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Council extends mandate of EU military Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean until 2025

European Council / Council of the European Union

Council of the EU
Press release
20 March 2023

The Council today extended the mandate of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) military operation in the Mediterranean - EUNAVFOR MED IRINI until 31 March 2025. The decision was taken in the wake of the Strategic Review of the operation carried out by the Political and Security Committee. In this context, the Council decided that the disposal of arms and related materiel seized by the operation should be further facilitated.

The reference amount for the common costs of Operation IRINI will be €16 921 000 for the period from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2025.

Background

EUNAVFOR MED IRINI (Greek for 'peace') was launched on 31 March 2020 as a concrete contribution on the part of the European Union to the process set up by the international community to support the return to peace and stability in Libya.

Operation IRINI's core task is to contribute to the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya, established by the UN Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011), through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets. In particular the mission is mandated to carry out inspections of vessels on the high seas off the Libyan coast suspected to be carrying arms or related material to and from Libya in violation of the arms embargo on Libya. It does this in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2292 (2016) and subsequent UNSC resolutions. In addition, Operation IRINI monitors violations perpetrated via aerial and land route and shares the information collected with the United Nations.

EUNAVFOR MED IRINI is also mandated to:

• monitor and gather information on illicit exports from Libya of petroleum, crude oil and refined petroleum product
• contribute to the capacity building and training of the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy
• contribute to the disruption of the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks through information gathering and patrolling by planes
• IRINI is led by Rear Admiral Stefano Turchetto as EU Operation Commander, and its headquarters are located in Rome, Italy.