Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 29 October 2019, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 12 November 2019. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Tuesday, 5 November 2019 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: EU Defence Policy

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the objectives of the EU’s Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and what contribution, if any, the UK is making to that operation.

Answer: EUFOR Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is an EU military operation. It operates under a UN Chapter VII mandate and under the Berlin Plus arrangements, is commanded by NATO and has access to NATO assets and capabilities. Its main objective is to support the authorities of BiH to maintain a ‘Safe and Secure Environment’. The United Kingdom has consistently supported its aims and objectives. The United Kingdom shares Operation Althea’s common costs with the other 22 participating nations. We currently contribute a number of staff officers, an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance taskforce and offer an ‘over the horizon’ reserve battalion.

Secondary information