The first expert seminar of the Hungarian EU Presidency organised by the Ministry of Defence, was held on February 3. The Hungarian Minister of Defence, Dr Csaba Hende, opened the conference on the current issues of EU Defence Capabilities. The event was attended by 150 defence and security experts, coming from 27 Member States of the EU.

Minister of Defence, emphasised in his speech on the negative effects of the economic crisis that the existing European resources had to be used more effectively, due to the increasing security challenges the southern states of the EU are facing. Dr Csaba Hende pointed out that although Hungary’s defence budget was increased by nearly 9 percent, however, the trend is opposite in most European countries, where defence budget was decreased.

Dr. Csaba Hende added that Hungary had positive experiences in international defence cooperation. The centre of Strategic Air Transport Capability, is situated in Pápa, Hungary. Minister of Defence said that as a supporting Presidency, Hungary would contribute to the popularisation of pooling and sharing.

Following the speech of the Minister of Defence, lectures were delivered in three sessions after. In the morning, among others Hilmar Linnenkamp, Former EDA Deputy Chief Executive, and Jon Mullin, EDA Capability Director gave a theoretical background of pooling and sharing. Nick Witney, Former EDA Chief Executive, outlined people of Europe feel economically unsecure, but safe.

In the second session of the seminar, lectures were delivered on UK-French defence co-operation, Belgian and Swedish experiences of pooling and sharing, and European military air transport capabilities. In the afternoon lecturers among others Prof, Dr. Sven Biscop, Director of Europe in the World Programme, Egmont Institute, and Paul Savereux, Head of NATO Defence Capabilities Department, focused on the future of pooling and sharing capabilities.

At the end of the expert seminar, Eszter Sándorfi, Head of Department, MFA and Péter Siklósi, Deputy State Secretary for Defence Policy and Planning, MoD provided summary lectures.

(Ministry of Defence, Press Office)