Docking Mechanisms: How will the European Defence Agency cooperate with partners?

09:00, 26 Jun 2006

RUSI, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET

Link to map: multimap

About the event:

Before Christmas EU Defence Ministers agreed to a Code of Conduct for defence procurement, designed to introduce foreign competition into EU countries’ defence procurement processes. The Code is just one of a host of European Defence Agency initiatives to reform the way European defence ministries and industries go about their business. EDA’s over-arching mission: to improve the military capabilities available to European governments.

Nick Witney, EDA’s Chief Executive, delivered a keynote speech and other senior Agency officials along with industry and government representatives addressed questions associated with EDA’s work and its cooperation with partners. The conference provided an opportunity for industry, government officials, academics and analysts to assess Agency activities and its progress so far in developing working relationships with EU institutions and governments, industry, NATO and other organisations, and countries outside the EU.

Speakers included:

• Nick Witney, Chief Executive, EDA
• General Nazzareno Cardinali, Director, OCCAR Executive Agency
• Andrew Mathewson, Director for Policy on International Organisations, UK MOD
• Robert Bell, SAIC and former NATO Assistant Secretary General
• Derek Marshall, Director, Aerospace Defence & Homeland Security, Society of British Aerospace Companies
• Paul Weissenberg, Director, Aerospace, Security, Defence and Equipment, European Commission
• Pierre Hougardy, Capabilities Director, EDA
• Bertrand de Cordoue, R&T Director, EDA
• Dick Zandee, Planning & Policy Unit, EDA

Topics covered included:

• EDA Code of Conduct on defence procurement
• Capability development
• Improving R&T
• Relations with EU governments, industry and the Commission
• Working with NATO
• Involving non-EU European governments and OCCAR
• Cooperation with the United States