EU-NATO Roundtable Conferance

On 23rd June 2021, NATO IMS hosted the EU-NATO Roundtable conference, which was co-chaired by the NATO Deputy Director Policy and Capabilities Division IMS, Brig Gen Frédéric Pesme and the Director of the EUMS Concepts and Capabilities Directorate, Brig Gen Georgios Bikakis.

This bi-annual event aims to maintain the established network between the two staffs and facilitates the exchange of views on topics related to concept and capability development as well as fostering the linkage between the EUMS and the IMS at military strategic level.

In this informal roundtable several points of common interest, and also of potential common action were identified and discussed. Namely, topics related to military aspects of the EU Defence Initiatives (CARD, EDF, PESCO), NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP) and the Headline Goal Process (HLGP) cycle that are being developed and implemented through the Informal Defence Capabilities & Conceptual Cooperation Plan (IDC3P).

On a more strategic note, the EU Strategic Compass and NATO’s Military Strategy, as well as Emerging Disruptive Technologies and Innovation in NATO and EU, were discussed as a challenge and  opportunity for defence related cooperation between NATO and EU.

This event allowed substantial discussion on military topics of mutual interest and investigation of ways for enhancing the existing cooperation.