On 29 September 2026, 26 members – including six women - of the seventh Reserve Formed Police Unit (RFPU) of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) were awarded the EU Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal, honouring their commitment and dedication to the values of peace, security and overall rule of law.

Opening the official ceremony, the Head of EULEX Antero Lopes, said: “Working in close coordination with the Kosovo Police and KFOR, you have contributed to the three-tiered security responder mechanism,” stressing how their presence also carried an important message to the people of Kosovo: when circumstances so require, the European Union is prepared to stand alongside its partners and contribute to stability.

The service medal presentation was enriched by the presence of Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Sveçla, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Kosovo Astrid de Vries, Ambassador-at-Large, Office of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Skopje, Vilma Dambrauskienė, Deputy Ambassador of France to Kosovo, Marc Ivarra, representatives of Embassies, International Organisations, and KFOR.

Temporary deployed to Kosovo under the aegis of the European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR) - provided by the Gendarmerie Nationale Française, the Lithuanian Public Security Service, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and the Polish Military Gendarmerie, the dedicated RFPU Officers have served under the EU banner alongside the EULEX Formed Police Unit with the aim of ensuring the Mission’s necessary capacities for supporting security and safety of all communities throughout Kosovo.

Among the many activities conducted during their service was a joint crowd-and-riot control exercise with the Kosovo Police. The joint exercise was held on 28 September as part of Kosovo’s security responders' regular tasks with the objective of further enhancing operational preparedness and interoperability in line with European standards among the security responders.