 On the morning of Monday 24 March, the first half of the class travelled to Brussels to begin the seminar with an optional visit to the FN Herstal company. This provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on interoperability between the French and Belgian armies with Colonel Manuel Monin, Chief of Staff of the Belgian Army and auditor of the 74th IHEDN defence policy session, and Matthieu Fauroux, Editor-in-Chief of the Brussels office of The Letter. The day continued with a shooting session using weapons produced on site, giving participants a practical opportunity to put into practice the concepts covered. The exercise highlighted the importance of fire discipline and the issues associated with it: fighting ethics, basic training, chain of command and compliance with the rules of engagement. The auditors then joined their comrades in Brussels, enthusiastic at the end of this first day full of lessons learned.
The following day, the auditors took part in a full day of conferences at the Permanent Representation of France to the European Union, devoted to major contemporary strategic issues. The Indo-Pacific, maritime transport, NATO, the workings of the European Parliament and the specific characteristics of the French Overseas Territories were at the heart of the discussions. These themes were addressed by a succession of high-level speakers: Antoine Bondaz, China adviser in the " Inspire, Debate, Engage, and Accelerate action (I.D.E.A.) to the President of the European Commission, Kyriaki Bairaktari of the Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, MEP Younous Omarjee, Vice-President of the European Parliament, and Lieutenant General Jérôme Goisque, France's military representative to NATO.
On Wednesday 26 March, the Major continued its programme at France's Permanent Representation to the European Union (EU), this time focusing on European defence and security issues. The students met Clément de Libero, adviser to the French Permanent Representative on the EU's Political and Security Committee, and Brigadier General Xavier Mouret, Deputy Military Representative to the EU, accompanied by Captain Olivier Soldaini. In the afternoon, the delegation set off for the port of Antwerp, where they were welcomed by Tom Monballiu, Head of International Relations. After a full presentation of the port's capabilities, its strategic role and the issues it raises, the audience was taken on a tour of its land-based facilities before embarking on a tour of its maritime infrastructures. This double visit, enriched by a focus on the challenges linked to innovation and security, enabled them to fully appreciate this major logistics hub on a global scale. The day ended with a reception at Antwerp's town hall, giving the audience the opportunity to discover a remarkable historic site while enjoying a presentation of the city, before returning to Brussels.
 On Thursday 27 March, students took part in a role-playing exercise - a case study centred on France's acquisition of a second new-generation aircraft carrier. Each pair played the role of an institutional or industrial player, tasked with defending its interests and arguing its point of view, culminating in a simulated Defence Council meeting, the high point of the exercise. To support them in this demanding strategic exercise, Admiral (2S) Bernard Rogel, former Chief of Staff of the Navy and former Private Chief of Staff to the President of the French Republic, travelled to Brussels to chair the mock Defence Council.
At the end of the session, listeners were treated to a final lecture by Fabrizio Donnatella, Director of Fisheries Policy for the Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic Sea and Outermost Regions at the European Commission's DG MARE, on the maritime challenges of fisheries at EU level.
The seminar ended with a return to Paris to attend - at the invitation of the Navy Chief of Staff - the preview of the French Navy film "Surfaces".
