3 more countries for Helsinki Anti-Hybrid Threats Centre

Three more countries- Spain, Norway and Estonia- on Friday signed the Memorandum of Understanding for establishing the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki, said an official press release.

In April 2017, a memorandum of understanding was signed in Helsinki among nine countries for establishing the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.

The signatory states are Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Lithuania, Po-land, France, Germany, and the United States. Representatives of the European Ex-ternal Action Service and NATO were also present on the occasion.

The Act on the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats entered into force on 1 July 2017.

Finland acts as the host country of the Centre. The activities of the Centre support the Government’s objective to strengthen the comprehensive concept of security nationally, in the EU and in international cooperation.

The principal aim of the Centre is to increase awareness of hybrid threats and of vulnerabilities that can be exploited in hybrid operations.

The start-up phase has been launched and the Centre is to be fully operational in early 2018. The Centre is based in Helsinki and forms a network of experts for the participating countries.

Other EU and NATO member states may also apply for membership of the centre. The European External Action Service and NATO Secretariat were actively involved in the preparatory activities of the centre and will participate in its operation but will not become members of the centre.

The centre will engage in strategic-level dialogue, research, training and consultations. It will also conduct practical training exercises aiming to improve readiness to counter hybrid threats. The purpose of the centre is to raise awareness of hybrid threats and societies’ vulnerabilities that can be exploited in hybrid operations. The aim is also to help foster the resilience of societies.