View source for Finabel

{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2010}}
{{Infobox organization
| image               = 
| alt                 = <!-- alt text; see [[WP:ALT]] -->
| map                 = FINABEL Countries 2024.png
| formation           = {{Start date and years ago|1953|01|01}}
| extinction          = <!-- date of extinction, optional -->
| type                = [[International organisation]]
| status              = <!-- ad hoc, treaty, foundation, etc -->
| purpose             = <!-- focus as e.g. humanitarian, peacekeeping, etc -->
| headquarters        = [[Brussels]]
| coords              = <!-- Coordinates of location using a coordinates template -->
| language            = <!-- official languages -->
| leader_title        = <!-- position title for the leader of the org -->
| leader_name         = <!-- name of leader -->
| main_organ          = <!-- gral. assembly, board of directors, etc -->
| parent_organization = <!-- if one -->
| affiliations        = <!-- if any -->
| budget              = 
| remarks             = 
| name                = Finabel
| image_border        = 
| size                = 150
| msize               = <!-- map size, optional, default 200px -->
| malt                = <!-- map alt text -->
| mcaption            = Finabel member states marked blue
| abbreviation        = 
| location            = 
| region_served       = 
| membership          = 25 Member States
| num_staff           = 
| num_volunteers      = 
| website             = {{URL|www.finabel.org}}
}}
'''Finabel''' is a European organisation for the promotion of cooperation and [[interoperability]] between the national [[army|armies]] of the [[Member State of the European Union|member states]] of the [[European Union]] (EU).<ref>[http://espace-finabel.eu/public/images/stories/Finabel/Finabel_UK-midres.pdf Finabel information folder: "Finabel: Contributing to European Army Interoperability since 1953"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720160258/http://espace-finabel.eu/public/images/stories/Finabel/Finabel_UK-midres.pdf |date=2011-07-20 }}</ref> Founded in 1953, Finabel is controlled by the [[chiefs of staff]] of its member states' armies, and the organisation's work agenda consists of studies and working groups. Finabel also has a relatively small permanent secretariat.

The studies carried out by Finabel take the form of reports resulting from studies and research, entrusted to the working groups, agreements relating to the military characteristics of equipment, as well as conventions on standardising procedures, testing methods and glossaries to facilitate exchanges between member states.

The Finabel coordination committee is a land forces organisation comprising 24 Member states of the European Union with a view to promote interoperability between the land forces of its Member states. Membership is open to all of the Member states of the European Union.

== History ==
The organisation was founded in October 1953 under the acronym FINBEL by the Army Chiefs of Staff of [[France]], [[Italy]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]] and [[Luxembourg]], and then became FINABEL with the arrival of [[West Germany]] ('''A'''llemagne) in 1956, shortly after West Germany was rearmed in 1955. Later, the name has been kept as a proper noun, written in lower-case, when membership further expanded. Finabel was founded by armies which belonged to both [[NATO]] and [[Western European Union]].

Initially, [[French language|French]] was the official language of Finabel. In the 2000s the use of [[English language|English]] has increased progressively, and since 2011 is the [[language]] used across all levels. The Finabel Committee’s initial task focused on cooperation between [[arms industry|armament]] programs. This task quickly developed into the harmonization of [[army]] [[doctrine]]s.

== Founding principles ==
The tasks of the Finabel Committee have a European perspective; their purpose is to ‘promote and facilitate interoperability between land forces across the full spectrum of military operations through the harmonisation of concepts, doctrines and procedures, whilst taking into account the joint military environment’, and to ‘develop a common European understanding of defence problems by seeking to complement and co-operate with NATO and EU military structures.’
The Finabel Committee takes its decisions based on consensus and equality between its Member states.

The organisation expresses itself through reports entrusted to working groups, which produce ‘studies’ and ‘agreements’ on the military characteristics of equipment or ‘conventions’ that normalise certain procedures and glossaries in order to facilitate discussion between countries.

The proposal and recommendations that result from Finabel’s work can be freely applied by the land components and its member states.

Since the creation of Finabel was not the result of an intergovernmental agreement, Finabel has the status of an informal international de facto association.

== Structure ==
=== Army Chiefs of Staff/Land Force Commanders Committee ===

Executive, the highest level. It meets once a year to summarise work of the past year and to establish the objectives for the coming year. The chairmanship of the committee changes annually.

=== Principal Military Experts Committee ===
The Principal Military Experts (PME) Committee, made up primarily of officers responsible for doctrine, planning and studies within the staff of land components of Finabel member states. It meets twice a year to analyse the directives of the Chiefs of Staff and reformulates them.

=== Permanent Secretariat ===
Located in [[Brussels]], the only permanent structure. It deals with administrative and organisational matters. Under the Permanent Secretariat's supervision, FINABEL publishes papers on European defence and legal-related matters. The Defence and Security, Legal, and Communication teams conduct the research and publish the articles on the FINABEL [https://finabel.org/ website]. 

=== Working Groups ===
1 Standing Working Group carries out studies (missions) distributed by the Principal Military Experts Committee in various areas of interest to the Armies and prepares the yearly COS meeting.

Actually, all Standing Working Groups are suspended.

=== Expert Task Groups ===
Ad Hoc working group of Subject Matter Experts, mounted on demand of a Finabel Member State.

[[File:Organigramme finabel.jpg|800px]]

== Member states ==
As of 2024, membership consists of 25 countries:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finabel.org/our-member-states/|title=Our Member States|accessdate=2024-04-23|publisher=Finabel}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Country !! Date
|-
| {{BEL}} || 1953
|-
| {{FRA}} || 1953
|-
| {{ITA}} || 1953
|-
| {{NED}} || 1953
|-
| {{LUX}} || 1953
|-
| {{DEU}} || 1956
|-
| {{GBR}} || 1973
|-
| {{ESP}} || 1990
|-
| {{POR}} || 1996
|-
| {{GRE}} || 1996
|-
| {{POL}} || 2006
|-
| {{SVK}} || 2006
|-
| {{CYP}} || 2008
|-
| {{FIN}} || 2008
|-
| {{ROM}} || 2008
|-
| {{MLT}} || 2010
|-
| {{CZE}} || 2012<ref>{{cite news|title=POLISH PRESIDENCY OF FINABEL|url=http://www.army.mil.pl/index.php/sekcja-przeglad/58/1431-polish-presidency-of-finabel|access-date=7 July 2012|newspaper=Wojska Ladowe|date=24 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811142157/http://www.army.mil.pl/index.php/sekcja-przeglad/58/1431-polish-presidency-of-finabel|archive-date=11 August 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
|-
| {{HUN}} || 2015<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.gov.sk/34645-en/velitelia-pozemnych-sil-krajin-europskej-unie-rokovali-v-trencine/ |title=Velitelia pozemných síl krajín Európskej únie rokovali v Trenčíne :: Ministerstvo obrany SR |publisher=Mod.gov.sk |date=2015-04-22 |accessdate=2022-08-24}}</ref>
|-
| {{SWE}} || 2015<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
|-
| {{LAT}} || 2016
|-
| {{SLO}} || 2016
|-
| {{CRO}} || 2016
|-
| {{MNE}} || 2021
|-
| {{NOR}} || 2021
|-
| {{BUL}} || 2024
|}

== Symbols ==
The two crossed [[sword]]s represent Finabel’s land identity. The twelve stars represent the strong link with Europe, maintained by Finabel since its creation.
The [[shield]] represents the defence of [[peace]], a key foundation of [[Military of the European Union|European military forces]]. On the left we can see [[Ares]], [[Greek language|Greek]] [[Greek Gods|God of War]], expressing its [[violence]] and, on the right we can see the Goddess [[Athena]], who personifies [[wisdom]] and the ordered side of war, abiding by the rules which characterise our [[democracy|democracies]].

This symbol is summarised by the [[Latin]] phrase, which means ‘reflexion serving military action’, Finabel’s essential purpose.

== Observers ==
Finabel welcomes observer organisations from the EU and NATO: the [[European Defence Agency|EDA]] (European Defence Agency), the [[EUMS]] (European Union Military Staff), the [[NATO Standardization Office|NSO]] (NATO Standardization Office), the [[NATO Army Armament Group|NAAG]] (NATO Army Armament Group), as well as the following bodies: [[Chiefs of European Navies|CHENS]] (CHiefs of European NavieS), [[European Air Group|EAG]] European Air Group) and [[ELDIG]] (European Land Defence Industry Group; sectorial land component of ASD, the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe).

The objective is to consult on the different points of view and to prevent any duplication or contradiction of NATO’s doctrine or the concepts outlined by the military organisations of the EU.

== Partners ==
*The [[European Union Military Staff]] (EUMS): early warning, strategic planning, and situation assessment
*NAAG: The NATO Army Armaments Group is responsible for promoting cooperation and standardisation in the area of land armaments via information exchange and collective activities.
*The [[European Defence Agency]] (EDA)
*The [[European Air Group]] (EAG)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Official website|http://www.finabel.org}}

{{Common Security and Defence Policy}}

[[Category:Bodies of the Common Security and Defence Policy]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1953]]
[[Category:Bottom-up regional groups within the European Union]]