Brussels, 14-16 December 2021
Organised as part of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), the course entitled "The European Union and the challenges of hybrid threats began today in Brussels, bringing together 35 participants from European institutions and EU Member States.
Le CGA Benoît DurieuxThe Director of the IHEDN, opened the series of conferences by stressing the need to take account of the reality of these threats, despite the theoretical and conceptual difficulties, and to consider how to respond to these different types of aggression. This observation was developed during the first round table with the Dr. Niklas Nilsson (Swedish Defense University) and the Dr. Nad'a Kovalčíková (European Union Institute for Security Studies - EUISS).
The two experts set out a number of ideas for the EU and its Member States, which the audience will be able to develop over the three days of the seminar. The afternoon was devoted to specific areas such as cyber, information manipulation and maritime issues.
Prepared and run by the IHEDN's Department of Europe and International Affairs (DEAI), this seminar aims to contribute to the development of a common strategic culture within the Member States and institutions of the European Union on a subject with changing contours.
Hosted by the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) in Brussels, the "EU facing hybrid threats" course has started today in Brussels and gathered together 35 civil servants and military from the member states and from the EU institutions.
Lt. General Benoit Durieux, Diector of the IHEDN, has opened the conference insisting on the necessity to consider the reality of threats, despite the theoretical and conceptual difficulties and to question the responses we have to deliver in order to counter all these aggressions. The debate continued with a double keynote speech given by Dr. Niklas Nilsson (Swedish Defense University) and Dr. Nad'a Kovalčíková (European Union Institute for Security Studies). The two analysts presented new ways of thinking and definition for the EU and for the member states that the attendees could develop further during the next days. The second part of the first day focused on thematic and specific fields such as: maritime hybridation, hybrid threats in the cyber space and information manipulation.
Organised by the Department of European and International Affairs of the IHEDN, the seminar's goal is to contribute to the development of a common strategic culture among the member states and the European institutions on a crucial and always moving topic.
