EUROGENDFOR (The European Gendarmerie Force) is a multinational police force with military status to provide police capabilities in crisis management operations. The European Gendarmerie Force, also known by its acronym EUROGENDFOR, is a European rapid reaction force comprising elements of several European gendarmerie forces. It is currently integrated with eleven countries: seven member states France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Poland and Romania, one partner Lithuania and three observers Türkiye, Moldova and Ukraine. This flexible tool can act under military command or civil authority to guarantee public security, and maintenance of public order in crisis management operations. EUROGENDFOR is first and foremost, at the disposal of the EU, but it could also respond to requests by the UN, OSCE, NATO, and other international organisations or ad-hoc coalitions; its operational deployment requires a unanimous decision to be taken by Member States. Its unique officer selection and training process enables it to work with the population, and it is one of 360,000 officers from eleven gendarmeries that reflect the highest standards of policing in the European Union. Up to 800 officers could be deployed within 30 days of receiving a transfer notice. Its gendarmes would operate in tactical and austere environments performing a variety of tasks such as training, mentoring, substitution of local police-security forces and protection of population amongst others. Its most noticeable qualities are versatility, adaptability and rapid deployment. The creation of this unique institution in the field of policing seeks to contribute to the development of the European security and defence identity and the strengthening of the common European security and defence policy. It was established by an agreement in 2004 between five member states of the European Union (EU): France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. Romania joined in 2008 and Poland received full member status in 2013.[2] In 2009, Lithuania received partner status and Türkiye received observer status. Moldova obtained observer status in 2023, followed by Ukraine in 2024. The organisation’s status is enshrined in the Treaty of Velsen, signed on 18 October 2007.[3] The Permanent Headquarters is located in Vicenza, Italy. It is not currently established at the EU level as part of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Therefore, It is not a project of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) of the CSDP. It may however contribute in the implementation of the CSDP, when made available as a multinational force in accordance with article 42.3 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).
