EU Proposed as Choice Converged Defence Partner for NATO in Combatting Hybrid Threats

Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Étienne Schneider, has highlighted the European Union as a choice partner for NATO in the fight against hybrid threats.

His case was made during the Defence session of the 'Foreign Affairs' Council which took place in Luxembourg on Tuesday 19 April 2016, whereby the Deputy PM emphasised the responsibility of Member States to prevent and respond individually to hybrid threats, including aspects related to resilience, such as satellite communications.

Minister Schneider highlighted the role of the EU in helping Member States to have a global view and ensure convergence and consistency of efforts, before stating that joint efforts between the Union and NATO would strengthen the capacity to respond quickly and effectively in the case of hybrid attack, in the presence of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

During the second working session, ministers discussed the concept of "capacity building to promote security and development". Faced with delays in the implementation of the work undertaken by the European Commission and the European External Action Service, the ministers stressed the need for rapid progress, pointing to the concept as a means for enforcing the capacity of third countries such as Mali to ensure their own security with the support of the EU. This approach was also cited as an important contribution to the EU's security against external threats.

On the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council, the steering committee of the European Defence Agency (EDA) was held, with ministers discussing the implementation of the policy framework on cooperation in the field of defence that was adopted in late 2014 and the EU's strategic autonomy. The meeting ended with the adoption of the interim report on the implementation of activities in the framework of the EDA and recommendations for further work to be done.

Photos by European Union: (Top L-R) General Mikhail KOSTARAKOS, Chairman of the EUMC; LtGen. Wolfgang WOSOLSOBE, Director General of the EUMS. (Bottom L-R) Etienne SCHNEIDER, Luxembourg Minister of Defence; Mr Panagiotis KAMMENOS, Greek Minister for Defence.