EUROMIL

Dé belangenbehartiger van alle Europese militairen

De Europese Organisatie van Militaire Verenigingen (EUROMIL) spant zich in voor de sociale en professionele belangen van alle militairen binnen alle rangen in Europa. EUROMIL vormt een Europese koepelorganisatie van in totaal 34 vakbonden en vakcentrales, die de belangen behartigen van militair personeel in 22 landen. Het EUROMIL-hoofdkantoor bevindt zich in Brussel.

Namens Nederland zijn de AFMP en de MARVER bij EUROMIL aangesloten. Dit doen zij vanuit hun solidariteit met de militaire bonden uit alle Europese landen en natuurlijk met al het hierbij aangesloten militair personeel. Via diverse lobbytrajecten oefent EUROMIL invloed uit op het NAVO- en EU-beleid en op de Europese sociale wet- en regelgeving. Een goed voorbeeld hiervan zijn tien aanbevelingen van EUROMIL, die de NAVO enkele jaren terug heeft overgenomen en nu hanteert bij de planning van missies. Ook de huidige beschermende regels voor goede arbeidsomstandigheden en daaraan gerelateerde wetten voor militairen zijn te danken aan de inspanningen van EUROMIL. Nederlandse militairen zijn hiervan anno 2022 steeds minder uitgezonderd. De wetten vormen een nationale uitwerking van Europese wetgeving, waarin mede dankzij de lobby van EUROMIL in de afgelopen decennia ook steeds meer zaken voor militairen zijn opgenomen.

EUROMIL waarborgt een goede sociale dialoog tussen de Europese militaire bonden. Door deze dialoog, waaraan de AFMP en de MARVER natuurlijk hun steentje bijdragen, ontpopt EUROMIL zich de laatste jaren tot veel meer dan een lobbyorganisatie. Niet voor niets vormt deze organisatie vandaag de dag een serieuze gesprekspartner aan de Europese overlegtafel. Op politiek-strategisch niveau in Europa wordt er dan ook steeds meer geluisterd naar wat EUROMIL als Europese belangenbehartiger voor militairen allemaal te vertellen heeft. De afgelopen jaren namen militaire vertegenwoordigers van de NAVO en politieke vertegenwoordigers van het Europese parlement ook de moeite om tijdens de Presidiums van EUROMIL met leden de dialoog aan te gaan over diverse relevante onderwerpen.

RECENTE EUROMIL-ARTIKELEN

Protection of Legitimate Interests and Rights of Soldiers – Conference in Slovakia
11 september 2023 - On 7-8 September 2023 our Slovak member association Zväz Vojakov Slovenskej Republiky (Association of the Soldiers of the Slovak Republic – ZV SR) organized an international conference entitled “Protection of Legitimate Interests and Rights of Soldiers”. The conference was held under the auspices of the State-Secretary of the Slovak Ministry of Defence Marian Majer, as well as the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (SR), and in close cooperation with EUROMIL, the Armed Forces Academy General M.R. Štefánik and the Hotel Granit Tatranské Zruby HOREZZA.
The conference was also sponsored by several Slovak defence industry companies who gave several demonstrations of their products before and during the event. The EUROMIL delegation focused especially on the human interest of their equipment, such as the possibilities of medical evacuation of wounded military personnel.
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Heavy Floodings in Greece – contribution of the Armed Forces
11 september 2023 - Heavy rainfall resulted in flooding in Greece, leading to severe destruction in central Greece and tragically claiming human lives. The Armed Forces are actively involved in both rescuing civilians and undertaking the task of repairing damaged roads and bridges to rehabilitate the affected regions. In response to the crisis, PFEARFU has taken the lead in collecting funds and essential supplies for dispatch to the impacted.
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EUROMIL: Where communication and solidarity coincide to improve the rights of members of armed forces across Europe
5 september 2023 - Long before I became a Board member of EUROMIL I was a strong advocate for the organisation, as I believed that it had the capacity to inexorably and positively alter the rights and entitlements of members of armed forces across Europe. Now, while recognising certain limitations of the organisation mostly due to the broad spectrum of issues impacting personnel across the European Union, I still stoically believe in the organisation’s capacity to progress the interests of serving and retired service personnel.
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Tackling Recruitment and Retention in European Armed Forces: Exploring Military Personnel Resignations in Greece
High Resignations in the Greek Armed Forces: A Complex Challenge
31 augustus 2023 - In Greece, the issue of high resignation rates in the armed forces has taken center stage, drawing attention to the underlying reasons and potential solutions. This phenomenon, reaching double-digit percentages, has raised concerns about its impact on the armed forces.
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Blog Koos Stauthamer, algemeen bestuurslid AFMP: Voelbare druk
24 augustus 2023 - Onlangs was ik namens de AFMP samen met Gil Bruel in het Ierse Dundalk. Daar vond een tweedaagse bijeenkomst plaats van de EUROMIL Northern Group. EUROMIL is de Europese Organisatie van Militaire Verenigingen waarbij de AFMP en de MARVER al jarenlang zijn aangesloten. De jaarlijkse regionale bijeenkomst wordt traditiegetrouw georganiseerd door een collega-vakbond in het land waar deze plaatsvindt. Daarom waren nu de Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) en de Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) de organisatoren. De bijeenkomst in Dundalk bood niet alleen een gevarieerde agenda met actuele en landeigen thema’s, maar ook ruimte voor een levendige discussie over de toekomst van de defensieorganisatie in de EU en de NAVO. Een verrassend gespreksonderwerp tijdens de bijeenkomst was het feit dat onze militaire collega’s in Ierland geen overwerkvergoeding krijgen.
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Vinger aan de pols bij opbouw Europese defensieorganisatie
18 augustus 2023 - Future Shocks 2023 (Toekomstige schokken 2023, red.) is de titel van een studie van de European Parliamentary Research Service. Aan de hand van deze studie wil de Europese Unie het hoofd bieden aan de 15 belangrijkste (veiligheids-)risico’s voor Europa in de komende jaren. De EU stelt 10 maatregelen voor om deze risico’s beheersbaar te maken. Eén van de voorgestelde maatregelen is het verder uitbouwen en vergroten van de capaciteit van de Europese defensieorganisatie. De AFMP en MARVER blijven dit proces nauwlettend in de gaten houden
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Severe wildfires in Greece – contribution of the Armed Forces
24 juli 2023 - The situation in the Island of Rhodes has escalated beyond control, as tourists are now flooding the streets, seeking refuge in safe areas. The army has been actively engaged in assisting both tourists and fellow citizens, guiding them away from the fire’s path. To accommodate those who had to evacuate their homes and hotels to escape the flames in Rhodes, the Greek Army is in the process of establishing camps on the island. Among these camps is the one located in the Kalathos area of Rhodes, which belongs to the Special Forces Unit.
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EUROMIL welcomes the European Commission’s Joint Communication on the Climate-Security Nexus
29 juni 2023 - EUROMIL welcomes the European Commission’s Joint Communication to address the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on peace, security and defence. The Communication underlines the need for the Armed Forces to be better equipped to respond to severe climatic operational conditions, while also reducing their environmental footprint; provisions that follow the guidelines of the Strategic Compass and the EU Green Deal.
Among many proposals, the Communication also highlights the creation of a Defence Energy Suite to collect and monitor defence energy data of the Member States, as well as having an annual climate and security trend analysis. However, and most importantly for military personnel, climate and environmental factors will be integrated into the scenarios of the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (RDC). Besides, the European Commission, the External Actions Service and the EU Military Staff will work on strengthening civil-military cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
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Fostering Well-being and Equality: Advancing Social Policies for Military Personnel
27 juni 2023 - Social policies play a crucial role in ensuring people’s well-being and quality of life. Recognizing this importance, the European Union (EU) has been actively engaged in discussions and initiatives aimed at improving the social conditions and rights of its citizens. One example can be seen in the European Semester, part of the EU’s economic governance framework, that goes beyond being solely an economic exercise and integrates other relevant policy fields, including social affairs, by coordinating and monitoring employment and social policies, aligning them with the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights. By incorporating social policy coordination into the European Semester, the EU demonstrates a clear recognition of the importance of social affairs and endeavours to improve social conditions and rights for its citizens.
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Priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council
16 juni 2023 - On 1st July, Spain takes over the Presidency of the EU Council. The six-month Spanish Presidency follows Sweden, and will be followed by Belgium from 1 January till 30 June 2024.
The Spanish presidency will focus on 4 main priorities:
-Reindustrialise the EU and ensure its open strategic autonomy;
-Advance in the green transition and the environmental adaptation;
-Promoting greater social and economic justice;
-Strengthening European unity and moving towards more integration.
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'Voorbereidingen voor snelle Europese interventie-eenheid staan onder druk'
14 juni 2023 - In samenwerking met het Europees Parlement verzorgde EUROMIL, de Europese Organisatie van Militaire Verenigingen waarbij de AFMP en de MARVER al jarenlang zijn aangesloten, onlangs een seminar bij de EU in Brussel. Onderwerpen van gesprek waren de huidige geopolitieke situatie in Europa en belangrijke Europese defensieontwikkelingen. In samenspraak met Europees Parlementslid Juozas Olekas werd een interessant seminarprogramma samengesteld, waaraan namens de AFMP Ron Groenewegen, Koos Stauthamer en Gil Bruel als leden deelnamen.
Generaal Robert Bieger, voorzitter van het Militair Comité van de EU (EUMC), beet het spits af bij het seminar. In zijn betoog verwees hij naar het Europese geopolitieke speelveld, dat ingrijpend is veranderd door de agressie van Rusland tegen de Oekraïne. Maar ook de wereldwijde cyberdreigingen en klimaatveranderingen, die een gevaar vormen voor de Europese veiligheid en stabiliteit en dus ook voor de EU-bondgenoten, passeerden de revue in Brussel.
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The EU should prioritise fair regulations for military personnel in the Working Time Directive
13 juni 2023 - Military personnel often work in tough and dangerous conditions: such demanding nature of military service can take a toll on the physical and mental well-being of personnel. Therefore, it is imperative to prioritize the safety and performance of these individuals by ensuring adequate working hours and ample rest time. However, due to the distinctive characteristics of military work, labour standards often impose restrictions that lead to prolonged work hours, insufficient rest, and, inevitably, significant health concerns.
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Gender Equality and Diversity in the Armed Forces
6 juni 2023 - The Armed Forces has been considered for a long time as an only male profession, despite that women are joining more and more the military, stereotypes still prevail. Consequently, substantial change in the Armed Forces cannot be achieved. According to an opinion provided by the FEMM Committee of the European Parliament to the annual CSDP report only 5% of women participate in CSDP military missions, while there are no female commanders of CSDP military missions.
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Supporting Ukraine: EUROMIL's meeting with PromoteUkraine
30 mei 2023 - On 30 May, EUROMIL met with a delegation of veterans of Promote Ukraine, a non-profit civil society and advocacy organization for Ukraine. The meeting was welcomed by Emmanuel Jacob, EUROMIL’s President, who highlighted how EUROMIL in the past had Ukrainian and Russian organisations as members. In 2017, contact was re-established with Ukraine, particularly with their organization of volunteers, who participated at the 127th General Assembly with a dedicated delegation.
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The Right of Association in the Armed Forces – Citizen in Uniform
9 mei 2023 - EUROMIL, as the European Organisation of military associations and trade unions is first and foremost aiming at the respect for and the application of human rights and fundamental freedoms in and by the European Armed Forces. EUROMIL’s essential consideration is that a soldier should be treated as a “citizen in uniform” with the same rights and obligations as his fellow citizens. However, by fully understanding the role of the military and the role that soldiers may have to play, restrictions should only be allowed in time of operations and wartime.

However, in practice the right of association for military personnel in Europe has been a peculiar situation depending on the particularities of each country. To provide a few examples, in the Netherlands a military association was founded already in 1898, and several decades later it became a trade union, while in Belgium, the first signs of a military association can be found in the late 19th century. However, a legal basis to transform these associations in trade unions has only been decided in 1978 and it took almost 17 years to execute this legislation. Looking to the Northern part of Europe, we see that all of them – Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland – grant full trade union rights to their military personnel.
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EUROMIL’s Italian Session: The Struggle for Trade Union Rights for Military Personnel
3 mei 2023 - On April 27th 2023, EUROMIL hosted an “Italian session” at the Centre Congressi Frentani in Rome. The event brought together members of EUROMIL’s 127th General Assembly and about 45 representatives from Italian military associations. The session highlighted the challenges faced by military personnel in Italy when it comes to trade union rights, emphasizing the need for further action to improve the situation.
Mr Emmanuel Jacob, EUROMIL’s President, opened the event by stating the importance of trade union rights for military personnel and by highlighting ASSODIPRO’s long-lasting fight to defend military personnel’s rights and to change the Italian legislation, in close collaboration with CGIL.
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EUROMIL steunt snelle Europese interventie-eenheid
24 april 2023 - Met succes komt EUROMIL bij het Europees Parlement op voor de rechten van Europese defensiemedewerkers, onder wie ook de militairen en burgermedewerkers die zijn aangesloten bij de AFMP en de MARVER. EUROMIL spant zich onder meer in voor de belangen van leden die zullen worden ingezet in het kader van de zogeheten EU Rapid Deployment Capacity (EU RDC), de snelle interventie-eenheid van de EU die in 2025 operationeel dient te zijn en in korte tijd ongeveer 5000 militairen op de been moet brengen.
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EUROMIL welcomes the European Parliament adoption of the “EU Rapid Deployment Capacity, EU Battlegroups and Article 44 TEU: the way forward” Report
19 april 2023 - The European Parliament adopted, on 19 April 2023, the “EU Rapid Deployment Capacity, EU Battlegroups and Article 44 TEU: the way forward” Report. EUROMIL welcomes the recommendations made by the European Parliament and supports the further European defence integration. It is important to note that the report underlines the need for securing workers rights. More precisely, it notes that the Rapid Deployment Capacity (RDC) will be made up of forces that will train and work together and as long as they are under EU command, these soldiers should enjoy equal working and social rights. Besides, women’s participation is deemed as essential for further enhancing the effectiveness of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Hence, it is also imperative to ensure more gender balance in the personnel and leadership of CSDP missions and operations.
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PFEARFU’s Gender Equality Secretariat meeting with GREVIO in Athens
23 maart 2023 - The Council of Europe’s GREVIO Committee of Experts on Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence visited Greece to evaluate the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the country. During their visit, the Committee sought input from the Secretariat of Gender Equality of PFEARFU to gather data and insights. Their discussions included the effectiveness of campaigns aimed at raising awareness about domestic violence among military personnel.

Additionally, the Secretariat presented proposals that had been established over the past three years, such as the creation of a dedicated office to prevent and address sexual violence and the provision of training for military personnel.
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EUROMIL welcomes the progress made in the one year implementation period of the Strategic Compass
23 maart 2023 - The EU Strategic Compass for Security and Defence adopted in March 2022, aims at guiding the EU through the right direction to anticipate threats and challenges, become more resilient and a stronger partner. Congruent with the implementation report, the past year a plethora of developments took place to enhance EU’s capabilities in security and defence. The Compass provides essential guidelines to effectively deal with emerging threats and challenges as cyber or hybrid threats, but with conventional ones as well.
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EUROMIL’s President at the World Veterans Congress, Belgrade
10 maart 2023 - The World Veterans Congress and 30th General Assembly for the World Veterans Federation were recently held in Belgrade, Serbia from March 6th to March 10th, 2023. The Congress was hosted by the Union of Associations of Fighters of the National Liberation Wars of Serbia (SUBNOR), one of the founders of the WVF in 1950. In fact, SUBNOR organized the WVF General Assembly in 1951 where significant decisions were made about its mission as a humanitarian federation and in the caretaking of veterans from various wars and conflicts.

The motto of the 2023 Congress was “respect for diversity,” a very relevant topic that was discussed in the Peace and Security session after the official opening of the Congress. This theme aimed to highlight that, despite the differences between the states member of the WVF, they all have in common a great and bright goal: humanity in stable peace and economic prosperity. The WVF believes in negotiating topics where they do not share common ground. Because no one, as WVF’s credo says, can speak more eloquently about peace than those who fought in the war!
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EUROMIL’s support to Ukraine: 1 year since the start of the war
24 februari 2023 - On the 24th of February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine on a war against democracy, freedom and self determination. One year later the destruction of the country and the loss of countless people have made clear that war was returned in Europe and our unprecedented support is and will be vital until Ukraine gains its freedom once again.

EUROMIL supported Ukraine and Ukrainian people from the start and continues to do so. On 4 March 2022 the Board of EUROMIL supported the ITUC/ETUC in a joint call to action to stop the war in Ukraine and expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people, workers and trade unions. Besides, on 15 March 2022, EUROMIL’s Brussels Office participated at the ITUC/ETUC action for Peace.
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The President of EUROMIL meets the Chairman of the EU Military Committee
17 februari 2023 - On Monday 13 February 2023, the President of EUROMIL, Mr Emmanuel Jacob, met with the Chairman of the EU Military Committee (EUMC), General Robert Brieger. The discussion focused on presenting the work of EUROMIL as its main aim is promoting the professional and social interests of soldiers. It was also agreed that building a common EU culture of defence is essential, as well as sharing the best practices among members of the Armed Forces and at the same time respecting the national specificities.

Speerpunten

vakbondsrechten

EUROMIL spant zich in voor de vakbondsrechten van alle militairen in Europa en oefent invloed uit op het NAVO- en EU-beleid & de Europese sociale wet- en regelgeving

sociale dialoog

EUROMIL zet zich in voor het het recht van militairen om deel te mogen uitmaken van een vakbond of belangenorganisatie en zorgt voor een goede sociale dialoog tussen de Europese militaire bonden.

samenwerking

EUROMIL vindt gehoor op politiek-strategisch niveau in Europa. Daarnaast stimuleert EUROMIL internationale militaire samenwerking tijdens financieel-economische crisissen en pandemieën.

terugkoppeling

EUROMIL geeft terugkoppeling in het Nederlands na elk Presidium aan de kaderleden en besturen van onze bonden. Wij informeren jou vervolgens via onze kanalen.

AFMP-publicaties

Ledenmagazine OpLinie
In het vier keer per jaar verschijnende ledenmagazine magazine OpLinie van de AFMP besteden we regelmatig aandacht aan de inspanningen van EUROMIL. Zo vind je in de op 29 september 2023 verschijnende editie van OpLinie een uitgebreid artikel namens EUROMIL over de ontwikkeling en de opbouw van de Europese defensieorganisatie. Een proces dat de AFMP en haar zusterbond MARVER nauwlettend in de gaten houden. OpLinie kun je trouwens ook lezen via onze website of via onze ledenapp!

Contactgegevens

Contact

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Brussel

EUROMIL

Speerpunten

vakbondsrechten

sociale dialoog

samenwerking

terugkoppeling

AFMP-publicaties

Steun voor snelle interventie-eenheid

AFMP sluit zich aan bij social media-campagne

EUROMIL bijeen in Riga

Zorgen over verarmd uranium & samenwerking

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