Finland on standby for two EU battle groups in early 2011

Press release 369/2010
17 December 2010

The President of the Republic issued a decision on 17 December to place a military contingent on a high state of readiness as part of the European Union’s battle groups in 2011. Finland will be on standby for two EU battle groups: firstly the Nordic Battle Group, which in addition to Finland includes Estonia, Ireland and Norway under Sweden’s leadership; and secondly the battle group led by the Netherlands, which includes Finland, Germany, Austria and Lithuania. Both battle groups will be on standby from 1 January to 30 June 2011. In Finland some 300 troops will be on a high state of readiness.

EU battle groups are military units comprising some 1,500-2,000 troops. These rapid reaction troops are on standby for deployment to a crisis management operation outside the EU on 10 days notice. The maximum duration of such an operation is four months. Battle groups are deployed for purposes of peacekeeping, conflict prevention and strengthening international security.

The deployment of EU battle groups to a crisis management operation is subject to a unanimous EU decision. The national decision to send Finnish troops to such an operation as part of EU battle groups rests with the President of the Republic, in accordance with the Act on Military Crisis Management.

EU battle groups have never been deployed since the adoption of the battle group concept in 2007.

Finland has been on standby for EU battle group deployment on two previous occasions, in 2007 and 2008.

Further information: Outi Holopainen, Head of Unit, tel. +358 9 1605 5480, and Anne Huhtamäki, Counsellor, Unit for Security Policy and Crisis Management, tel. +358 9 1605 5485