After much wait and debate, on 19 April, the Council of the European Union has approved a set of conclusions to establish its new Sahel strategy.
Italy and France are committed to developing a new generation of air defence missile system. On 19 March 2021, the Director of the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR), Admiral Matteo Bisceglia, signed the contract with the Italian French consortium Eurosam for the development of the next generation of surface-to-air medium-range defence system SAMP/T NG. The agreement involving the industries of these two countries was signed at the Paris office of the OCCAR on behalf of the Italian SEGREDIFESA/DNA and the French Direction Générale de l’Armement.
In the wake of the European Council's discussion on the 26th of February regarding the future of EU security and defence, a decisive juncture to assess the stature of EU defence cooperation lies ahead. The EU pledges to deliver a collective answer to a fast-changing strategic environment and maintain momentum on its defence initiatives. Among its initiatives, the European Defence Fund (EDF) aims to boost joint research and innovation in defence and stimulate Member States industrial bases to develop common military capabilities. The EDF has officially come into effect with the new Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, empowered with a total budget of € 8 billion; thus, it is time to demonstrate its potential.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing progressively thanks to the evolution of technology. In the military sector, AI has potential applications in every task in which human cognition is needed. As the European Parliament states, “it should only be used as a last resort and be deemed lawful only if subject to human control”. From a legal perspective, the following step is the regulation of a legal framework for AI based on standardisation, governance arrangements, and legislation. However, regulation must be made carefully, as time and calibration are the main factors for a successful change when proceeding with regulations.
This Info Flash will explore the evolution of CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) tasks in the armed forces by focusing on PPE, decontamination, some topics of pharmacology, and logistics. We will view this through the Covid-19 pandemic, to help contextualise the subject in a contemporary setting. We will also consider the EU legal framework and how it relates to CBRN.
Quartier Reine Elisabeth
Rue d’Evere 1 – box 44
B- 1140 BRUSSELS
Phone: +32 (0)470 66 24 90
Email: info@finabel.org
