Security and Defence Subcommittee (SEDE) - European Parliament

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Length of video : 178'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Length of video : 49'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Length of video : 133'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Length of video : 180'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

In the context of the exponential growth of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the President of the European Parliament has announced a number of measures to contain the spread of epidemic and to safeguard Parliament's core activities.

The current precautionary measures adopted by the European Parliament to contain the spread of COVID-19 do not affect work on legislative priorities. Core activities are reduced, but maintained to ensure that the institution's legislative, budgetary, scrutiny functions are maintained.

The meetings will be with remote participation for Members (being able to view and listen to proceedings, ask for the floor and intervene in the meeting). Other participants are invited to follow the meeting through webstreaming.

Following these decisions, the next meeting of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) will take place on 25 and 31 May 2021 (online).
The meeting agenda and documents will be published here.

SEDE meetings' calendar 2021
EP calendar 2021
Press release: Sahel: Security situation from the African perspective - 12 April 2021
Press release: MEPs quizzed the head of the IAEA about nuclear non-proliferation - 16 March 2021
Press release: Exchange of views with the NATO Secretary General - 15 March 2021
Press release: Instability in the Central African Republic - 24 February 2021
Press release: Chair of the Security and Defence Subcommittee welcomes extension of the New START Treaty - 5 February 2021
Press release: MEPs to discuss security and defence priorities with Minister Gomes Cravinho - 28 January 2021
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The Subcommittee on Security and Defence will hold a hearing with experts on the security situation in the Sahel, addressing the difficulties faced by Sahel countries from the African perspective, on 14 April. The debates will focus on the political, societal and military challenges posed to the security situation in the region, on the evolution of the mandates of CSDP missions, and on the EU's involvement in the process of redeployment of state services in the areas where the missions operate.
Draft programme
Poster
EPRS study: Peace and security in 2020: Evaluating the EU approach to tackling the Sahel conflicts - 16 September 2020
EPRS briefing: The G5 Sahel and the European Union: The challenges of security cooperation with a regional grouping - 15 September 2020
EPRS briefing: Understanding the EU Strategy for the Sahel - 7 September 2020
Live streaming
EU Fact Sheets: Security and defence
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

SEDE organises a public hearing on 'The security situation in the Sahel: the African view and experience' on Wednesday, 14 April 2021 from 10.00 to 12.00hrs in room SPINELLI 3E2 and remotely, with external experts.
Draft programme
Poster
EPRS study: Peace and security in 2020: Evaluating the EU approach to tackling the Sahel conflicts - 16 September 2020
EPRS briefing: Understanding the EU Strategy for the Sahel - 7 September 2020
EPRS briefing: The G5 Sahel and the European Union: The challenges of security cooperation with a regional grouping - 6 September 2020
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

On 15 April, SEDE Members will welcome for the first time the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Fernando Arias. Since its creation, the OPCW has been instrumental in the verified destruction of 90% of the world's declared stockpile of chemical agents. However, in the past decade, the norm against the use of chemical weapons has started showing signs of erosion and the threat posed by chemical warfare is considered as one of the most pressing global security threats. Members will therefore discuss with the Ambassador Arias possible ways to contain the spread and use of chemical weapons inside and outside of the military domain, and to bring the counties violating the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention, back to full compliance.

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

SEDE organises a public hearing on 'The security situation in the Sahel: the African view and experience' on Wednesday, 14 April 2021 from 10.00 to 12.00hrs in room SPINELLI 3E2 and remotely, with external experts.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

SEDE organises a public hearing on 'The security situation in the Sahel: the African view and experience' on Wednesday, 14 April 2021 from 10.00 to 12.00hrs in room SPINELLI 3E2 and remotely, with external experts.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

On Tuesday 16 March, MEPs examined with Rafael Grossi the IAEA's activities and challenges related to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The Subcommittee on Security and Defence, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy focused on the challenges posed by the global non-proliferation regime, questions related to nuclear safety and security, as well as peaceful ways to use nuclear energy, including applications designed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

MEPs also assessed the consequences of Iran's recent decision to suspend the application of its safeguard agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). MEPs questioned the IAEA Director General about how the agency can carry out its monitoring tasks in the future and ensure that the Iranian nuclear programme is being used solely for peaceful purposes.
EP Press release: MEPs quizzed the head of the IAEA about nuclear non-proliferation - 16 March 2021
Opening remarks by Ambassador Rafael GROSSI, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
IAEA statement: IAEA Director General Highlights Global Impact of Cooperation with European Union, Calls for Closer Partnership - 16 March 2021
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The Subcommittee on Security and Defence and the Committee on Foreign Affairs will go over ways of strengthening EU-NATO cooperation to better respond to common security and defence challenges in providing security to citizens in the Euro-Atlantic area. The meeting will take place on 15 March, with the participation of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Security challenges potentially stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and opportunities for closer cooperation on military mobility, the fight against hybrid threats and the use of disruptive and emerging technologies are some of the key issues that are expected to be addressed during the debate. In the current context, the question of enhancing cohesion among the Allies, when unilateral initiatives threaten the security of all partners, are also set to be discussed.
Live streaming
Meeting agenda and documents
Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
EU Fact Sheets: External relations policy
EU Fact Sheets: Security and defence
Summary: EU-NATO relations: a stronger partnership to face common dangers
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

SEDE organises a public hearing on 'Defence planning and procurement in the EU - a joint approach' on Tuesday, 16 March 2021 from 14.45 to 16.15hrs in room ANTALL 4Q1 and remotely, with external experts.
Programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

On Monday, 1 March and Thursday, 4 March 2021, AIDA will hold a public hearing on the external policy dimension of AI in association with AFET and SEDE. The event will be divided into two panels, with a first panel on "AI diplomacy and governance in a global setting: towards regulatory convergence" and a second panel on "AI, cybersecurity and defence".

The two panels will allow AIDA, AFET and SEDE Members to exchange views with international panelists on a range of emergent policy issues relating to AI, ranging from the developing global regulatory dialogue on AI to the uses of AI in the fields of cybersecurity and defence.
Meeting documents and programme
Follow via webstreaming
AIDA hearings
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

The Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence will look into the on-going security crisis in the Central African Republic, on 24 February. The debate will focus on possible ways of enhancing international support and the role of the Common Security and Defence Policy in the region, the involvement of Russia, and the possible implementation of the European Peace Facility to equip the Central African Armed Forces (FACA).
Meeting agenda and documents
Live streaming
EU Fact Sheets: Security and defence
EU Fact Sheets: External relations policy
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

SEDE organised a public hearing on 'Defence planning and procurement in the EU - a joint approach' on Tuesday, 16 March 2021 from 14.45 to 16.15hrs in room ANTALL 4Q1 and remotely, with external experts.
Location : ANTALL 4Q1 and remotely
Draft Programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

SEDE organised a public hearing on 'Opportunities and challenges of the use of Artificial Intelligence - enabled systems in security and defence' on 3 December 2019 with external experts.
Location : SPINELLI 3E2
Programme
Poster
Presentation by Jean-François RIPOCHE, Director of Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI), European Defence Agency (EDA)
Presentation by Maaike VERBRUGGEN, Doctoral Researcher at the International Security Cluster, Institute for European Studies (IES) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Presentation by Dr Mariarosaria TADDEO, Researcher Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and Deputy Director of the Digital Ethics Lab.
Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP