Defence`s Feeds

Some 90 experts from across Europe met on 15 March for a workshop organised under the EDA-managed Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED) to discuss the crucial question of Europe’s dependency on critical raw materials that are relevant to defence. 

The workshop built on the consolidated work of EDA’s Materials CapTech to discuss and assess how circularity can contribute to reducing those dependencies. The event gathered representatives from Member States’ Ministries of Defence, the defence industry, research institutes and centres, foundations and universities. Specific contributions were also made by the European Commission’s DG DEFIS and DG GROW as well as the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Participants discussed circularity principles and defence supply chain specificities, and addressed concrete ideas, for instance how critical raw materials could be recycled from Li-ion batteries and superalloys, or how alternative coatings could be used in the production of specific parts of defence equipment. The idea is that the IF CEED’s joint discussions and activities, coupled with the identification of possible funding and financing sources, will help trigger concrete collaborative projects with a clear and coherent roadmap. 

The Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED) is co-funded by the European Union (under the LIFE programme) and the Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs - Directorate of Defence.

More info

• IF CEED

• Materials CapTech. 

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EDA’s Steering Board in National Armament Directors’ (NAD) composition met on 16 March under the new chairmanship of Vice Admiral Arie Jan de Waard, Director of the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation. The meeting allowed National Armament Directors to discuss European defence cooperation in light of the changed security environment. They also exchanged views on the Agency’s support roles in the European Defence Fund (EDF), innovation in EU Defence, EU-NATO cooperation, as well as on environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards in defence.

Vice Admiral Arie Jan de Waard, Director of the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation, opened the first physical EDA Steering Board of National Armaments Directors since the COVID-19 pandemic, “We come together in a time when the European security environment has drastically changed. New and vital requests in the area of defence procurement will need to be addressed quickly. It is important that we use the tools we have at our hands to improve our defence capabilities in cooperation whenever possible.”

EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý emphasised in his update in relation to the war in Ukraine, “EDA’s role is to support Member States. In this time of crisis, I want to reiterate that the Agency is at the service of Member States, and we will support you wherever we can in the short-, mid-, and long-term.”

After a presentation by Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý on the progress made on a wide range of EDA projects, programmes and activities, National Armaments Directors discussed the different ways and means the Agency supports the European Defence Fund, also to explore additional options for optimising this support. To that end, a specific Task Force has been established within EDA to coordinate the Agency’s contribution to the various phases (upstream, implementation and downstream) of the EDF. It was stressed that a continued close cooperation between Member States, DG DEFIS and EDA remains crucial to fully exploit the potential of the EDF for the benefit of a more coherent European capability landscape and a more competitive defence industry.

EDA’s enhanced role in defence innovation was also discussed by NADs, including the Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI) within the Agency. The topic will also be on the agenda on the upcoming Steering Board meeting in capability directors’ formation. EU-NATO cooperation was also discussed, in the presence of NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Camille Grand. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues were also on the agenda of NADs based on an EDA paper, including an action plan, for addressing the impact on European defence of ESG standards and taxonomy issues discussed in the context of the European Commission. Finally, new defence cooperative opportunities were addressed and discussed by NADs, including in the important area of common procurement.

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MEPs committed to pushing EU governments to do more to help Ukraine against Russia’s aggression, in a debate with the Ukrainian Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Security and Defence

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

Length of video : 88'

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, 2022 - EP

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Ten years ago, to the day, on 16 March 2012, was signed the ‘Framework for cooperation between the European Defence Agency and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport of the Swiss Confederation’. 

This so-called Administrative Arrangement (AA), the second of only four AA so far signed by the Agency with non-EU countries, sets the frame for enabling the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) to participate in specific EDA projects and programmes related to research and technology (R&T) as well as armaments cooperation, in a spirit of mutual benefits and reciprocity. Since then, cooperation between participating EDA Member States and the DDPS has continuously deepened. Initially mainly focussed on R&T, Switzerland’s engagement at EDA has progressively expanded also into capability development and training.  

“The way our Administrative Agreement with Switzerland was filled with life and active engagement in joint projects and programmes over the past decade is exemplary of how the Agency and European third countries can and should engage in defence cooperation in a mutually beneficial and reciprocal way. I can only commend the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport for this collaborative attitude end encourage it to continue this path”, said EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý.

“Cooperation with the European Defence Agency is of central importance. The cooperation has gained momentum over the last 10 years. This development confirms that the cooperation with the European Defence Agency is the right way forward for Switzerland. The current situation in Europe shows that cooperation, especially in the technical development areas, is more important than ever. International collaboration and partnership, based on humanitarian principles, are the best means against armed conflicts and for peaceful coexistence”, said Ambassador Rita Adam, the Head of the Swiss Mission to the European Union.

Today, Switzerland is involved in six EDA Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) and has joined several research projects such as, for instance, the Protection of Autonomous Systems Against Enemy Interference (PASEI) project in the land domain. Switzerland is also involved in several capability development activities, from cyber to Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED), and is also sharing its national defence planning priorities with the Agency to support the identification of possible collaborative opportunities with EDA countries. In addition to that, the country participates in a number of EDA activities where the Agency acts as the military voice towards wider EU policies, namely the Single European Sky Military Aviation Board (ESMAB) related to Single European Sky, and in the Consultation Forum on Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector. Concerning the area of synergies and enablers, multinational helicopter training is a clear priority for Switzerland which is about to join EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme. Switzerland is also actively participating in the Agency's Military Airworthiness Authorities (MAWA) Forum and taking part in several expert groups to build common approaches.

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