Security and Defence Subcommittee (SEDE) - European Parliament

On 26 October, SEDE will discuss with an expert the study on “Security implications of China-owned critical infrastructure in the European Union”. The study analyses Chinese companies’ access to EU critical infrastructure and exposes how entities linked to the Chinese party-state can gain access to and exert influence on assets that are vital to Europe’s security and defence, including transport infrastructure, critical resources, telecommunications networks, defence sector.
Members will have the opportunity to discuss on the major security risks of the EU's interdependence with China, which is particularly important given the structural geopolitical changes, especially the fallout of the war in Ukraine, climate change and the transformative technological revolution that is underway. In addition, Members will discuss amendments tabled to two SEDE Own Initiative Reports on the subject of "The security and defence implications of China's influence on critical infrastructure in the European Union" and the Subcommittee's flagship Annual Report on the Implementation of CSDP.
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 26 October, a Hearing is organised on “Rising geopolitical tensions: the protection of subsea infrastructure, including communication cables and pipelines". As defence capabilities are connected digitally, undersea cables are vital for defence and security of EU Member States. The Hearing will therefore aim at assessing the current threat landscape and risks to subsea infrastructure, including different actors and their modus operandi to sabotage subsea infrastructure.
In the light of the recent reports of sabotage on the Finland/Estonia pipeline, the debate will also focus on possible ways to mitigate the risks, in particular via coordinated action with NATO to protect cross-border critical undersea infrastructure.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

In the framework of a public Hearing on “Third state collusion with Russia: through arms export policy and the circumvention of EU policy and sanctions to prevent supplies to Russia’s military industry”, taking place on 25 October, Members will discuss how to prevent the circumvention, by Russia and its allies, of sanctions imposed in the aftermath of its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The debate focus on the scope and effectiveness of the EU anti-circumvention tool that was adopted with the EU's 11th package of sanctions designed to prevent Russia from acquiring goods for its defence industry. Members will also discuss additional measures to prevent Russia from accessing western military technologies, components and dual-use goods, via third countries, such as China.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 23 October, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence will hold a hearing on "The situation in Syria 12 years after the revolution: Standstill, Dynamics, EU response, and Future Prospects?". It will provide a reflection on the political, social and economic consequences of the ongoing conflict, which has shaped the country's development in the twelve years since the Revolution. This hearing will take place during the EP Gender Equality week and
will give an opportunity to highlight the impact of conflict on women and the importance of women's contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace, in line with the UN resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Members will discuss with experts the geopolitics of the region under the changed circumstances, in which international and regional actors including Iran, Russia, Türkiye and the United States, but also local groups, are operating. The debate will also contribute to the upcoming AFET Recommendation on the situation in Syria for concretising political and diplomatic fine-tuning of the EU's Syria policy.
Programme and background documents
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 23 October 2023, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence will hold a hearing on "The situation in Syria 12 years after the revolution: Standstill, Dynamics, EU response, and Future Prospects?". It will provide a reflection on the political, social and economic consequences of the ongoing conflict, which has shaped the country's development in the twelve years since the Revolution.
Members will discuss with experts the geopolitics of the region under the changed circumstances, in which international and regional actors including Iran, Russia, Türkiye and the United States, but also local groups, are operating. The hearing will contribute to the upcoming Recommendation on the situation in Syria that the Foreign Affairs Committee is preparing and which will provide recommendations for concrete political and diplomatic fine-tuning of the EU's Syria policy.
This hearing will take place during the European Parliament Gender Equality week and will be an opportunity to highlight the impact of conflict on women and the importance of women's contribution to conflict resolution and sustainable peace, in line with the UN resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Location : Antall 2Q2
Poster
Programme of the hearing
Briefing -Impact of sanctions on the humanitarian situation in Syria
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

In the framework of a public Hearing on “Third state collusion with Russia: through arms export policy and the circumvention of EU policy and sanctions to prevent supplies to Russia’s military industry”, taking place on 25 October, Members will discuss how to prevent the circumvention, by Russia and its allies, of sanctions imposed in the aftermath of its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The debate focus on the scope and effectiveness of the EU anti-circumvention tool that was adopted with the EU's 11th package of sanctions designed to prevent Russia from acquiring goods for its defence industry. Members will also discuss additional measures to prevent Russia from accessing western military technologies, components and dual-use goods, via third countries, such as China.
Location : SPINELLI 5E2
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

In the framework of a public Hearing on “Third state collusion with Russia: through arms export policy and the circumvention of EU policy and sanctions to prevent supplies to Russia’s military industry”, taking place on 25 October, Members will discuss how to prevent the circumvention, by Russia and its allies, of sanctions imposed in the aftermath of its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The debate focus on the scope and effectiveness of the EU anti-circumvention tool that was adopted with the EU's 11th package of sanctions designed to prevent Russia from acquiring goods for its defence industry. Members will also discuss additional measures to prevent Russia from accessing western military technologies, components and dual-use goods, via third countries, such as China.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 26 October, a Hearing is organised on “Rising geopolitical tensions: the protection of subsea infrastructure, including communication cables and pipelines". As defence capabilities are connected digitally, undersea cables are vital for defence and security of EU Member States. The Hearing will therefore aim at assessing the current threat landscape and risks to subsea infrastructure, including different actors and their modus operandi to sabotage subsea infrastructure.
In the light of the recent reports of sabotage on the Finland/Estonia pipeline, the debate will also focus on possible ways to mitigate the risks, in particular via coordinated action with NATO to protect cross-border critical undersea infrastructure.
Location : SPINELLI 5E2
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 26 October, SEDE will discuss with an expert the study on “Security implications of China-owned critical infrastructure in the European Union”. The study analyses Chinese companies’ access to EU critical infrastructure and exposes how entities linked to the Chinese party-state can gain access to and exert influence on assets that are vital to Europe’s security and defence, including transport infrastructure, critical resources, telecommunications networks, defence sector.
Members will have the opportunity to discuss on the major security risks of the EU's interdependence with China, which is particularly important given the structural geopolitical changes, especially the fallout of the war in Ukraine, climate change and the transformative technological revolution that is underway. In addition, Members will discuss amendments tabled to two SEDE Own Initiative Reports on the subject of "The security and defence implications of China's influence on critical infrastructure in the European Union" and the Subcommittee's flagship Annual Report on the Implementation of CSDP.
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 26 October, a Hearing is organised on “Rising geopolitical tensions: the protection of subsea infrastructure, including communication cables and pipelines". As defence capabilities are connected digitally, undersea cables are vital for defence and security of EU Member States. The Hearing will therefore aim at assessing the current threat landscape and risks to subsea infrastructure, including different actors and their modus operandi to sabotage subsea infrastructure.
In the light of the recent reports of sabotage on the Finland/Estonia pipeline, the debate will also focus on possible ways to mitigate the risks, in particular via coordinated action with NATO to protect cross-border critical undersea infrastructure.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The next ordinary meeting of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 25 October 2023 from 9.00-12.30hrs and 14.30-18.30hrs and on Thursday, 26 October 2023 from 9.00-12.30hrs in Brussels (SPINELLI 5E2).

The meeting agenda and documents will be published here.

SEDE missions 2023:

• Germany and Poland - 24-26 July 2023
  
• Armenia - 19-22 June 2023
  
• Romania and Moldova - 15-18 May 2023
  
• Djibouti and Somalia - 1-4 April 2023
  
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - 20-23 February 2023
  

SEDE meetings' calendar 2023
EP calendar 2023
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

This analysis focuses on developments in European Union (EU) security and defence since the Versailles Summit, held on 10–11 March 2022. It shows how the Union’s response to Russia’s war on Ukraine has unleashed and spurred on a range of operational, industrial and political initiatives that will influence security and defence policy for the years to come. The EU is presently trying to grapple with the growing relevance of deterrence and defence while affirming the importance of projecting stability beyond Europe’s borders. In this study, we argue that the next institutional cycle offers an opportunity to balance those priorities. We advance two sets of recommendations: a) the need to rebalance the focus of EU defence policy instruments such as EDF, PESCO or EPF towards generating the skillsets, technologies and capabilities required for deterrence, and strengthen EU-NATO relations; and b) the need to rethink the EU’s approach to external crisis management and adapt to the requirements of non-permissive political and operational environments.
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Following the adoption of the EP Resolution on the implementation of civilian CSDP and other EU civilian security assistance, on 9 October SEDE Members will exchange views on the state of implementation of the new Civilian CSDP Compact, which was a concrete deliverable in the Strategic Compass.
The new Compact, which incorporated a number of EP priorities in the Resolution, should result in the enhancement of the effectiveness and capabilities of civilian CSDP missions through 20 concrete commitments taken by the EU Members States and institutions.

Members will also discuss in an in camera session the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the observations of the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) as well as the fragile security context in the Sahel, including as a result of the accelerated withdrawal of the UN Mission in Mali and the role of the Wagner Group.
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The next ordinary meeting of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) is scheduled to take place on Monday, 9 October 2023 from 15.00 - 18.30hrs in Brussels (SPINELLI 1G3).

The meeting agenda and documents will be published here.

SEDE missions 2023:

• Germany and Poland - 24-26 July 2023
  
• Armenia - 19-22 June 2023
  
• Romania and Moldova - 15-18 May 2023
  
• Djibouti and Somalia - 1-4 April 2023
  
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - 20-23 February 2023
  

SEDE meetings' calendar 2023
EP calendar 2023
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

SEDE organises a public hearing on 'European defence industry and the urgent need to replenish defence stockpiles within the EU' on Tuesday, 19 September 2023 from 9.00 to 10.30hrs in room SPINELLI 3G2, with external experts.

Members will discuss with an independent expert at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and representatives from EU defence industries on the contribution of the recently adopted legislative acts - EDIRPA and ASAP - to strengthen the Member States joint procurement of defence capabilities and to ramp-up European defence industry's production capacity. The discussion will raise questions including how these initiatives help to secure the combat readiness of armed forces, to replace existing Soviet era legacy systems with European solutions, and to provide for specific priority capabilities like European multilayer Air and Missile Defence.

Location : SPINELLI 3G2
Draft programme
Poster
EPRS briefing: European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act (EDIRPA)
EPRS briefing: Act in support of ammunition production (ASAP)
EPRS briefing: Reinforcing the European defence industry
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP