Security and Defence Subcommittee (SEDE) - European Parliament

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

SEDE organised a public hearing on 'The future of nuclear arms control regimes and the security implications for the EU' on Tuesday 18 February 2020 from 09.00 to 10.30hrs in room SPINELLI 1G3, with external experts.
Programme
Poster
Presentation by Dr Rebecca E. JOHNSON, Executive Director, Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy and founding President of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN, 2017 Nobel Peace Laureate), UK
Written presentation by Dr Rebecca E. JOHNSON, Executive Director, Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy and founding President of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN, 2017 Nobel Peace Laureate), UK
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

SEDE organised a public hearing on 'Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny on EU Defence Affairs' on Tuesday, 2nd April 2019, from 14.30 to 16.00, with external experts.
Location : Altiero Spinelli Room 3E-2
Programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The main objective of the hearing is to identify human rights challenges and best practices related to EU security policies in third countries.
The focus of the current European external security agenda is mainly the fight against terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime as well as border management. However, more consideration of human security is needed, as outlined by the UNDP's 1994 Human Development Report, including the threat posed by interpersonal violence, especially gender-based violence. This hearing will therefore widen the focus to human rights and human security as an integral part of security policy.
Location : ASP 3G3 BRUSSELS
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

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 14 and 15 April 2021 (online).
The meeting agenda and documents will be published here.

SEDE meetings' calendar 2021
EP calendar 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
Press release: MEPs call for unity in Common Security and Defence Policy - 4 December 2020
Press release: MEPS to examine prospects of the EU space defence sector - 27 November 2020
Press release: Common Security and Defence Policy: Disinformation targeting EU missions and operations - 16 November 2020
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Length of video : 83'

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 : 95'

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

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
Open remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
EU Fact Sheets: External relations policy
EU Fact Sheets: Security and defence
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Length of video : 60'

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 : 68'

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 15 and 16 March 2021 (online).
The meeting agenda and documents will be published here.

SEDE meetings' calendar 2021
EP calendar 2021
Press release: Debate with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency - 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
Press release: MEPs call for unity in Common Security and Defence Policy - 4 December 2020
Press release: MEPS to examine prospects of the EU space defence sector - 27 November 2020
Press release: Common Security and Defence Policy: Disinformation targeting EU missions and operations - 16 November 2020
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

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

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.
Location : ANTALL 4Q1 and remotely
Draft Programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP