The EU Defence Ministers Emphasised the Importance of the EU-NATO Co-operation

On 19th November, following the discussion of the Foreign Ministers, the ministers reviewed the current security and defence issues in a joint working session, then adopted conclusions on the EU security and defence package.

Among the themes of the session the future of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) compact, and the new Permanent Structured Co-operation (PESCO) projects enjoyed priority.

The program of the Defence Ministers continued with the meeting of the European Defence Agency (EDA) steering board.

In what follows, the Defence Ministers reviewed the current issues of the EU-NATO co-operation in the presence of the Secretary General of NATO, such as the military mobility, the possibilities of developing the co-operation of the two institutions, and countering hybrid challenges. In relation to this latter issue, Dr. Tibor Benkő underlined that Hungary supports the capability development endeavours of the Alliance and the EU countries, which strengthen the capability of resistance against the hybrid threats. In connection with this capability, the Hungarian Defence Forces established a cyber defence centre, which greatly contributes to the stability and security of Hungary and the whole region. Finally the ministers conducted a strategic exchange of ideas about the future of the EU CSDP missions and operations, in particular on the EU’s engagement in the Mediterranean and the Sahel region.

On the margin of the meeting, the Defence Ministers of the V4 countries and Croatia signed an Agreement, in which they welcomed Croatia’s joining the V4 EU Battle Group, entering into service in the second half of 2019.

After the signing of the document, the Minister of Defence conducted a bilateral talk with his Polish counterpart, in which they reviewed the present and the future defence co-operation of the two countries, and agreed that Poland will soon join the Budapest-based NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine (NATO MILMED COE).