The operational phase of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia started on October 1st, 2008, in accordance with the arrangements set out in the Agreement of September 8th. In line with the commitment made by the EU in this Agreement there are 200 EU monitors deployed on the ground who, together with support staff, represent more than 300 total people deployed.

The Council decided, on Monday September 15th, to establish an autonomous civilian  monitoring mission in Georgia, in accordance with the Conclusions of the Extraordinary  European Council, held on September 1st, 2008.

The European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia is an autonomous  mission led by the EU under the European security and defence policy, which will work in close coordination with the OSCE and the UN and in addition to the  international mechanisms of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and  the OSCE.

As the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr. Javier Solana, had the opportunity to highlight in his visit to the the EUMM HQ, “for the EU, to be in Georgia is a great responsibility and it is a great honor. We will work with the  people of Georgia and this will bring us closer”. He also pointed out that the “EUMM is an unarmed civilian mission, and its role is to monitor the situation on the ground in order to ensure that there is no return to violence, that people can return in peace to their homes and that normal life can resume”.

The main tasks of the EUMM to Georgia are:

• Stabilisation: monitoring and analysing the situation pertaining to the stabilisation process, centred on full compliance of the six-point Agreement, including troop withdrawals, as well as violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
• Normalisation: monitoring and analysing the situation as regards governance, rule of law, and public order as well as the security of transportation links, energy infrastructures and the return of internally displaced persons and refugees.
• Confidence building: contributing to the reduction of tensions through liaison, facilitation of contacts between parties and other confidence-building measures.

EUMM to Georgia key facts & figures

• The European presence comprises of some 350 staff, including HQ personnel and over 200 monitors.
• 22 European Union Member states contribute personnel to the mission.
• The Headquarters is in Tbilisi, with regional field offices in Tbilisi/Basaleti, Gori, Poti and Zugdidi.
• Ambassador Hansjörg Haber is Head of EUMM. His deputy is General Gilles Janvier.
• The budget for the mission is EUR 35 million.
• The initial duration of the mission is twelve months.