Brussels, 01/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Multilayer 2012 is the name of the crisis management exercise launched by the EU on Monday 1 October, to test the effectiveness of the EU crisis response system in a fictional crisis situation requiring both a military operation and a civilian mission in the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
In a fictional scenario nonetheless inspired by actual situations in various countries of the world, the competent structures of the European External Action Service (EEAS) will measure their ability to react and interact given the worsening security and humanitarian situation of a fictitious region comprising 11 countries and in which 'Nusia' and 'Recuria', two states in a post-conflict transition situation, are faced with complex, concomitant issues such as border-setting, the security of public infrastructure, the presence of landmines and maritime piracy.
This exercise is the seventh of its kind, but the first to mobilise all levels of intervention - from the politico-strategic to the operational - of the EU crisis management structures. It will be supervised by Agostino Miozzo, director of crisis response and operational coordination at the EEAS under Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Political and Security Committee of the EU will have the political control and strategic direction of the CSDP military operation and the CSDP civilian operation.
In putting the EU crisis response system to the test, the primacy of the UN Security Council in maintaining international peace and security will be recognised, as will the importance of coordinating the action of the EU with that of the competent regional organisations. (AN/transl.fl)