On 28-29 June 2022, the European Personnel Recovery Centre (EPRC)’s Steering Group, the governing body that leads the EPRC’s way ahead, held its annual meeting in Brussels (BEL). The senior representatives met to evaluate the results achieved over the past year and to take decisions concerning the challenges that lie ahead for the Centre as well as to provide Directives and Guidance on the EPRC activities covering the next twelve months.
The Steering Group Meeting, outstandingly supported by personnel of the Belgian Armed Forces, was chaired by MGen. Vincent DESCHEEMAEKER, BEL Assistant Chief of Staff Operations and Training, Director of the BEL Special Operations Command and Director of EPRC. The Meeting was preceded by a hosted dinner which allowed the Steering Group members, their staff and the Director EPRC to exchange ideas in a proactive and sharing atmosphere.
The EPRC is an international body that groups 7 countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands) with the aim of globally improving the “Personnel Recovery” capability, which is defined as the sum of military, diplomatic and civil efforts to effectively recover and reintegrate isolated personnel, who find themselves separated from their Units/Organisations, back to friendly control.
Established July 2015 at the Italian Air Force’s Poggio Renatico airbase (Ferrara), the Centre deals with all issues related to “Personnel Recovery”, by developing and harmonising Policy, Doctrine and Standards, and by providing support in Education & Training, maintaining strong links with Partner Nations and other international organisations.
Following this fruitful Meeting, Col Hervé LAHILLE, Commander EPRC, will strive, together with the Permanent Staff in Poggio Renatico, to continue delivering relevant Education & Training opportunities to the Member and Partner Nations, like the JPRSC and the APROC, while actively contributing to further improving the tactical- and technical -level PR reference documents, and strengthening the EPRC network, for the benefit of the operators on the field.