The IECEU (Improving the Effectiveness of Capabilities in EU Conflict Prevention) is a project aspiring to enhance the conflict prevention capabilities of the EU. The findings of the IECEU-project show that mandate creation and coordination with local and international actors have significant influence on the effectiveness of the missions and operations. In addition to these two factors, staff and their competences play an important role in creating effectiveness. This policy brief assesses the current situation regarding staffing, and gives policy recommendations related to personnel to further increase effectiveness of EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations.
Overall, EU personnel in EU CSDP missions and operations are committed and well-qualified. However, there is great variation in personnel qualifications, skill sets, and aptitude. CSDP missions and operations are often challenged by understaffng and short rotation cycles. These challenges could be mitigated by pre-deployment training and standardized handover processes, which are adhered to. Four main challenges were identified in relation to personnel: (1) difficulties in finding and recruiting high quality recruits as well as lack of standardisation and adherence to standardisation in recruiting (2) weaknesses and disparities in hand-over processes and task-specific training, (3) absence of streamlined mechanisms to deal with and remove personnel from a mission if problems arise, and (4) low importance given to soft-skills in recruitment processes. Through standardization and especially through adherence to the standardization already present, these challenges can be mitigated.
You can read the publication here.
Developing EU’s Crisis Management: Focus on Personnel / Series: Policy Brief / Number: 1/2018 / Author(s): Maria Mekri, Kari Paasonen / Publisher: SaferGlobe / Year of publication: 2018 / Pages: 4 / Layout: A4, colour / ISBN: 978-952-6679-21-1 (print), 978-952-6679-22-8 (pdf)