EDA News

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Commission today launched the second phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector. The Consultation Forum aims to examine how energy efficiency measures, renewable energy sources and technologies, and protection of critical energy infrastructure considerations apply to the European defence sector.

This second phase will see the initiative move towards the identification of bottlenecks preventing the sector from fully benefiting from sustainable energy. This will help the work move towards more concrete implementation, in view of seizing the economic benefits presented by the transition to clean energy.

“The second phase of the Consultation Forum presents the defence sector with a fresh opportunity to collaborate with the European Commission on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the protection of critical energy infrastructure. Energy security is a key priority for European armed forces, and by acting together, we can improve the resilience of military activities at home and on missions, as well as reduce cost and operational risks, while contributing to the broader objectives of the Energy Union. We must now capitalize on this initiative and deliver real benefits through the initiation of defence energy projects”, said EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq.

“All strands of our energy policy, whether it is energy efficiency or renewables, security of supply or interconnections, have an impact on European defence. While energy efficiency and renewable energy policies were almost not known in the defence and security sector, the Consultation Forum has been key in changing the approach and revealing the significant potential. I am therefore very pleased that the Consultation Forum is entering its second phase which will enable us to explore further how this initiative could be both turned into concrete improvements in the ways which the defence and security sector uses energy and transformed into a real economic opportunity”, Dominique Ristori, Director-General Energy, said.

The first phase of the work brought together a majority of Member States’ Ministries of Defence alongside NATO, the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, industry and academia, and led to the creation of a European Defence Energy Network (EDEN) with over 100 members. Plenary meetings of the Consultation Forum were held in Brussels (January 2016), Dublin (June 2016), Rome (November 2016), Lisbon (May 2017), and Thessaloniki (September 2017), looking at the challenges and opportunities of moving to a sustainable energy future in the defence sector, including the implications of relevant EU energy legislation for defence.  

The second phase of the Consultation Forum will focus on the identification of bottlenecks preventing the sector from fully reaping the benefits of sustainable energy. The aim is to work towards more concrete implementation, and to identify the tools and opportunities that will transform the knowledge developed to date into tangible defence sector energy projects. Work will be conducted by three parallel working groups covering: (1) Energy Efficiency including Energy Management (2), Renewable Energy Sources, and (3) Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure (PCEI), with finance as a cross-cutting theme. This initiative is a Coordination and Support Action which received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant Agreement No 789231.

Further information can be found on EDA's European Defence Energy Network (EDEN) webpage.

Background

 

The Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector is a European Commission initiative managed by the EDA, the first initiative of its kind for these institutions. It brings together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practices on improving energy management, energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy.

The first phase of the Consultation Forum was announced on 20 October 2015 for a period of 24 months. The work was carried out in three parallel working groups: (1) Energy Management, (2) Energy Efficiency, and (3) Renewable Energy Sources. An Experts Group on Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure (PCEI) developed a PCEI Conceptual Paper.

 

 

On 5/6 October, the Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure (PCEI) expert group - set up under the European Commission’s Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) - met at the European Defence Agency (EDA) to deliver the “PCEI Conceptual Paper: Focus on European Union Defence”. This step concludes the first phase of the expert group’s work. It should assist Member States to build consensus on how to enhance best the protection and resilience of defence related Critical Energy Infrastructures.

To address the risks, vulnerabilities, capability and research shortfalls of defence related Critical Energy Infrastructures (CEI), the PCEI expert group was set up in May 2016. It’s primary task was to assess how the defence sector can apply existing EU CEI legislation to enhance the protection of defence-related CEI and improve its resilience throughout Europe. For that purpose, the group developed an EU-wide defence focused ‘PCEI Conceptual Paper’.

The chairman of the group, Colonel Georgios Drosos from the Hellenic MOD, explains that “this Paper is intended to lead to a collaborative civilian-military approach which supports EU Member States in the identification of best practices and tools which will strengthen further the resilience of defence related CEI from any failures, risks or threats, including terrorism, cyber-attacks, migration flow stress, climate change, and natural hazards”.

Martin Konertz, EDA’s Capability Armaments and Technology (CAT) Director, considers that “this PCEI Conceptual Paper will provide an important building block for increased CEI resilience in the EU as it should inform a related EU policy or guidelines and assist Member States to initiate projects of common interest with the support of the EU”.
 

Deliverables

Besides the Conceptual Paper, the PCEI expert group also produced a factsheet designed to increase collaboration, awareness and visibility. Both documents will be submitted in mid-October to the European Commission’s DG Energy for final approval. Denis Roger, EDA’s European Synergies and Innovation (ESI) Director, stated: “In order to move beyond the conceptual phase and towards a broader consensus, we will need to foster a common PCEI culture within the EU defence sector and even beyond that, in wider society. In this way, we can contribute to securing a sustainable energy supply chain for both fixed infrastructures and for CSDP operations”.
 

Background

The work of the PCEI expert group is led by the Ministries of Defence of Cyprus and Greece, supported by their respective national academia and research centres (Centre for Research & Technology Hellas – CERTH, Cyprus University of Technology, European University Cyprus, KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence - University of Cyprus, National Technical University of Athens - NTUA). The Commission’s DG Energy and Joint Research Centre as well as the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (ENSEC COE) also support the work of the PCEI expert group. At this stage, six EDA Member States (Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Ireland, Greece and Cyprus) are participating in the group. It is supported within the Agency at an inter-directorate level (CAT and ESI) by CAT Project Officer Protect, Dr Constantinos Hadjisavvas, and ESI Project Officer Energy and Environment Systems, Richard Brewin.
 

More information :

• Experts group looks into protection of critical energy infrastructures for defence (webnews, October 2016)
• Phase 1 of Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in Defence completed (webnews, September 2017)

The fifth and last meeting of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) was held in Thessaloniki on 19-21 September 2017.

The conference was opened by His Excellency Panos Kammenos (Hellenic Minister of National Defence), Mr Jorge Domecq (Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency, EDA), Mr Tudor Constantinescu (Principal Adviser to the Director-General Energy of the European Commission) and Professor Athansios Konstandopoulos, the Chairman of Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH). Mr Dominique Ristori, the Director-General of the Directorate-General Energy of the European Commission, greeted the participants by video message. It was closed by Mr Denis Roger, the European Synergies and Innovation Director at the EDA.

Opening the conference, EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq thanked the participants for the active involvement in the Forum over the last two years. He also used the opportunity to give direction for the future: “As we move to the next phase of the Consultation Forum, we need to focus on defence energy projects and their funding. We need to focus on results.”

As possible project areas, Mr Domecq highlighted infrastructure improvements leading for example to the refurbishment of buildings to Nearly Zero Energy Building standards. Projects relating to the assessment of renewable energy technologies could be analysed for where investments could be made to make commercial renewable energy technologies suitable for military use. Finally, there could also be scope to develop policy tools and training on raising energy awareness as well as the development of tools for optimum technology selection.

European Commission Director-General Dominique Ristori said the energy transition was a “top priority of the European Union”. “It is not only about energy and climate alone. It is about accelerating the fundamental modernisation of Europe's entire economy, making it low-carbon, energy and resource efficient, in a socially fair manner. And making it less dependent on imports. It requires the transformation of the whole energy system. All sectors need to contribute and to reap the benefits. I am therefore very pleased that we will continue with the second phase of the Consultation Forum as of October. This would allow, inter alia, a deeper analysis of the issues at stake and the identification of bottlenecks that need to be resolved to allow the defence sector to benefit fully from sustainable energy and to use the energy transition as a major economic opportunity”, he stated.

The aim of this week’s last meeting of the Consultation Forum was to reach agreement on the content of final report with recommendations for a more implementation focused second phase. The conference was attended by around 100 experts from government administrations, as well as industry, academia, NATO representatives and the European Commission. In total, there have been five conferences of this first phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector.
In closing the conference, Director European Synergies and Innovation Denis Roger highlighted, that “we have built a defence energy community which did not exist before”.

Second phase

The second phase of the Consultation Forum will have an implementation focus to take the knowledge developed in the first phase and turn this into results. The focus will remain on energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and the protection of critical energy infrastructure in relation to the implications of relevant EU legislation when applied to the defence sector’s infrastructure. This means that results will have direct benefits for the delivery of defence infrastructure capability, while contributing to the broader objectives of the Energy Union.

Background

The Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector is a European Commission initiative managed by the European Defence Agency. It brings together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practice on improving energy management, energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy. The Consultation Forum has taken place in a series of five plenary meetings over 24 months, and its first phase will be concluded in October 2017.
The work is carried out in three parallel working groups each with a particular focus: (1) Energy Management, (2) Energy Efficiency & 3) Renewable Energy. There was also a Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure PCEI) Experts Group which developed a conceptual paper on PCEI.

 

More information

• Consultation Forum webpage

The fourth in a series of five meetings of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) was held in Lisbon on 16 – 18 May 2017. 

The conference was opened by General Henrique Castanheira Macedo – Deputy Director General from the Portuguese Ministry of Defence, Mrs Claudia Canaveri – Deputy Head of Energy Efficiency at DG Energy, and Mr Rini Goos – Deputy Chief Executive at the European Defence Agency. It was closed by Mr Denis Roger – Director European Synergies and Innovation at the European Defence Agency. 

“Whatever we do on international defence cooperation and collaboration, it must ultimately be about maintaining our strategic defence objectives, and developing and delivering enhanced military capability, increasing readiness and effectiveness,” EDA Deputy Chief Executive Rini Goos said during his opening address. “We need to ensure that our infrastructure – the backbone of the military – is future-proofed and efficient in its operation so that we can support ultimately, the front line. This is why the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector is so important – it provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to work together to make a real change in the provision of defence capability and one which can have an enduring legacy, setting a benchmark for the rest of the defence sector.”

Maintaining the momentum of the first, second and third events held in Brussels, Dublin, and Rome in 2016, the third conference was attended by around 100 experts from government administrations representing the majority of EDA Member States, as well as industry, academia, NATO representatives and the European Commission.

In closing the conference, Director European Synergies and Innovation Denis Roger set out, “At this event, it has been useful to take stock of what we have learnt so far to ensure that we keep a focus on defence outputs.  We must also not lose sight of where the challenges and opportunities lie; and to start to develop thoughts on how to move forward, but in a way which supports capability development objectives”. Encouraging a sense of urgency, Mr Roger concluded, “We need to become more implementation focused in future, finding solutions to overcoming barriers.  We need to start developing and agreeing plans for action, and we need to do it now.”

 

Background 

The Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector is a European Commission initiative managed by the European Defence Agency. It brings together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practice on improving energy management, energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy. The Consultation Forum takes place in a series of five plenary meetings over 24 months, concluding in October 2017.

The work is carried out in three parallel working groups each with a particular focus: (1) Energy Management, (2) Energy Efficiency & 3) Renewable Energy. 

On June 8 the new European Tactical Airlift Centre (ETAC) will be officially opened by Head of the EDA, High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini and Minister of Defence of Spain Dolores de Cospedal. ETAC represents one of the largest transfers of a project, created and developed by the EDA, to one of its Member States on a permanent basis. 

Zaragoza will officially become the home of the European Air Transport Fleet (EAFT) Programme on June 8th in a ceremony marking the transfer of this project from the EDA to Spain. Created in 2011 by EDA, and signed by 20 participating nations, the EATF partnership aims to increase the EU’s airlift capabilities by addressing shortages and increasing interoperability. The establishment of a permanent multinational airlift training centre (ETAC) marks a major step forward in European defence collaboration in the critical capability domain of tactical airlift. 
 

An EDA first: Joint Deployment of EAATTC 17-3 and 3D Printing Lab 

The third European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course for 2017 (EAATTC 17-3), hosted by the Spanish Airforce at Zaragoza airbase will run from 28 May to 9 June 2017. This edition of EAATTC gathers five aircraft from four different countries (Belgium: C130; Germany: C160; Poland C130 and Spain: C295 and C130). This training aims to provide air transport crews with a robust airlift tactics training syllabus in order to enhance interoperability between European air forces. The graduation ceremony for participating aircrew will take place as part of the opening of the ETAC on June 8 2017.

As part of EDA’s approach to explore new avenues for defence cooperation and enabling technologies, its innovative project on 3D printing in defence will be deployed as part of EAATTC 17-3. The project, officially titled “Additive Manufacturing Feasibility Study & Technology Demonstration”, aims to assess the areas where Additive Manufacturing (AM) (3D printing)  can have a positive impact on defence capabilities and to demonstrate its feasibility. 

The second work strand of this project is a technology demonstration of AM in a simulated deployment scenario. Its aim is to demonstrate the feasibility and operational utility of deploying these technologies in support of a military operation. The deployment of the 3D printing lab represents a significant step in bridging the data gap on 3D printer performance in deployed conditions and will demonstrate the operational utility of these technologies. 

First of all the lab will be deployed on a test flight to examine its feasibility to be deployed by air. During the exercise the lab technicians will interact with the officials deployed at EAATTC 17-3, presenting the possibilities offered by the equipment, and identifying in a close dialogue with them what are the main needs in an operation that could be fulfilled with an AM facility. Together, the technicians the officials will select a number of different test parts to be produced on site and on demand, with different grades of complexity. 

The project represents a clear example of how cross-fertilization of ideas from different domains, from R&T to operations, will enhance defence capabilities, especially when supporting deployed missions. The overall study has the objective of raising awareness in the defence community and of promoting a better understanding of the potential held by these technologies, thereby stimulating their implementation in defence specific areas.
 

Media Day – June 8
Members of the media can avail of a special one day media flight from Brussels to Zaragoza airbase (kindly provided by the Belgian Ministry of Defence) for the opening of ETAC. All details can be found here.

On June 8 EDA will be live from Zaragoza airbase for special coverage of the opening of ETAC. 

Throughout the day we will be bringing you live updates on twitter of the opening ceremony, graduation of aircrews, interviews and visits to the 3D printing lab. Visit our twitter page (@EUDefenceAgency) and get involved using #EUdefence.
 

More information:

• EDA consultation to identify impact of 3D-printing technologies in defence
• EDA letter - support to Additive Manufacturing feasibility study & technology demonstration
• EDA news on the AM kick-off meeting (December 2016)

   

The third in a series of five meetings of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) was held in Rome on 22 – 24 November 2016.

The conference was opened by Major General Francesco Maurizio Noto Director, Energy Task Force, Italian MoD, from the Italian Ministry of Defence, Mrs Claudia Canaveri Deputy Head of Energy Efficiency at DG Energy, and Mr Denis Roger, Director European Synergies and Innovation at the European Defence Agency. It was closed by Mr Rini Goos, Deputy Chief Executive European Defence Agency.

“We need to maintain the momentum of the Consultation Forum events and gain an increased pace on delivering sustainable energy to the Defence sector,” EDA Director European Synergies and Innovation Denis Roger said during his opening address. “We need to develop a framework for increasing resilience to the impacts of energy insecurity on Defence capability, whilst enabling MODs to meet international and national commitments. Energy must increasingly be an integral element to the planning and delivery of military capability.”

Building on the success of the first and second events held in Brussels and Dublin earlier this year, this third conference was attended by around 100 experts from government administrations representing the majority of EDA Member States, as well as industry, academia, NATO representatives and the European Commission.

In closing the conference, EDA Deputy Chief Executive Rini Goos set out, “The sustainable energy challenge that all of us in the European Defence community need to address is how we are going to confront our own entrenched thinking and approaches, embracing innovative new concepts to ensure that we can continue to deliver world class military capability”. Mr Goos concluded, “Through an approach of cooperation, collaboration, and complementarity, you have the combined and continued support of the European Defence Agency and the Commission in this endeavor.”

 

Background

The Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector is a European Commission initiative managed by the European Defence Agency. It brings together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practice on improving energy management, energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy.
The Consultation Forum takes place in a series of five plenary meetings over 24 months, concluding in October 2017. The work is carried out in three parallel working groups each with a particular focus: (1) Energy Management, (2) Energy Efficiency & 3) Renewable Energy.

 

More information:

• 1st CF SEDSS meeting report (Brussels, January 2016)
• 2nd CF SEDSS meeting report (Dublin, June 2016)
• CF SEDSS factsheet
• European Defence Energy Network (EDEN)
  
  

The EDA is now inviting participants to the third conference of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) which will take place from 22-24 November in Rome (Italy).

Building on the progress made during the previous conferences, experts from national administrations, industry and academia are encouraged to continue to work in three parallel working groups: (1) Energy Management, (2) Energy Efficiency focusing on buildings, and (3) Renewable Energy.

The Conference will take place in the Hotel Roma Aurelia Antica, Rome.

Registration is open until 06 November 2016. After which, registration will be permitted for conference attendance, but accommodation at the conference facility may not be available.

For more information and registration, please click here.

 

Background

• Second meeting of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in Defence opens in Dublin (EDA webnews June 2016)
• Energy and Environment Programme (EDA project page)

 

 

On 17 October, the Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructures (PCEI) expert group, established in May of this year, met at the EDA under the chairmanship of the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence. The Ministries of Defence (MoDs) of Cyprus and Greece offered to take the lead on this project within the framework of the EDA.

Colonel Georgios Drosos, Head of the Infrastructure & Environment Department of the Hellenic MoD, was appointed as the group chairman. He stressed that the group’s main objective was “to assess how EU legislation on the Protection of European Critical Energy Infrastructure can be applied by the defence sector in a holistic way”.

Each and every part of defence critical infrastructure needs to be protected appropriately to ensure that the overall energy supply chain can function properly. As Colonel Drosos said, maintaining and improving regional energy security and sustainability within the EU will contribute to achieving this goal. The expert group’s chairman also stressed that possible shortfalls can be addressed by developing “projects of common interest for the defence sector”.

 

Collaboration between defence and research

To promote joint efforts and scientific collaboration between the defence sector and the research community, Professor Athanasios Konstandopoulos, chairman of the board of the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) was appointed as the co-chairman of the group. Professor Konstandopoulos pointed out that “the task of securing Energy Strategic Autonomy in a highly connected world presents challenges and creates opportunities for strengthening collaboration between the research community and the defence sector”. He called on stakeholders “to face the challenges and exploit the opportunities.”

To accomplish its goals, the PCEI expert group will use the expertise of EDA Member States’ Ministries of Defence, national academic and research centres as well as EDA’s partners: the European Commission DG ENERGY, Joint Research Centre, and the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence.

Air Commodore Peter Round, EDA Capability Armaments and Technology (CAT) Director, stated that “EDA aims through the PCEI Experts Group to identify common capability and research shortfalls and to address them collectively to help to achieve resilience of Armed Forces in Europe.”

Denis Roger, EDA European Synergies and Innovation (ESI) Director, emphasized that “in times of crises, it is imperative to ensure the continued availability of secure and sustainable energy supplies and we are glad that EDA can contribute to this vital work by exploring the defence element of critical energy infrastructure.”

The PCEI expert group is supported within EDA at an inter-directorate level (CAT and ESI) by CAT Project Officer Protect, Constantinos Hadjisavvas, and ESI Project Officer Energy and Environment Systems, Richard Brewin.

 

Way Ahead

The next PCEI experts group meetings will be hosted by Cyprus in January 2017 and by Greece in March 2017. The meetings will be open to all the participating Member States of the Agency, the Agency’s partners as well as other international organisations.

 

Background

Securing Energy Strategic Autonomy for European Defence (SESAED) is becoming more vital than ever for national and international security and economic prosperity due to the increased number of terrorist attacks, and the emerging threats from hybrid and asymmetrical warfare as well as vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and natural hazards across Europe.

Hence, Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructures was identified as one of the component areas to be examined as part of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) which was jointly launched by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Commission in October 2015.

In May 2016, the PCEI Experts Group was established to explore PCEI further from a defence point of view. The Cypriot and the Hellenic Ministries of Defence (MoDs) offered to take the lead on this project within the framework of EDA. In this effort academic and research support is provided by the KIOS Research Center, the Cyprus University of Technology, the European University Cyprus, the Centre for Research & Technology, Hellas CERTH and the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA).

 

More information :

• Energy and Environment Programme (EDA project page)
• Second meeting of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in Defence opens in Dublin (EDA webnews)

The European Defence Agency (EDA) currently has several job openings in the different directorates: 15 temporary agents, five seconded national experts and one contractual agent. The profiles we’re looking for include director, head of unit, project officer and assistant positions across all EDA directorates. Candidates must apply via the EDA website.

Among the vacancies, you will find the position of Director Capability, Armament and Technology, Head of Unit Human Resources, Head of Unit Industry Strategy and Wider EU Policies, Policy Officer Industry Relations and Support, Project Officer Rotary Wing, Project Officer Maritime Capabilities or Personal Assistant to the Chief Executive and many more. Do not miss this chance and consult the EDA job portal for an overview of all open posts. Starting dates vary between March and October 2017.

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the participating Member States, as well as with a wide range of stakeholders. It works in an integrated way, with multi-disciplinary teams representing all the Agency’s functional areas, to realise its objectives including its annual Work Programme and its rolling three-year Work Plan. Its business processes are flexible and oriented towards achieving results. Staff at all levels need to demonstrate the corresponding qualities of flexibility, innovation, and team-working; to work effectively with shareholders and stakeholder groups, formal and informal; and to operate without the need for detailed direction.

 

More information:

• Access the vacancy notices through our job portal

The programme of the workshop “Exploring Safe Design and Operations for European for European Unmanned Maritime Systems is now available. 

This workshop is organised by the European Defence Agency in cooperation with the working group on Safety and Regulations for European Unmanned Maritime Systems (SARUMS) 27 March 2014 in the EDA premises in Brussels. 

The workshop will be a major forum focusing on the discussion of latest developments and on the exchange of recent experiences in the field of safety of Unmanned Maritime Systems. It will bring together end users and various stakeholders from industry, research institutes and governmental organisations.

The workshop is supported by European Defence Agency and SARUMS working group whose aim is to provide European navies with a best practice framework for the handling, operations, design and regulations of Unmanned Maritime Systems. 

More information on how to register and the draft programme can be found here. 

More information:

• Workshop event entry
• News "Call for Papers: Safety & Regulations for European Unmanned Maritime Systems" (10 January 2014)
  

Sven Biscop, Director of the Europe in the World Programme at the Egmont Institute in Brussels and jury chair of EDA-Egmont PhD Prize in Security, Defence and Strategy explains here below the aim of this prize and why young academics should hurry to send in their work. Deadline for submissions is 1 December 2013.

What is the aim of the EDA-Egmont PhD Prize in Security, Defence and Strategy?

Too many not only very interesting, but also very relevant PhD dissertations, offering insights that can bring real added value to policy-making, remain under the radar screen of “Brussels”. Our aim is to link those researching European defence and those who practice it very day, to the mutual benefit of both. For as an academic myself, I can only confirm that systematic contact with policy-makers is vital to producing quality research. 

Who should participate and why?
Every academic who has recently defended a PhD and therefore has a message he/she wants to get out there! If you feel you have something to say to the Brussels crowd: do submit. 

What is your experience from last year’s first edition of the PhD Prize?
The first edition attracted a lot of really good submissions, making my work as chair of the jury very difficult, for there were several potential winners. But even those who in the end did not win the prize, now know that their work was read by the head of the EDA, the chairman of the EUMC etc., which is an achievement in itself. 

Picture: Sven Biscop and Claude-France Arnould together with the winner of the first EDA-Egmont PhD Prize, Benjamin Pohl © EDA
 
More information

• News “EDA-Egmont Institute PhD Prize with Prestigious Jury” (7 Nov 2013)
• News "Call for Submissions: EDA-Egmont PhD Prize" (12 Sept 2013)
• Call for Submissions 2014 EDA-Egmont PhD Prize
• Submission form 2014 EDA-Egmont PhD Prize
• News "First EDA-Egmont PhD Prize Awarded" (12 March 2013)
• Video summary of the 2013 EDA Annual Conference "European Defence Matters"
• Pictures of the 2013 EDA Annual Conference "European Defence Matters"

On 12 June 2012, the European Defence Agency together with the Austrian Ministry of Defence and Sports and the Austrian Defence and Security Industry Association was hosting a workshop on Doing Business with European Security and Defence Bodies in Vienna.
The workshop targeting governmental and industrial representatives from Austria and the Visegrad countries brought together European customers and suppliers in the field of security and defence and provided specific guidance to industries on how to successfully engage with defence and security related entities in Europe. Speakers included the Austrian Armaments Director, LtGen Freyo Apfalter, the EDA’s Armaments Director, Giampaolo Lillo and NSPA’s Director of Procurement, Patrick Fesquet, as well as high-level representatives of the European Commission, Frontex, Athena and OCCAr.
The workshop tackled different fields of the European Security and Defence Market, including Security Research, Defence R&T, European Development Programmes and Off-the-Shelf Purchases of both goods and services, which are increasingly conducted through common or centralised procurement by or through EU bodies.
Co-organiser Karl-Heinz Dernoschegg from the Austrian Defence and Security Industry Association stated at the end of the event that this was a perfect way to bridge the gap between supply and demand in the area of defence and security. He continued by saying that his association would be happy to host events of this kind on a more regular basis and considers this a very good model for other countries and associations to follow.

 

On 30 May, Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Finland, and the Netherlands signed a letter of intent to work towards the Pooling & Sharing of available and future resources for cyber defence training, exercise and testing. The project, called cyber ranges, aims at maintaining and improving cyber resilience as well as the levels of awareness, insight and expertise of personnel Member States. 
 
By signing the letter of intent, the Member States confirmed to participate and cooperate in the development of a Common Staff Target which will for example determine the functional requirements for cyber ranges. These requirements will have to be agreed by the EDA Steering Board at a later stage. The initiative on cyber ranges has also been recommended by the recently presented EDA cyber defence landscaping study as a viable opportunity with respect to the practical implementation of Pooling and Sharing.
 
Cyber ranges are multipurpose environments supporting three primary process: knowledge development, assurance and dissemination. Under the Pooling & Sharing initiative, cyber ranges may consist of three complementary functionality packages: Cyber Research Range, Cyber Simulation & Test Range as well as Cyber Training & Exercise Range. 

 

More information:

• Press release "EDA Study Identifies Cooperation Prospects in Cyber Defence" (7 June 2013)
• Factsheet on Cyber Defence (PDF file)
• News "EDA & Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre Of Excellence Establish Liaison" (10 April 2013)
• News "European Union Strategy for Cyber Security" (8 Feb 2013)
• News "EDA Participates in Cyber Defence Conferences" (6 Feb 2013)
• News "Cyber Defence Workshop coorganised by EDA, European Commission and European Space Agency" (25 Oct 2012)

On 15 April the European Defence Agency organised a workshop on test and evaluation (T&E) standards for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defence (CBRN) detection under the auspices of the Irish Presidency.

Participants from national ministries of defence, industry and research organisations/universities attended the event which focused on T&E equipment standards for biological threat detection as dealt with in the EDA project T&E BIODIM.

Conclusions of the workshop are:

• The need for standards / harmonisation and common agreed protocols/standards for Test and Evaluation of (B) detection equipment was confirmed;
• The EDA project T&E BIODIM will form the backbone for further developments in this area;
• Civ-Mil synergies are recognised and will be elaborated between the Agency and the European Commission under the European Framework Cooperation;
• Recent EC workshop on Standards Mandate in JRC ISPRA confirmed high priority for test and evaluation/detection standards;
• Common agreed EU protocols/ standards  will create a win-win situation for end-users and industry:
  • For end-users in terms of interoperability (mil-mil, civ-civ and civ-mil) and  sensor network capabilities;
  • For industry in terms of cost reduction and level playing field and clarity on parameters they are tested against.
• “Live (= real)” agent testing for identification equipment/ procedures is needed.

 

More information:

• Presentations from the workshop are available for download (EDA workshop TE standards CBRN)
• Project page BIODIM

EDA Annual Conference 2013

The Italian Minister of Defence, Giampaolo di Paola, visited the Agency on 21 January 2013. Minister Di Paola and EDA Chief Executive, Claude-France Arnould, discussed priorities in Italy’s involvement in current and possible future EDA Pooling & Sharing initiatives as well as the development of a more systematic approach to Pooling & Sharing. Minister di Paolo later received specific briefings on EDA initiatives in the areas of air-to-air refueling, medical field hospitals as well as military airworthiness. 

More information:

• Find more information on Italy's participation in EDA projects here (select country in the search)

The European Defence Agency and the Egmont Institute have launched a PhD Prize in defence, security and strategy. Young researchers who have recently completed their PhD thesis are encouraged to participate in the competition. The award? A financial remuneration and especially the chance for the winner to present the results of his/her research during the EDA annual conference in March 2013 in front of the European defence community. Dinesh Rempling, EDA Project Officer, in charge of the Prize explains the aims and background of the Prize.

​1. Dinesh, why another PhD prize?

While PhD prizes exist across the world, they are often either linked to academic institutions or societies. Some of the prizes have an international flavour but none are specifically targeting a European audience. Filling this gap will strengthen European research in defence, security and strategy. Moreover the hope is that it will encourage a new generation of scholars to continue to push the boundaries, helping shape better and more effective European policies. 

2. Why do the Egmont Institute and the EDA cooperate? As it so happened EDA and Egmont Institute were thinking the same thing at the same time. It is the ideal complementary partnership in many ways. Being an agency under the Council framework, EDA is very close to the heart of EU decision-making. In fact EDA is run by a Steering Board consisting of Defence Ministers from twenty-six EU Member States and chaired by Baroness Catherine Ashton (Head of the Agency, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission).
Egmont Institute on the other hand is in the forefront of research in defence, security and strategy. As such it come with a pan-European network of academic excellence.
The EDA-Egmont partnership is fortunate enough to be completed by a Prize Jury of brilliant minds. All Members come with a wealth of experience, each covering a different angle of defence, security and strategy – this is what boosts the essence of the Prize. Together the Jury Members will be able to objectively evaluate the quality and impact of the candidates’ achievements.
3. Who should participate? Anybody can submit their candidacy for the Prize. The more applicants there are the merrier because the ambition is to award outstanding work and the more there is the to choose from the likelier it is that exceptional achievements surface. Some basic provisions need to be met: the need to be a national of an EDA Member State, the PhD must have been awarded by an academic institution in an EDA Member State and the thesis needs to be available in English. Other than that there are no restrictions so long the substance of the thesis addresses one or more aspects of defence, security and strategy.

The Prize itself comes with a number of perks. Apart from the prestige, there is a generous financial contribution to look forward to. Furthermore the successful candidate will speak in front of an international audience of senior decision-makers at the EDA Annual Conference on 21 March 2013. In addition the winner will be offered the opportunity to publish the key findings of the thesis in the form of a book!

More information:

 

• EDA Egmont PhD Prize: Jury confirmed
• EDA and Egmont Institute launch PhD Prize  

During the meeting of the EDA steering board on 19 November, defence ministers from ten European states signed a letter of intent to work together to boost their military air-to-air refuelling capacity.

 

Ministers of Defence met on 19 November 2012 in the composition of the European Defence Agency (EDA) steering board, under the chairmanship of Catherine Ashton as the Head of the Agency.

Ministers took note of the significant progress of pooling and sharing initiatives such as air-to-air refuelling, maritime surveillance, the European SATCOM procurement cell and medical support. Additionally, Ministers endorsed the EDA's proposal of additional pooling and sharing opportunities in the areas of cyber defence, route clearance CIED, NH90, air transport, and maritime landscaping. They also adopted the Agency's voluntary code of conduct on pooling and sharing aiming at supporting cooperative efforts of EU Member States to develop defence capabilities.

Additionally, ministers welcomed the Agency's work in support of national defence ministries vis-à-vis the development of EU policies in industry and market, research and innovation, European space policy, cyber security and defence, SESAR, radio spectrum and maritime security.

The European Defence Agency aims at setting-up an easy-to use and permanent military surplus equipment market platform (e-Quip) for participating Member States (pMS).