The Flemish Peace Institute is an independent
institute for peace research at the Flemish Parliament.

COARM-NGO Forum: Eu Arms Export Controls in a World of Change

The annual COARM-NGO forum, convened by Saferworld, brings together representatives from civil society and EU member states to discuss pertinent issues related to the export of conventional arms.

This year’s forum on Friday 13 June 2025 will be hosted by the Flemish Peace Institute in the Flemish Parliament in Brussels.

Registrations to attend in person have been closed.
More info via margarida.ferro@vlaamsparlement.be.

Unable to attend in person?
Sessions will be streamed online via Zoom and Zoom-participants will be able to interact. Please register here to attend online.

PROGRAMME

08:30-09:00: Registration (Ijzerenkruisstraat 99, 1000 Brussels) & Coffee

09:00-09:20: Welcome and introduction (Zoom streaming available)
With: Gijs Degrande (Foreign Affairs Committee, Flemish Parliament), Michał Karczmarz (Chair of COARM)
& Roy Isbister (Saferworld)

09:20-10:30 Session 1: Overview of the EU Common Position review (Zoom streaming available)

Consideration of the outcome of the third review of Common Position 2008/944/CFSP, including the changes to the Common Position and the User’s Guide, the COARM tasks as set out in paragraph 16 of the 14 April Council Conclusions on Arms Export Control, and implications for arms transfers into conflict contexts.
With: Riikka Pitkänen, (Ministry of Defence, Finland), Michał Karczmarz (COARM), Charlie Linney (Saferworld).
+ Discussion

10:30-11:00: Coffee break

11:00-13:00 Session 2: The Common Position review and joint production (Zoom streaming available)
– 11:00 – 11:30 Plenary
– 11:30 – 12:30 Breakout Rooms
– 12:30 – 13:00 Plenary

An in-depth exploration of the issue of joint production of controlled items by two or more EU member states, including within the context of the twin drives to greater spending on and Europeanisation of military production and procurement, and examining in particular the mechanisms to facilitate export of military equipment or technology produced in the EU as elaborated in Chapter 6 of the amended user’s Guide.
With: Diederik Cops (Flemish Peace Institute), Soleiman Ghafouri (Ministry of Foreign Affairs – The Netherlands), Laëtitia Sédou (European Network Against Arms Trade).
+ Questions for clarification.

The Forum will then move to breakout groups to discuss the issue of member states’ joint production and export controls. Each breakout group shall have a unique starting question, though it is recognised there is likely to be significant content crossover among the groups.)

  1. What are the implications of changes for joint production among member states, especially with regard to Chapter 6 of the amended User’s Guide?
    Facilitator: Elizabeth Kirkham, Saferworld
  2. What are the implications of the ongoing developments with regard to defence spending and the Europeanisation of arms procurement and production for the export control of jointly produced controlled items?
    Facilitator: Giovanna Maletta, SIPRI
  3. What are the implications of changes for joint production among member states with respect to member states and EU institutions making decisions about entering into joint-production or licensed production agreements with non-EU states?
    Facilitator: Daniel Mack, Global Rights Compliance

The Forum will convene again in plenary for report-back from the breakout groups.

13:00-14:00 Lunch (no Zoom-streaming available)

14:00-15:15 Session 3: Information sources, risk assessment and decision-making (Zoom Streaming Available)

How are changes in information sources, gathering, access and dissemination – such as from national and international legal proceedings, social media and other OSINT practices, restrictions on media access – impacting on arms export decision-making among member states?
With : Susanne Hammer (Ministry for European and International Affairs, Austria), Denis Jacqmin (Federal Public Service – Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Belgium), Quitterie de Labbey (Université libre de Bruxelles).
+ Discussion

15:15-15:30 Closing words
With: Michał Karczmarz (Chair of COARM)
Roy Isbister (Saferworld)