Lunch seminar: Sustainable EU funding for European defence cooperation? In need of accountable and transparent coordination of arms export policies!
Date
03/12/2019
11:45 - 13:45
How will the European Defence Fund affect national arms export control policies and practices?
What lessons could be learned from arrangements on arms exports in past and contemporary collaborative armament programmes?
What role for the EU’s Common Position on arms exports in the future EDF-funded transnational armament programmes?
How to guarantee and strengthen transparency and parliamentary involvement in a complex field of security, defence and arms exports in the EU?
The European Defence Fund (EDF) will for the first time commit EU funding to military research and development projects. Although the EDF’s primary aims are to increase intra-EU defence cooperation, to support the European defence industry and to strengthen European strategic autonomy, it will also pose challenges to the coordination and governance of national arms export control policies in EU member states.
On 3 December 2019 the Flemish Peace Institute will launch its new paper “Sustainable EU funding for European defence cooperation? Accountable and transparent coordination of arms export policies needed!” The paper argues that if co-development of new armaments funded by the EU budget is to stimulate sustainable Europe-wide defence cooperation, EU member states need to coordinate and develop clear arrangements to govern and control arms exports.
Building on arms export arrangements in previous and current collaborative armament projects and on the political and public salience of the issue of arms exports in various EU member states, the paper presents two lessons relevant for European defence cooperation to be sustainable: (1) the development of consensus-based arms export procedures in co-development programmes, and (2) the need to ensure parliamentary involvement at the national and European levels in arms export controls.
Diederik Cops, author of the paper, will present the main findings and elaborate on the two lessons for a more sustainable and responsible European defence cooperation.
Mr. Egan Nagan, incoming chair of the COARM working group of the European Council (EEAS) will reflect on how COARM, as the European platform on arms exports, will relate to the EDF.
dr Raluca Csernatoni (guest professor Institute for European Studies, VUB and visiting researcher Carnegie Europe) will discuss possibilities and challenges for transparency and parliamentary involvement in European defence cooperation and the EDF.
Finally, mr. Tom Nijs, legal adviser Strategic Goods Control Unit (Flemish department of Foreign Affairs) will reflect on the challenges of the EDF and of European defence cooperation in general for the Flemish arms export practice and policy.
Programme
11u45-12u10
Arrival of participants
12u10- 12u15
Welcome
Elke Devroe (Director, Flemish Peace Institute)
12u15-12u35
Main findings of the paper by Diederik Cops (Senior Researcher, Flemish Peace Institute)
12u35-12u50
Dhr. Eran Nagan, Incoming Chair of COARM (European External Action Service)
12u50-13u05
dr. Raluca Csernatoni (Insitute for European Studies; Carnegie Europe)
13u05- 13u20
Mr. Tom Nijs (Strategic Goods Control Unit, Flemish department of Foreign Affairs)
13u20-13u45
Q&A
(moderated by Director Elke Devroe)
Practical information
When? Tuesday 3th of December 11h45
Where? Ijzerenkruisstraat 99, Brussel, Flemish Parliament room Rik Wouters
This event will be held in English.
A light lunch will be provided for the participants
Registration is possible until 27 November 2019. You can register through this link