National Armament Directors (NAD) of EDA participating Member States met yesterday at EDA.
Armament Directors discussed how to refocus defence cooperation in an era of austerity. In particular, they have addressed the impact of the financial crisis on European defence capabilities, the necessity of increasing cost-effectiveness in the European defence market, and the strategic priorities for the defence technological and industrial base. A presentation by Mr Tomas Valasek, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, Centre on European Reform, has facilitated this exchange of views. General Håkan Syrén, Chairman of the EU Military Committee (EUMC), also presented the EU Military Committee’s work on Pooling and Sharing at the Chiefs of Defence level.
NADs were briefed on EDA’s work on Pooling & Sharing. Mr. Francois Lureau, the former National Armaments Director of France, presented findings of the Senior Level Experts in support of the Agency’s work on Pooling & Sharing. NADs exchanged views on the way forward for improved European cooperation through Pooling & Sharing. Mr. Morten Tiller, the National Armaments Director of Norway, and Mr Patrick Auroy, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, also participated in the discussion.
In the field of Defence Market, NADs discussed the recent changes - both on the demand and the supply side and in the regulatory field. EDA is currently working on concrete proposals to adapt and improve already existing tools and to develop, together with the Member States, new solutions to facilitate the use of resources.
Following a presentation by Mr. Olivier Guersent, Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Michel Barnier, NADs were invited to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the transposition and implementation of the transposition of the Defence and Security Procurement Directive.
Lastly, EDA presented the new Security of Supply Portal, a tool gathering Member States policies, procedures and priorities connected to the Security of Supply.