Tánaiste congratulates Chief of Staff on his election as the incoming Chair of the European Union Military Committee
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From: Department of Defence
- Published on: 15 May 2024
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin has today (15 May) congratulated the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, on his election as the incoming Chair of the European Union Military Committee (EUMC).
Lt Gen Clancy will assume his new position in May 2025, replacing the incumbent, Austria’s General Robert Brieger, and will serve in the role for a three-year term, for which period of time he will be promoted to the rank of General.
Speaking after today’s election by EU Chiefs of Defence, the Tánaiste said:
“I warmly welcome Lieutenant General Seán Clancy’s election as Chairman-elect of the European Union Military Committee.
"Lieutenant General Clancy’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Europe, with increased regional and global instability and insecurity.
"He brings with him almost forty years of distinguished military service with the Irish Defence Forces and, with his extensive range of defence experience and his skills in partnership building. He is ideally suited to apply his abilities to the role of Chair of the EUMC at such a crucial time for the military pillar of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy.”
Notes
The EUMC is the highest military body set up within the Council, and is composed of the Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) of the member states who, on a day-to-day basis, are represented in Brussels by the Military Representatives from the Permanent Representations of the Member States.
The Chair of the EUMC is selected by secret vote by the Chiefs of Defence of the EU Member States. Following today’s election, Lt Gen Clancy’s name will now be transmitted for formal appointment by the European Council. He will assume his new role when the current Chair of the EUMC completes his period in office in May 2025 and he will service in that role for a period of three years.
The EUMC operates as a consensus based collective, with the Chair bringing together the views of Member States and representing these to the European External Action Service (EEAS), the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission (HRVP) and other relevant institutions, including the European Defence Agency (EDA).
The EUMC provides the Political and Security Committee (PSC) with advice and recommendations on all military matters including on all aspects of the planning/operation of the CSDP operations. (The PSC comprises Ambassadors from all 28 member States, who deal with all issues relating to the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy.) It also provides advice on EU military capability requirements to undertake CSDP operations and on military capability development requirements within the framework of the European Defence Agency (EDA).
Pending his taking-up this new post, Lt Gen Clancy will continue to serve as Chief of Staff at a very important time for the Defence Forces, with a significant transformation agenda to be delivered and a judge-led led Tribunal of Inquiry to be formally established in the coming weeks to examine the effectiveness of the complaints processes in the Defence Forces into workplace issues relating to discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.