The 33rd Project Team Personnel Recovery (PT PR) meeting was held from 17 to 20 October 2017 at the Stato Maggiore Aeronautica (Air Force General Staff) in Rome (Italy). Brigadier General Luigi Del Bene, Department Airspace Planning & Policy Chief of the Italian Air Force, opened the meeting highlighting the EDA’s substantial work in supporting Member States to their Personnel Recovery (PR) capabilities. This meeting marked the 10th anniversary of the Project Team.
The PT reviewed the different work strands in the field of Personnel Recovery (PR) with a particular focus on projects and demonstrators related to training. National experts from twelve EU Member States shared their expertise and knowledge along with nine representatives from the European Personnel Recovery Centre (EPRC), NATO and the United States Joint Personnel Recovery (JPRA).
The PT PR had the opportunity to visit Vatican City and attend a general audience with the Pope in Saint Peter’s Square. The Chairman of the PT PR, LtCol Frank Stallbörger (Germany) emphasised the collective efforts of the PT PR in saving lives.
EDA Personnel Recovery Conference
To increase awareness and visibility of the importance of Personnel Recovery, the Italian Air Force and the EDA will jointly organise a conference entitled “Personnel Recovery: Risks & Mitigations” on 4/5 December 2017 in Florence (Italy). Invitations will be sent soon.
Background
The isolation, capture and exploitation of personnel during Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations and missions could have a significant adverse impact on operational security, the morale of personnel and public support. The EU therefore places high priority on the release, recovery and reintegration of personnel by employing all possible diplomatic, military and civilian tools. Since the establishment of PT PR in 2007, the European Defence Agency has worked with participating Member States and partners to address identified shortfalls over the full spectrum of PR, from the cultural and conceptual context through training aspects to the development of advanced technologies.
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