Mandate of Operation ASPIDES extended

A Council Decision^[1] that extends the mandate of EUNAVFOR Operation ASPIDES^[2] until 27 February 2027, was published in the EU’s Official Journal. ASPIDES is the EU’s maritime security mission that was launched in February 2024 to protect ships under attack in the Red Sea and to reinforce maritime situational awareness.

Against the background of the escalation in the Middle East, there are reportedly informal discussions to adapt the mandate of the mission more substantially or to start a new mission, but these discussions have not yet reached a formal stage yet. The French President Emmanuel Macron on a recent visit to Cyprus in an official speech^[3] floated the idea of an “ad-hoc mission” to “restore the freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz when the “right moment” is there. According to President Macron, the mission should have a purely defensive mandate, but his choice of words seems to indicate that the mission will not be launched as long as the open conflict between Israel and US on the one and Iran and its proxies on the other hand is still ongoing.

[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202600439

[2] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eunavfor-aspides_en?s=410381

[3] https://www.elysee.fr/front/pdf/elysee-module-26087-fr.pdf