WIREDGOV

Why the European Union Battlegroups have never been used? Maybe it is just a wrong concept? Can we really solve issues without reopening EU Battlegroups concept? These are some of long standing issues that the Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas together with other representatives from EU member states are planning to address at the seminar on European Burden Sharing and the Role of EU Battlegoups on 15 October in London.

The seminar is organised in joint efforts by the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence and UK Ministry of Defence.
The usability of EU Battlegroups is one of the top issues in the run up for the European Council in December where defence issues will be on the agenda after a long break. It is also a one of priorities of Lithuanian’s EU Presidency in the second half of 2013.

As the Presidency Lithuania seeks to increase the flexibility of EU Battlegroups, to facilitate conditions for their deployment and enhance training of the Battlegroups. 

The current on standby UK-led EU Battlegroup is composed from Dutch, Latvian, Lithuanian, Swedish and UK troops. Lithuania has contributed with a maneuver unit which is composed from 120 troops from the Lithuanian King Mindaugas Motorised Infantry Battalion along with Lithuanian officers posted to EU Battlegroups Headquarters.

The EU Battlegroup is high-readiness, rapidly deployable and multinational force capable of carrying out operations individually or act as a part of initial stage of a larger operation.  A group is usually 2, 000 strong and is composed from military units assigned by the EU member states for six-month standby periods on a basis of rotation.

In case of activation, the EU Battlegroups will for deployment on the ground within 5–10 days and sustain for the period from 30 up to 120 days. 

The first EU Battlegroups began their standby rotations in 2005.