Operation Artemis, formally European Union Force (EUFOR) Democratic Republic of the Congo, was a short-term European Union-led UN-authorised military mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the Ituri conflict. ARTEMIS is considered the first military operation led by the EU, the first autonomous EU operation, the first rapid response mission of the EU, first operation outside Europe, first operation applying the principle of the framework nation and first example of "relay operation", conducted in cooperation between the EU and the United Nations.[3][4] The deployment of EUFOR troops quickly decreased the conflict's intensity.