Brussels, 25/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 1 March, French Army General Jean-Paul Perruche will replace the German Army General, Rainer Schuwirth, at head of the European Union Military Staff (EUMS). General Schuwirth had held the post since 1 March 2001 (the first to hold it), and General Perruche was named as his successor by the Council on 17 November 2003.
A military ceremony for command handover will be held on 26 February at the EU Council. The Council's press service stresses that this ceremony will "perpetuate the military traditions of command handover between general officers", adding: "The ceremonial and the unfolding of the parade will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the collective sharing of European ideals. On this occasion, military music will interpret the European hymn" (Beethoven's Ode to Joy).
In its press release, the Council recalls that the EU Military Staff, created in 2001 and directly attached to Javier Solana, comes under the leadership of the European Union Military Staff, which provides the EU Political and Security Committee (COPS) with recommendations and military advice. The EUMS, the press release says, "is the EU's military source and source of military expertise and fulfils three main functions: early warning, assessment of the situation and strategic planning". Since it was set in place, the Military Staff has set up and followed through two operations "crowned with success", in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the press release also states.