Brussels, Muharram 28, 1436, Nov 21, 2014, SPA -- The European Union decided Friday to extend its Atalanta mission off the Horn of Africa until December 2016, to face off the enduring threat of piracy despite a marked decline in incidents, dpa reported. Atalanta was launched in December 2008, when piracy and armed robbery presented a serious challenge to vessels using the sea route through the Gulf of Aden. The problem has since dropped significantly, thanks largely to international vigilance operations. -- SPA 22:41 LOCAL TIME 19:41 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w