Workshopper

'The Policy Department is pleased to invite you to a workshop on EU preparedness against CBRN weapons with: • Dr Claude WACHTEL, Associate senior research fellow at the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (Paris, France). • Elisande NEXON, Senior research fellow at the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (Paris, France).

The European Defence Agency (EDA) was created in July 2004 in the context of the drafting of the first European Security Strategy. In recent years, developments have triggered talks on the future of the EDA. In the context of the most recent CSDP innovations (EU Global Strategy, EDF, PESCO, CARD) this workshop will discuss the possible role of the Agency in framing a common Union defence policy and in defining a European capabilities and armaments policy.

On 12 April, the SEDE committee organised a workshop on the implementation of the EU's arms export control system, in the context of its work on the annual report on arms exports. The workshop focused on the issues of strengthening compliance with the Council common position governing control of exports of military technology and equipment, compliance with reporting obligations, increasing transparency and public scrutiny, and the development of the EU's institutional framework.

The workshop was organised on January 26, 2017 at the initiative of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) with the aim to highlight trends, challenges and recommendations regarding civilian and military personnel deployed in CSDP missions and operations in particular in the areas of force generation, training and the national follow-up on crimes and offences perpetrated during deployment.

Saudi Arabia and Member States have long established relations in the field of armaments cooperation. In 2015, Saudi Arabia spent EUR 75 billion on defence. Yet, it still relies on the security guarantees provided by the United States. Many in Europe have reservations about arms exports to the Kingdom, driven by concerns on the respect of the international humanitarian law in the conflict in Yemen. There is, however, no common European position regarding the defence ties with the country.

On 15 June, Security and Defence MEPs will hold a workshop on Russian military presence in the Eastern Partnership Countries (Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and South Caucasus). Together with the researchers they will debate the effects of this military presence and future perspectives.