Spain and France to share EU naval mission after Brexit

EU states have decided to move the HQ of their Atalanta anti-piracy mission from the UK to Spain and France due to Brexit.

The mission, which has fought piracy off the Horn of Africa for the past decade, will see its command moved from Northwood, in south-east England, to Rota, in south-west Spain, and to Brest, in western France, on 29 March next year, EU diplomats meeting in Brussels on 30 July agreed.

Its British chief, major general Charlie Stickland, will hand over his bato...