The Libyan peace process took place through a series of meetings, initiatives and actions aimed at resolving the long lasting Libyan Civil War. Among them, January 2020 a conference in Berlin involved many World Powers, International and Regional organizations and representatives of countries of the Mediterranean Basin, all committed to a peaceful solution to the Libyan conflict.

One of the outcomes of the conference was the necessity to effectively implement the UN arms embargo on Libya. In order to deliver this outcome, on 17 February 2020, the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union decided to launch a new CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) Operation in the Mediterranean, focused on the implementation of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions on the arms embargo on Libya, while closing Operation EUNAVFOR MED SOPHIA.

The new Operation, named EUNAVFOR MED IRINI (Greek for "peace") was launched on 31 March 2020 under EU Council Decision 2020/472, with four original tasks: Countering Illegal Arms Trafficking (CIAT), Gathering information on oil smuggling (GIOS) including illicit exports of petroleum, crude oil and refined petroleum products, Contributing to the disruption of the Human Smuggling Business Model (HSBM) through information gathering and monitoring and Capacity Building and Training (CB&T) of Libyan institutions responsible for law enforcement and Search and Rescue at sea, aimed at supporting peace and stability in Libya.

On 11 March 2025, EU Council Decision 2025/488 extended the EU mandate of EUNAVFOR MED IRINI until 31 March 2027 and expanded its scope by adding a new task: Enhancing Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) by monitoring and gathering information on various illicit activities and threats to critical maritime infrastructure, thereby introducing the additional objective of safeguarding the European Union’s interests in the Mediterranean.

In line with the authorization granted by the EU in March 2026  “to exercise the right of visit for flag verification in accordance with Article 110 of the UNCLOS”, in early May 2026 the Operation conducted its first flag-verification boarding on an oil tanker suspected of sailing under a false flag. By inspecting the documentation on board, the Operation collected relevant information for assessment and reporting to the EU authorities.

The operation is currently led by Rear Admiral (UH) Marco Casapieri as EU Operation Commander, and its headquarters is located in Rome, Italy. The Operation’s results to date demonstrate the effectiveness of Operation IRINI, which acts in an impartial manner, in accordance with the EU mandate and international law. By contributing to peace and stability in Libya and safeguarding the European Union’s interests in the Mediterranean, the Operation continues to strengthen its key role as a Maritime Security Provider in the region.

Over the past six months, Operation IRINI has demonstrated its ability to adapt to a changing operational scenario and is now poised to evolve, positioning itself as a ready, credible, and scalable multi-layered operation capable of addressing future challenges effectively.