Verification Unit participates in VERIFEX II/24 exercise in Romania

•  The amount and type of armaments and equipment have been verified to be in accordance with international agreements

The Verification Unit ('UVE in Spanish) of the Defence Staff has carried out, alongside guest inspectors from Germany, Denmark and Portugal, the VERIFEX II/24 training exercise to implement the procedures for inspection and assessment of Romania's compliance with internationally established voluntary measures.

Concretely, a reconnaissance was carried out at the 335th Artillery Battalion, located in the town of Botosani, about 100 kilometres northwest of the city of Lasi. After receiving a briefing about the organisation, it was verified that all the data were correct and that the amount and type of armaments and equipment were in accordance with the limitations established in international agreements. Furthermore, the inspection team has moved to the 15th Mechanised Brigade, located in Lasi, to conduct an evaluation of this unit.

As usual in such activities, the inspection team was permanently working with the members of the Romanian Verification Unit, who were responsible for escorting and providing the necessary information and support.

The measures tested are those included in the technical agreement signed between Romania and Spain, taking as a reference the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), as well as the Vienna Document (VD). The participation of guest inspectors added value to the training, having experience in the application of the procedures according to other countries.

The ‘UVE’ is responsible for planning, coordinating and executing those activities that correspond to the Armed Forces. These activities are the result of Spain's assumption of various international commitments related to disarmament and arms control, as well as verifying the compliance of other States with these commitments.

In order to fulfil these tasks with guarantees, the Unit's priority is to constantly maintain and improve its operational capabilities. For this reason, this kind of exercises are an excellent tool, both for newly recruited and more experienced UVE personnel, as it allows them to acquire and optimise the necessary knowledge and procedures for resolving the many and varied incidents that arise in them.