This private seminar is organized in cooperation with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The objective of this seminar is to bring to Paris a group of European experts and officials to foster a discussion on the future of the European Defense Cooperation. As elections of new governments are taking place in both France and Germany, this seminar will provide a platform to discuss the short-term and long-term challenges of the European security challenges in a comprehensive and substantial way, and address the convergence and divergence of European political views on the objectives that should frame the development and deepening of European defense cooperation.

Working Session 1: European Defense Cooperation: What Level of Ambition?

What should be the ambitions of enhanced European defense cooperation? Do European partners share a common vision for the raison d’être of European defense, and common security priorities? To what extent does Putin’s Russia foster division or unity at the European level? How are NATO and the EU meant to interact with one another in the Trump-era? This session will address the convergence and divergence of European political views on the final objectives that should frame the development and deepening of European defense cooperation.

_{Participants in the first panel discussing about the level of ambition of enhanced European defense cooperation.}

Working session 2: Defining the Scope: Allies and Partners of European Defense

What is the right format for European defense? How many countries should be included in the more ambitious initiatives to deepen European integration in defense matters? With which partners outside the EU should cooperation be envisioned? What could be the terms and shapes of the defense cooperation with the UK after Brexit? This session will focus on drawing a mapping of European defense cooperation and analyze the degree of inclusiveness of the project.

_{The second working session of the event focused on defining the scope of European defense cooperation and mapping its allies and partners.}

Working session 3: Overcoming Short-Term and Long-Term Challenges

What should be the modalities and what capabilities are needed to achieve our objectives? Is a flexible Europe (multi-speed, variable geometry, core-Europe) on defense the more realistic way forward? What are the long-term difficulties to deepen European integration and what answers can we already provide? To what extent does the election of new governments both in France and Germany constitute an opportunity for a new momentum on European defense cooperation? The last session will aim at providing concrete visions for the emergence of European defense, and highlight the major challenges ahead.

_{The third working session aimed at providing concrete visions for the emergence of European defense, highlighting the major challenges ahead.}
 

_{Participants discussing about European integration in defense matters.}

_{Discussing about the modalities and capabilities needed to concretely achieve EU defense objectives.}