EU Council Updates Naval Operation Mandates for ASPIDES and ATALANTA

EU Council Press Releases

Published March 30th, 2026

Detected March 30th, 2026

Summary

The Council of the EU adopted two decisions amending the mandates of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA naval operations. ASPIDES gains new tasks including collecting information on suspicious activities related to critical submarine infrastructure (CSI), training Djiboutian maritime forces, and cooperating with the Yemeni Coast Guard. ATALANTA's mandate is updated to suspend monitoring of illicit charcoal trade while maintaining arms and narcotics trafficking tasks.

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What changed

The Council adopted decisions amending both EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (established February 2024 in response to Houthi attacks) and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA (launched in 2008 for counter-piracy). For ASPIDES, new tasks include collecting and sharing information on suspicious activities related to critical submarine infrastructure (CSI), training Djiboutian maritime forces, cooperating with the Yemeni Coast Guard, and strengthening links with the CRIMARIO project. For ATALANTA, the monitoring of illicit charcoal trade is suspended while secondary tasks on monitoring arms and narcotics trafficking and illegal fishing are maintained, and CSI information collection is added.

EU member states should sustain contributions of naval assets to both operations, whose mandates have been extended until 28 February 2027. The updates reinforce the EU's active engagement in safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean, protecting key maritime routes, critical infrastructure, and global trade flows.

Source document (simplified)

Council of the EU
Press release
30 March 2026 13:55

Maritime security: Council updates mandates of EU naval operations ASPIDES and ATALANTA

The Council today adopted two decisions amending the mandates of the EU’s naval operations EUNAVFOR ASPIDES and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA.

These updates come as the EU continues to actively contribute to safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the wider region, where its naval presence has already helped protect key maritime routes and infrastructure, and global trade flows. The decisions further reinforce the EU’s maritime engagement and underline the need for sustained contributions of assets, including vessels.

EUNAVFOR ASPIDES

The Council amended the mandate of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, the EU operation established in February 2024 as a defensive operation in response to repeated Houthi attacks on international shipping.

In addition to its existing tasks, the operation will now, within its means and capabilities:

collect and share information on suspicious activities related to critical submarine infrastructure (CSI)
contribute to capacity building by training Djiboutian maritime forces
cooperate with the Yemeni Coast Guard
strengthen links with other EU initiatives, including CRIMARIO, the EU’s critical maritime routes project

EUNAVFOR ATALANTA

Following the 2025 strategic assessment, the Council also adopted amendments to the mandate of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, the EU’s long-standing maritime operation in the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

The updated mandate:

suspends the monitoring of illicit charcoal trade, while maintaining secondary tasks on monitoring arms and narcotics trafficking and illegal fishing
strengthens links with other EU initiatives, including CRIMARIO
adds a new task to collect and share information on suspicious activities related to CSI, within available means and capabilities

Background

EUNAVFOR ASPIDES was established on 8 February 2024 and launched on 19 February 2024 in response to threats to maritime security in the Red Sea. Its mandate has been extended until 28 February 2027 via a Council decision in February 2026.

EUNAVFOR ATALANTA was launched in 2008 as the EU’s first naval operation. Initially tasked with counter-piracy, its mandate expanded in 2022 to include the countering of illicit arms and drug trafficking at sea. The mission has also been extended until 28 February 2027.

Both operations form part of the EU’s integrated approach to maritime security, contributing to the regional stability of the areas covered by their mandates.

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