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A Command Post exercise (CPX) was held in Saint Astier (France) to test the capacity of the EGF HQ in planning and conducting an international crisis management operation under the umbrella of the European Union. The scenario adopted as the basis for the execution of the exercise was a fictitious situation but taken from a real crisis area in which the full range of possible police intervention (from substitution to strengthening missions) was taken into account.

Apart from the usual operational issues, the exercise took on board all the aspects of a comprehensive crisis management operation, including legal and political issues, relation with the media, and relation with international organizations.

The exercise had a preparation phase developed at the siege of the EGF HQ in Vicenza (Italy). This phase was devoted to build up a common understanding among the members of the EGF HQ on the different methodology of planning, in particular the European Union concept of planning. The final outcome of this phase was the elaboration, by the EGF HQ, of the Operational Plan (OPLAN) for the crisis management operation.

The execution phase of the exercise was performed at Saint Astier (France) and was aimed at checking the capacity of the members of the EGF HQ in setting up a deployable HQ to run a crisis management operation. The HQ was reinforced by some augmentees who were integrated in the different branches of the HQ. During this phase the HQ was responding in real time to the different incidents put forward by the DiStaff.

After the execution of the exercise, an evaluation process was activated, including the report of an external evaluation team, and lessons learned were drawn in order to improve the capacity of the EGF HQ for future exercises and/or real crisis management operations.

A number of international observers from different international organizations and/or Countries were present during the exercise showing the interest that this initiative has risen among relevant international counterparts.