EU INTEGRATED RESOLVE 2022 EU IR22 (PACE)

In the past few years the EU has been challenged with unprecedented crises, that required unity of action, swift decision making, and rapid reaction from Member States and all EU entities. Furthermore, these apparition of new threats, and the evolution of former concepts, processes, systems and crisis response tools require a high degree of coordination and the need to be continuously tested to better gurantee EU preparedness to manage complex crises. To that end, the Strategic Compass will provide new tools to strengthen  the EU’s role and capacity as an effective and flexible security and defence actor, that is better able to take more responsibility for its own security, in line with the guidance provided by the European Council.  Moreover, coordination with relevant partners and notably NATO is paramount to face complex multidimensional crises, particularly those with a hybrid dimension, where the exchange of information and rapid reaction is of paramount importance.

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General Information

• WHO: EEAS, Commission, The Council, Member States (MS), other EU Agencies and the Hellenic EU OHQ and FHQ provided by Greece.
• WHAT: Comprehensive and combined exercise, composed of two interlinked parts, a CSDP planning part and an event-driven part.
• WHERE: BRUSSELS, MS capitals, EL EU OHQ at LARISSA, EL EU FHQ at NEA SANTA KILKIS, the EU SatCen at TORREJON, participating EU Agencies and EU Delegation(s).
• WHEN: From 19 Sept to 18 Nov 2022.
• WHY: In order to improve and enhance, in a safe-to-fail environment, the EU’s ability to respond to a complex crisis of a hybrid nature with an internal and an external dimension, as well as to improve cooperation with NATO in accordance with the PACE concept.

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CPX EU IR22 (PACE) is a long-planned exercise seeking to enhance the EU capacity to refine the Union’s decision making process as well as the planning at the politico strategic, military strategic and operational levels. To that end, the preparation period, started almost 1 year ago and has proven to be challenging for all involved actors. Indeed, the preparation of a Multilayer Type exercise of this magnitude is in itself a challenge, however, for 2022 iteration, the EU decided to set the bar higher than ever before, introducing a new level of complexity to the exercise.

MS have agreed to integrate a Live Exercise (LIVEX) during the event driven part of the EU IR22 (PACE), with participating troops coming from the Troop Contributing Nations (TCNs) to the HELBROC Battle Group (BG). This interlinking of an EU exercise with the Certification process of an EU BG is a first. For this purpose, the EL EU FHQ and part of the HELBROC BG Units will be deployed in the exercise area (Northern Greece) in order be evaluated and certified within the context of its stand-by period on the 1^st Semester of 2023.

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The LIVEX will culminate in a live demonstration of the means and capabilities of the HELBROC BG during the Distinguished Visitors Day of CPX EU IR22 (PACE) at the exercise area, where the spectating participants will have the opportunity to witness the use of an EU BG as an Initial Entry Force (IEF) preparing the ground for the deployment of an EU-led Operation.  

Doubtless, the preparation and conduct of an EU Exercise of such a scale will be a challenging endeavour, but challenges lead to opportunities. Opportunity to strengthen the nexus between the EU's internal and external security. Opportunity to enhance the EU’s role and capacity as an effective and flexible security and defence actor. Opportunity to become better and to realise the EU's potential as a Global Security provider.