On March 9-10, the European Defence Agency (EDA) National Armaments Directors discussed ways to enhance European defence and security capabilities to prepare for the June 2015 European Council discussion on defence.

National Armaments Directors discussed how to promote cooperation of European states in the area of joint procurement, project planning and implementation, support for EDA capability programmes and ways to strengthen the European defence industry.

National Armaments Directors concluded that the involvement of small and medium sized companies in supply chains is beneficial for the European economy and long-term defence capabilities and should be enhanced. Evaluating the current security challenges, Member States agreed that cooperation is paramount; therefore, it is crucial to strengthen the cooperation with partners, such as NATO and the U.S.

“This is a significant forum because it tackles the European capabilities at their core and allows our countries to cooperate in the area of procurement, armaments and assistance to our defence industries”, stressed Raimonds Vējonis, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia, welcoming the participants of the meeting.

“In the light of recent developments in the European security architecture, cooperation within the EU and our partners is essential, therefore the back-to-back event with the NATO and the U.S. gave an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest and standardization, government to government sales and Single European Skies”, said R.Vējonis regarding the back-to-back event with the NATO and the U.S. that took place during the informal meeting and was hosted by the Latvian EU Presidency.

”EDA’s role is to support Member States in their efforts to develop capabilities. In light of new security challenges paired with budgetary constraints, the case for cooperation becomes ever more compelling. The meeting of National Armaments Directors in Riga was an important opportunity towards the preparation of the European Council discussion on defence in June since they are responsible for delivering the capabilities our armed forces need today and in the future”, said Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive of the EDA  after the meeting.

During the meeting an exhibition of Latvian defence industry products was available for the participants. The display included products ranging from unmanned aerial vehicles and shipbuilding to cans, password replacement solutions and machine translation.

More information

• Link to the press release on the Latvian Ministry of Defence website
• Photo gallery
• News Latvia and EDA discuss cooperation opportunities (19 Feb 2015) 
• News Latvia signs Diplomatic Clearances Arrangement (9 Feb 2015)

Mar 02, 2015 by Guillaume STEUER - European Defence Agency

Raimonds Vējonis, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Latvia and Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA) met in Riga yesterday to discuss preparations of the upcoming European Council on defence as well as the role of the EDA in fostering European defence cooperation.

“The European Defence Agency has great potential to serve as a valuable platform for initiating, developing and implementing joint European cooperation projects. I believe that the EDA can be an active agent in improving the mutual trust and understanding that is crucial for international cooperation projects at this time of increased concerns about the security in Europe,” Raimonds Vējonis stressed

The Latvian Minister added: “Having had successful cooperation within the Baltic States that we consider the cornerstone of our security, we are looking forward to cooperating within this format. Furthermore, by increasing the effectiveness of our cooperation, we will be able to make the European defence industry more competitive, consolidate the demand and requirements, and use the innovative potential of the small and medium companies and research institutions in Europe, which will increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry in the world."

Increased cooperation

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq also provided a feedback on the important meeting: “This is a crucial moment for European defence generally and defence capabilities specifically. Defence budgets are under pressure and so is our security environment. Through increased cooperation, Member States are able to acquire together the critical capabilities that are out of reach individually. The European Defence Agency is an instrument of the Member States and we stand ready to best support them. We are committed to working closely with Latvia, holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, to provide our expert input to High Representative / Vice President and EDA Head of Agency Federica Mogherini ahead of the next European Council. I also take this opportunity to thank Minister Vējonis for his commitment to defence cooperation and EDA”.

The discussion between Minister Vējonis and Jorge Domecq took place shortly before the start of the informal meeting of the EU Ministers of Defence who discussed current security issues and prepared for the upcoming European Council. Riga will also host the biannual EDA meeting of National Armament Directors on 9-10 March. 

More information

• Details of the meeting on the EU presidency website
• Link to the joint statement on the Latvian Ministry of Defence website

Brussels - 02 February, 2015 European Defence Agency

Jorge Domecq today officially starts his term as Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA). Mr Domecq, a senior Spanish diplomat, was appointed in January by the High Representative / Vice President and EDA Head of Agency Federica Mogherini.

“It is an honour and privilege for me to take over the position of Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency as we enter into its second decade. European defence cooperation gained momentum in recent years but there is still a lot to be done. I will continue establishing EDA as a reliable agency at the service of Member States and will further foster cooperation with other EU institutions and external partners, notably NATO”, says Jorge Domecq upon taking up his duties.

Background

Until his appointment, Jorge Domecq was Ambassador Permanent Representative of Spain to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Prior to that, he served as Ambassador of Spain to the Republic of the Philippines. Since the start of his diplomatic career in 1985, Jorge Domecq has held several positions with the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he acted as Director General for United Nations, Global Affairs and Human Rights, as well as Director General for Multilateral Affairs. Prior to that, he also acted as Director of the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General and as Diplomatic Adviser to the Spanish Minister of Defence.

More information:

• CV Jorge Domecq (EN)
• CV Jorge Domecq (FR)
• News "Jorge Domecq appointed as new Chief Executive" (9 January 2015)

Un Espagnol à la place d'une Française à la tête de l'Agence européenne de défense (AED) lors des trois prochaines années. c'est ce qui dessinerait, selon des sources étatiques françaises. En tout cas, la haute représentante pour la politique extérieure et la sécurité de l'Union européenne, Federica Mogherini propose aux Etats membres l'espagnol Jorge Domecq, actuellement ambassadeur de l'Espagne à l'Organisation pour la sécurité et la coopération en Europe (OSCE) et choisi parmi cinq candidats.

Il pourrait remplacer Claude-France Arnould, dont le mandat s'achève le 15 janvier prochain (2011-2015). Les 27 Etats membres de l'AED, créé en 2004, ont jusqu'au 9 janvier pour approuver le choix de Federica Mogherini. La décision sera prise à la majorité qualifiée des 2/3 des votes pondérés des Etats membres participants à l'AED. Le vote à la majorité qualifiée accorde une plus grande souplesse de fonctionnement à l'Agence et incite les Etats membres à rechercher l'accord le plus large possible avec l'ensemble des partenaires.

Un diplomate de carrière à la tête de l'AED

Né en 1960 à Jerez de la Frontera, Jorge Domecq a fait toute sa carrière dans la diplomatie qu'il a rejoint en 1985 au service de l'Espagne. Avant d'être nommé à l'OSCE en mars 2014, il était ambassadeur aux Philippines (2011-2014). Il a également été directeur général de l'ONU en charge des droits de l'homme.

L'AED, qui a géré en 2013 un modeste budget de 30,5 millions d'euros, a pour mission d'améliorer les capacités de défense de l'Union européenne et de combler les lacunes capacitaires identifiées et persistantes en Europe. Elle développe en outre la coopération des Etats membres participants aux programmes d'armement, renforce la compétitivité de l'industrie européenne de défense et constitue progressivement un véritable marché européen des équipements de défense. Enfin, elle coordonne et planifie des activités de R&T de défense communes pour garantir un accès durable aux capacités technologiques nécessaires aux besoins futurs de nos forces armées.