On 4 December 2024 from 11.00 to 13.00, the FMA organized the 2024 Annual Seminar “EU Security and Defence: Emerging Threats and Strategies for a Resilient Future” in the European Parliament, Brussels and online.
The seminar brought together key figures to discuss the challenges and strategies shaping Europe’s security and defense landscape.
The Librorum event and Annual Seminar were broadcasted live via this webpage and interpretation was available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Highlights from the Speakers
-FMA President Klaus Hänsch remarked the growing complexity of threats such as hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, and geopolitical instability. He called for EU cohesion, technological adaptability, and increased defense investments to ensure Europe’s resilience.
-MEP Riho Terras underscored the inadequacy of current EU defense efforts in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine. He advocated for streamlined cooperation among member states, innovative financing mechanisms, and prioritizing defense investments to maintain the EU’s geopolitical relevance.
-C.N. Abel Romero Junquera emphasized the maritime dimension of EU security, noting the reliance on maritime routes for trade and the need for greater naval capacity and unified defense strategies.
-Austrian Ambassador to NATO Jürgen Meindl reflected on Austria’s neutrality and the balance between EU autonomy and NATO unity, urging pragmatic action to strengthen Europe’s security framework.
-Defense Coordinator at the European Commission François Arbault called for closing the €400 billion defense investment gap, improving cyber defense coordination, and enhancing the EU’s strategic contributions alongside NATO.
This year’s seminar reaffirmed the urgency of unified action to address current security challenges and strengthen Europe’s role on the global stage. We thank all speakers and participants for their valuable contributions.
The March Bulletin will include a special edition about security and defence. Stay tuned.
| 11.00 – 11.10 | Welcome by Klaus HÄNSCH, President of the European Parliament Former Members Association and Former President of the European Parliament |
| 11.10 – 11.25 | Opening – State of play: Geopolitical Tensions and Current Challenges to EU Defence and Security by Riho TERRAS MEP – Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence Rapporteur of the Resolution of 9 May 2023 on Critical technologies for security and defence: state of play and future challenges |
| 11.25 – 11.40 | EU as a global maritime Security and Defence provider. Indo-Pacific and Arctic as new potential scenarios. Are we able to address it? by C. N. Abel ROMERO JUNQUERA, Captain and Analyst of the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies (IEEE) of the Spanish Ministry of Defense |
| 11.40 – 11.55 | Strengthening EU Strategic Autonomy While Upholding NATO Unity by Jürgen MEINDL, Austrian Ambassador to NATO |
| 11.55 – 12.10 | EU’s Defense Architecture in Action – Future steps by François ARBAULT, Defense Coordinator at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Defense Industry |
| 12.10 – 12.50 | Open discussion with the audience, Q&A |
| 12.50 – 13.00 | Concluding remarks by FMA member Edit HERCZOG |
The full draft programme of the FMA’s New Year’s Greetings is available here. The annual seminar and Librorum event were open to all and registration is open via the button below. On December 3, the events opened with the Annual Cocktail Reception and Annual Dinner, open to FMA members only. The Annual Seminar was followed by the lunch meeting for FMA Members at the Members’ Restaurant from 13:00 to 14:00. Members of the Association have received a communication from the FMA Secretariat by email.