Jorge Domecq, EDA Chief Executive, met today with the Greek Minister of National Defence, Panos Kammenos to exchange views about the preparation of the European Council in June 2015 and the participation of Greece in EDA projects.
“Member States benefit significantly through their cooperation within the framework of EDA, in areas such as capability development, training, procurement, standardisation, achieving on one hand economies of scale, while on the other enhancing European security”, Hellenic Minister of Defence Panos Kammenos said in Wednesday’s meeting with EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq.
“Greece will actively support your work in order to foster the improvement of European capabilities and cooperation in the area of defence, consequently promoting European integration and strengthening European security”, the Minister added.
“Greece is a strong supporter of the European Defence Agency. Its proactive approach in EDA initiatives relating to the European defence industry as well as to our maritime or energy and environment activities, have certainly contributed to their overall success.
One of the Agency’s key functions is to serve as an interface between the Member States and the European Commission. We facilitate access to information on EU policies which have or might have an impact on the military such as the modernisation of the European air traffic system. In the same spirit we also support national defence industries and especially small and medium sized enterprises, for instance in the application processes for EU funding for dual-use research. This can be of benefit for the Greek and the European defence and technological industrial base as a whole”, said Jorge Domecq during his visit in Athens.
The visit in Greece also allowed for meetings with other high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defence, including Alternate Minister of National Defence Mr. Kostas Isichos, the Greek Chief of Defence and representatives of the national defence industry. It is part of a series of visits by Mr. Domecq to all EDA Member States following his appointment as EDA Chief Executive and ahead of the Ministerial Steering Board on 18 May 2015. So far, Mr. Domecq visited Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland, France, Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Estonia, Poland and Hungary. Tomorrow he will head to Cyprus.
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