The EU operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina — Operation "Althea" — was established in December 2004, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1575 of 22 November 2004, to replace the NATO-led Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SFOR). On 20 November 2008, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1845 (2008) renewing EUFOR's mandate for a further period of 12 months. The Defence Forces have participated in EUFOR since December 2004, having previously been a participant in SFOR since 1997. Currently, a total of 44 Defence Forces personnel are serving with the EU-led operation.
Following on from the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) meeting on 10 November 2008, which I attended, the EU-led Operation "ALTHEA" in Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to change from its current configuration of some 2,200 troops, to a support and training operation. This transition is now expected to commence after the next meeting of the Peace Implementation Council in June 2009 and should take approximately six (6) months to complete. Ireland currently has Government approval to continue to provide a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with this mission in its current configuration up to 31 December 2009, subject to renewal of UN authority for the mission beyond 20 November 2009 to 31 December 2009. Participation by the Defence Forces in the EU follow-on mission is not under consideration.