The political mission for the armed forces can be summarised as follows:
The armed forces
- support the civilian authorities tasked with carrying out the event in preparing and conducting the UEFA EURO 2008 as part of a subsidiary civil affairs support operation with no more than 15,000 military persons;
- ensure air sovereignty if necessary in cooperation with Switzerland's neighbouring states.
The authorities present their requirements
The armed forces will offer services in the following areas according to the civilian list of requirements:
- command support (including telematics resources)
- protective tasks (facility protection)
- reinforcement of the Border Guard with staff of the Military Security agency /single tem conscripts
- supportive tasks relating to logistics (e.g. equipment, vehicles, instruments), transports, coordinated medical services , traffic control measures
- NBC defence
- human and material support of the police in their escort and personal protection tasks
- engineering support (assembly and dismantling)
- Swiss airspace surveillance in collaboration with the air forces of Switzerland's neighbouring countries
- surveillance flights, ground reconnaissance and air policing under restricted air traffic conditions
- air transports
- readiness for disaster relief .
Trans-border cooperation in the air has been arranged with our neighbouring states on the basis of existing international treaties. Trans-border operations of the Swiss Armed Forces on the ground are not planned; in the air they will be carried out in accordance with the extent of the respective international treaty.
The armed forces will not conduct law enforcement operations. As in all subsidiary operations of the armed forces the civilian authorities will be responsible for operations during the UEFA EURO 2008 while command and control will be in the hands of the armed forces. Those authorities in charge of the operations are entitled to decide which services of the armed forces are to be used and issue respective assignments.
Rules of behaviour
Specific rules of behaviour – as for any subsidiary security operation – were developed for the EURO 08 operation in close collaboration with the host cities and approved by the cantonal governments involved. These rules of behaviour and the classified rules of engagement are printed on pocket cards. We distinguish between three types of pocket cards:
- Rules of engagement for unarmed operations
- Rules of engagement for armed operations (use of weapon only in self defence or assisted self defence)
- Rules of engagement for armed operations (weapon may be used for mission accomplishment).
Within the context of mission-specific training (MST) all military personnel are trained for their specific functions. The application of the rules of behaviour and rules of engagement form an important part of these preparations.
In the case of civilian objects, whether and in what form objects have to be guarded, is principally the decision of the civilian authority. For militarily used objects or infrastructures, the decision is made by the military commander in charge. How the task is carried out in detail is decided on the spot and laid down in the rules of engagement.