Finland will take part in an EU crisis management exercise

Press Release 9/12/2016 Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Finland will take part in the Multi-Layer 2016 (ML16) crisis management exercise of the European Union which will be organized 13.9.–20.10.2016. Organized by the European External Action Service (EEAS), the exercise will be conducted with all Member States for the third time this year. A similar exercise was conducted in 2014.

The aim of the ML16 is to improve the EU’s capacity to respond to crises especially within the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy. The exercise is based on a fictitious scenario which reflects today’s complex crises: a long-term local crisis has cross-border implications. In the ML16 exercise the EU sets up both civil and military crisis management operations.

The following will participate in the exercise: the EEAS, the Council of the European Union, the Secretariat of the Council, the Commission, member states (capitals, EU representations and selected embassies) as well as relevant EU Delegations.

In Finland the exercise will be implemented across administrative sectors; apart from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Command, the Ministry of the Interior and the Prime Minister’s Office will be involved in the ML16.

There will be no forces deployed as the ML16 is a so-called desk-top exercise with its focus on decision-making and planning.

Inquiries:
Leena Pylvänäinen, Political Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 351 323
Jussi Vienonen, Defence Policy Department, Ministry of Defence, tel. 358 295 140 013

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are in the format [email protected]; the Defence Ministry's email addresses are in the format [email protected].