Czech Presidency supports the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in defence sector
From 27 – 29 May 2009 an international conference takes place in Olomouc as part of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU entitled “Increasing the Role of SMEs in the Supply Chain.”
The aim of the Czech Presidency is to build on the results of the work of the European Commission, the European Defence Agency (EDA) and on the results achieved by preceding Presidencies and through two discussion panels to create a platform for an exchange of opinions on the current situation in the technological and industrial base in Europe in the area of defence, and on the possibility of involving small and medium-sized enterprises from the defence and security industry in the process of increasing the defence potential of the armed forces of the EU Member States. The support of the EDA activities related to the efforts to develop small and medium-sized enterprises within the defence industry is one of the priorities of the Czech Presidency within the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
The conference had been organised by the Armaments Division of the Ministry of Defence in cooperation with EDA, European Commission, AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and with the organisational support from the Olomouc Region and the City of Olomouc. Among the participants of the conference are the National Armaments Directors, representatives of the European Commission and the European Defence Agency, representatives of the defence industry enterprises, financial institutions and other experts from the defence ministries of the EU Member States.
The conference, which is taking place in the FLORA Hotel in Olomouc, was opened on Thursday 28 May 2009 by the Deputy Minister of Defence for Armaments, Jaroslav Kopřiva. In his speech, Deputy Minister Kopřiva summarised the development of the European defence industry since 1990, described its current situation and structure within the conditions of the EU and the Czech Republic, as well as the conditions for its further development. “Today, all key institutions of the EU have already accepted that small and medium-sized enterprises are the essential building blocks of the European industry, whether with respect to development of new technologies or their ability to flexibly react to customer requirements,” said Deputy Minister Kopřiva. According to the Deputy Minister the conference debate cannot avoid the issue of the current economic crisis and its impact on SMEs in the defence industry. “At the recent IDET 2009 Fair in Brno, concerns were voiced with respect to protectionism in some of the European countries. It is necessary to deal with all deformations of the defence material market in order to prevent some countries or specific sectors from being disadvantaged,” concluded the Deputy Minister of Defence in his speech.
After initial key speeches of the representatives of the European Commission, EDA and the Swedish defence industry the participants discussed, within the first discussion panel, the possibilities of pooling SMEs from the defence industry into so-called clusters and establishing specialised task forces (Centres of Excellence) with the aim to maintain their production capacities, the potential in the field of research and development, access to loans and so to preserve their competitiveness on the market. The second discussion panel was dedicated to the issues related to the security of supplies to the European defence materials and technology market for the armed forces of the EU Member States and NATO.
The conclusions of the international conference will be presented at the autumn meeting of the EDA Steering Board involving National Armaments Directors.
- More information in the Main Calendar.
- Vladimír Lukovský, Press Information Service of the Ministry of Defence
- PHOTO: Olga Haladová, Communication Strategies Department of the Ministry of Defence
Last update: 16.8.2011 15:20
