László STICZ to succeed Major General Helmut HABERMAYER as the EU Force Commander from January 2024.

(4) On 21 March 2023, the EU Operation Commander for Operation ALTHEA supported the recommendation from the Hungarian authorities.

(5) On 3 July 2023, the EU Military Committee agreed to the recommendation from the Hungarian authorities.

(6) A decision should therefore be taken on the appointment of Major General László STICZ as the EU Force Commander from 21 January 2024.

(7) Decision (CFSP) 2022/2539 should be repealed.

(8) On 12 and 13 December 2002, the Copenhagen European Council adopted a declaration stating that the ‘Berlin plus’ arrangements and the implementation thereof will apply only to those Member States of the Union which are also NATO members or parties to the ‘Partnership for Peace’, and which have consequently concluded bilateral security agreements with NATO,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Major General László STICZ is hereby appointed EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Operation ALTHEA) from 21 January 2024.

Article 2

Decision (CFSP) 2022/2539 is repealed.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on 21 January 2024.

Done at Brussels, 26 September 2023.

For the Political and Security Committee

The Chairperson

D. PRONK

(1)

OJ L 252, 28.7.2004, p. 10

(2) Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2022/2539 of 13 December 2022 on the appointment of the EU Force Commander for the European Union military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2022/59 (BiH/34/2022) (

OJ L 328, 22.12.2022, p. 99

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/2130/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)