The European Defence Agency (EDA) organised the traditional Annual Conference 2012 on 31 January also this year. It provided a forum for a high level debate amongst senior experts from governments, EU institutions, industry and think tanks on the means to boost European defence cooperation in an era of severe financial constraints.

Claude-France Arnould, the Chief Executive of EDA invited Gábor MÁRKI, Deputy State Secretary for Defence Economy and National Armaments Director, Ministry of Defence, to be the moderator of opening panel 1“Effective defence collaboration – a business case for Europe”.

After the speeches of Baroness Catherine Ashton, the Head of the EDA, the high representative of the Union for foreign affairs and security policy and the Vice-president of the European Commission, and of Mr. Pieter de Crem, the Belgian defence minister, Mr. Márki outlined the topics – enhanced defence cooperation vs. sovereignty, collective decision making and cost-effectiveness, regional initiatives/Pooling&Sharing/Smart defence – which can be significant for the reform of the European defence cooperation. The speakers of the panel 1 were: Olof Skoog, Permanent Chair to the Political and Security Committee, European External Action Service, General Stéphane Abrial Supreme Allied Commander Transformation of the NATO and Klaus Eberhardt, President of AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe and Chief Executive Officer of Rheinmetall PLC.

At the end of the conference there was a live broadcast from the Pentagon where Alexander Vershbow, Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, US Department of Defence, made his speech. After the conference Mr. Márki – together with General Abrial, for the request of Mrs. Arnould – took part on press conference.

(Ministry of Defence)