Throughout this site you will have the opportunity to better understand our aims, our organization, our history and our missions, as well as to take knowledge of our news and recent developments.
During the last decades in a fast changing world where defence organizations like NATO were to adopt themselves to the new situation, Europe has had to learn how to act alone. A renewed importance was given to the oldest post World War II defence Alliance, the Western European Union (WEU), and steps were taken both to define the new post cold war missions´, and to identify the forces necessary to carry them out. Therefore, in a fast changing world, four nations (France, Italy, Portugal and Spain) decided to convey a strong message containing their commitment to a European Security and Defence Identity. One of the results was the creation of EUROPEAN MARITIME FORCE (EUROMARFOR).
France, Italy, Portugal and Spain agreed to create a tailored force, EUROMARFOR, in order to fulfill missions at that time defined in the Petersberg’s Declaration. Initially declared as “answerable to WEU”, the force was included on the EU Force Catalogue, being a deployable high readiness maritime headquarters, designated Maritime Component Command (MCC), and she has been also included on the EU Maritime Rapid Response Database with different contributions from the four members.
The force is a common maritime instrument of the four participating nations, opened to all EU members. Dedicated in priority to European Union (EU), within the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) framework, she may be available to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), United Nations (UN) or any multinational coalition.
Over thirty force activations, more than three years deployed in Real World Operations, numerous exercises and other activities highlighting the cooperation among Mediterranean Countries are clear evidences of the relevance of its validity as a naval tool characterized by flexibility, readiness and effectiveness in response to emerging maritime world challenges, ranging from conflict prevention and control to humanitarian assistance, always minded towards a safer world marked by peace and stability.