ATHENA

EU MILITARYEU MILITARYOPERATIONS :OPERATIONS :PREPARATORYPREPARATORY

PHASEPHASE

ATHENA

Before preparatory phase :

Get in touch with ATHENA :

athena.mechanism@consilium.europa.eu

1) A training period should be organised for you

2) Help can be provided on how to organise for the forthcoming operation

ATHENA

Preparatory phase :WHEN?

START : - when a Crisis Management Concept has been

approved by the Council of the European Union,

END : - when the Operation Commander is appointed,

(usually through the Joint Action adopted by the Council of the European Union)

UNLESS: - ATHENA’s Special Committee has modified the

period

ATHENA

• ATHENA pays for costs defined at ANNEX II to the Council Decision :

« Incremental costs of transport and accommodation necessary for exploratory

missions and preparations (in particular fact-finding missions and reconnaissance) by military

forces with a view to a specific Union military operation »

• MEDEVAC for persons taking part in exploratory missions and preparations by military forces

Preparatory phase : consequences

ATHENA

1. ATHENA’s administrator2. He may delegate, notably to the

future J8s of the pre-designated OHQ & FHQ

FUNDS AVAILABLE :

1. X € in 2007 and 2008 budgets2. Funds can be sent to the pre-

designated OHQ & FHQ

Preparatory phase : Authorising officer

ATHENA

1) FACT FINDING MISSIONS / RECONNAISSANCE / PREPARATIONS by MILITARY FORCES:

• ATHENA pays for them, including national missions

• coordinate national fact-finding missions to reduce number

• collect information on data useful for J8 : location of HQs and forces possible support locally (EU Member State,

Commission delegation, United Nations, local authorities)

possible contractors (local reliable bank, local association of business and industry, chamber of commerce, etc.)

local personnel (can they be recruited? Labor law in force?)

Preparatory phase : tasks (I)

ATHENA

2) ORGANISE the CHAIN of COMMAND

• organise your HQ’s J8 section

• get in touch with others (J8s in other HQs, J4s, J6s, J1s)

• organise the work flow between HQs: - set up sub-delegations of powers (in writing) - set up the reporting routine- set up the flow of funds :

- requests for funds should reach the administrator through the OHQ

- funds may flow directly to each headquarter

Preparatory phase : tasks (II)

ATHENA

3) FLOW of FUNDS• Open bank accounts dedicated to ATHENA’s funds

each OHQ should have a permanent « ATHENA » bank account

open bank accounts other than for the OHQ :- emphasis on security of funds - preferably in a bank with its head office in the EU

(Commission delegation can usually provide advice)- preferably in euros (exchange rate risk!)

• Request for funds by e-mail to ATHENA’s administrator by any headquarter through OHQ J8.

• Flow of funds : by bank transfer In cash or travellers’ checks, « where no official institution

operates in the host nation or may offer sufficient guarantees » or before bank accounts could be opened

Preparatory phase : tasks (III)

ATHENA

4) PREPARE FOR THE NEXT PHASE• PREPARE REFERENCE AMOUNT

- what will be the major needs for the operation?- how will those needs be met (national offer or procurement?)- if procurement necessary, how will it be done? What will be the costs?

• WHAT IS NEEDED FROM ATHENA?

- which costs should be financed in common ? (ANNEX III-B and C/else)

- which costs should be Nation Borne Costs?• PREPARE THE PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES- ATHENA’s framework agreements with EU Member

States or Coordination Centres for support- direct procurement

Preparatory phase : tasks (IV)

ATHENA

5) REPORTING

- during the preparatory phase, reportsONCE A MONTH

- same breakdown as the budget

- budgetary commitments, legal commitments, payments

- cash flow table

- commentary to justify spending

- start immediately inventories and accounting

- ATHENA’s software

Preparatory phase : tasks (V)

ATHENA

• a reference amount approved by the Council of the EU

• a J8 section organised• a chain of command organised- with J1s, J4s, J6s

- with subordinate headquarters J8s

• flow of funds organised

• accounting and reporting organised

Preparatory phase : the end state

ATHENA

• Representatives of all operational levels (BXL, OHQ, FHQ),

• X days on theater,

• Local visits & contacts,

• Various assessments,

• Report to be presented to RELEX to justify operation reference amount (joint action),

• First orientation .

REF. AMOUNT ASSESSMENT TEAM :

ATHENA

• Infra works will condition the deployment of the force

• Necessary preparation of sites to implement the force

• AGSR : heavy air component dedicated to intelligence (CMC)

CONCLUSIONS MISSION :

ATHENA

??