ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR

Following the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers (11 September 2001), NATO’s Atlantic Council approved the deployment of a Naval Force in the Mediterranean in partial fulfilment Article 5 of the NATO Treaty activation, and in order to demonstrate NATO’s solidarity and the Alliance’s resolve to support the campaign against international terrorism.

The objective of “Active Endeavour” was to maintain an anti-terrorist air and sea presence in the Mediterranean, demonstrating NATO’s resoluteness in deterrence, defence and protection against terrorist activities. Being an Art. 5 operation, initially, only the Alliance States participated in it. Since 2004, non-NATO states have also taken part in the operation.

This was the first time that NATO forces were deployed in response to an Article 5 activation and in an anti-terrorism capacity. In addition to monitoring and controlling suspicious ships to ensure the safety of the seas, the operation also aimed to conduct checks and gather information on the various vessels in transit. Since April 2003, NATO has systematically conducted control operations on suspicious ships, always carried out in accordance with international law and in compliance with shipmasters and flag states.

In March 2003, the “Active Endeavour” mandate was extended to provide escorts in the Straits of Gibraltar to non-military ships of Alliance member states that so requested. One year later, following the success of “Active Endeavour” in the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO extended its competences to the whole Mediterranean. Thanks to this mission, NATO has gained unparalleled experience in the deterrence of maritime terrorist activities, becoming a reference point for wider international efforts against terrorism and against the proliferation and smuggling of weapons of mass destruction.  NATO’s increased presence in the Mediterranean also improved the Alliance’s security cooperation programme with seven countries in the wider Mediterranean region – Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. These countries are involved in the Mediterranean Dialogue. A programme established in 1994 to contribute to regional security and stability and to achieve better mutual understanding between NATO and its Mediterranean partners.

Operation “Active Endeavour” was replaced in November 2016 by “Sea Guardian”, after monitoring over 128,000 merchant ships and checking 172 suspect ships.