Medical Support

Start Date: 01/05/2011
End Date: n.a.
Participating Countries: AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ,  DE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HU, IT, IR, NL, RO, SE, SI 
Other partners: EUMS, EATF

• Increase interoperability of equipment, expertise, and training in Medical Support to CSDP operations
• Analyse new areas for medical capability development and Pooling & Sharing opportunities
• Promote cooperation amongst  all actors involved 
• Enhance dual use capabilities for medical assets in disaster relief  and other emergencies 

Project Team Medical

Medical Support on operations requires considerable resources and it is a recognized field for Multinational  Pooling and Sharing activities. EDA coordinating body for Medical Support is the Project Team (PT) Medical where representatives from Member States bring together the national positions.  The PT addresses a holistic approach to all aspects of medical support by harmonising all related issues, including training aspects and future opportunities.

Multinational Modular Medical Unit (M3)

So far, the  main activity is the Multinational Modular Medical Unit (M3U) Cat B Project in which 15 contributing Member States (cMS) are cooperating. The aim is to develop deployable Multinational Field Hospitals to be  made available for the full spectrum of CSDP Operations. This project reached consensus on the Common Staff Requirement (CSR) and a Project Arrangement (PA). cMS are currently finishing national staffing processes. Under the umbrella of the PA, cMS will be able to launch common procurement initiatives.

Multinational MEDEVAC

A more recent initiative on Multinational MEDEVAC has the scope to find shared effective solutions in the field of Medical Evacuation from a Multinational cooperation in terms of assets, training, procedures and interoperability. Coordinated by a dedicated Ad Hoc Working Group (AHWG) the Multinational MEDEVAC is identifying all possible areas for Pooling and Sharing initiatives to favour the availability of such fundamental assets. The first and most promising activity will be the future implementation of Multinational MEDEVAC training. 

Other initiatives

EDA is endorsing events focused on the specificity of Operational Medical Support in EU. An open and transparent dialogue amongst MS and Medical Industry for Field Medicine is encouraged through a series of thematic workshops. Moreover, events like the Symposium “Medical Support to EU CSDP Operations” series are contributing in bringing together the Capability development and the Operational components of EU Medical Support and define its distinctive nature.