Background 

In order to develop closer ties between EUROCORPS (EC) and EU institutions, the Director General of the European Union Military Staff (DGEUMS) and EC Commander (COMEC) signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) on 18 January 2016, which outlined areas of cooperation between the two organisations. 

After identifying a series of feasible common actions and collating them into the LoI Implementation Work Plan (IWP), DGEUMS and COMEC agreed in January 2017 to update the LoI IWP on an annual basis and to convene annually at a Management Level Meeting (MLM) in order to assess the current IWP and give guidance on the way ahead. The Deputy Directors of both organisations oversaw the implementation of this process.

Update

In December 2024, after eight years of fruitful cooperation between the two organisations, in light of evolving operational/training scenarios and institutional tasks, both identified a need to review the existing LoI, with a focus on updating areas of collaboration and identifying potential new common areas of interest. Consequentially, during the 7^th MLM in January 2025 hosted by the EUMS in Brussels, the Deputy Director General and Chief of Staff of the EUMS, Major General Gabor HORVATH highlighted how the LoI signed between both organisations back in 2016  needed to be updated and therefore: 

“It is appropriate that we adapt our agreements to ensure that they are fit for purpose….by doing so, we will not only enhance the effectiveness and agility of our collaboration but also ensure that we are fully equipped to respond to current and future challenges.”

Following a revision of the existing LoI by the respective staffs at the 8^th MLM which also took place in Brussels on 23 June 2025, the new version of the document was jointly validated at DDG EUMS and DCOM EC level, ready to be signed by DGEUMS and COMEC. 

New LoI 

On 20 August 2025, DGEUMS and COMEC signed the new LoI. The new LoI lists 11 areas of collaboration, both inside and outside the framework of EU CSDP missions, collectively enhancing the previous agreement, to ensure that future EUMS-EC collaboration is fit for purpose and in line with current and future challenges. Additionally, it is agreed that both organisations can submit recommendations for future areas of cooperation in order to reflect progress and developments in specific areas. 

EUMS-EC cooperation continues under the new LoI, with the 9^th EUMS-EC Management Level meeting scheduled to take place in Strasbourg, in early 2026.