Pools voorzitterschap houdt conferentie over verdere integratie van militaire samenwerking op dinsdag 20 september (en)

On Tuesday, 20 September 2011 in Cracow a seminar on Pooling and Sharing initiative will be held, organised by the Ministry of National Defence within meetings connected with Poland’s Presidency.

Undersecretary of State in the MoND for Defence Policy Zbigniew Wlosowicz, PhD will open the seminar. Chiefs and high representatives of the EU structures (EDA, the EU Military Staff, the EU Crisis Management and Planning Directorate), responsible for development of military capabilities will participate in the seminar.

The seminar is an event connected with one of the priorities of Poland’s Presidency in the EU Council in the field of CSDP, which is strengthening military co-operation between the EU member states. The Pooling and Sharing initiative aims at intensifying such co-operation through launching new multinational programs. Poland shares the opinion that common European projects are a chance to reduce costs of development of military capabilities that Europe needs, what is especially important now, in the light of financial crisis and limitations in defence budgets of many EU member states.

The main objective of the seminar is to maintain high political support for P&S initiative as well as strengthening Poland’s image as a country actively engaged in developing European military capabilities. In the context of that the results of the seminar will be presented by the Minister of National Defence Tomasz Siemoniak during informal EU Ministers of Defence Meeting in Wroclaw.

The seminar will be a chance to assess the realisation of the P&S initiative, initiated in 2010 during the EU Defence Ministers Meeting in Gent. During session results of programs that are already being realised will be discussed (among others concerning the air strategic transport, training of helicopter crews) as well as proposals of new initiatives. NATO activities aiming at launching new multinational programs will also be discussed at the meeting. In the context of that it is important for Poland’s Presidency to enhance coordination of activities between the two organisations. It is necessary, in the situation when most of the EU members are NATO members and want to avoid duplicating efforts.

We would like to invite journalists to photo-op during inauguration session, on 20 September (Tuesday), Hilton hotel, Cracow (ul. M. Konopnickiej 33), at 9.00 - 9.30. Entrance after showing valid press card.

More information:

MOD Spokesperson for the Presidency of Poland in the EU Council Ms. Dagmara JAROSLAWSKA

djaroslawska@ mon.gov.pl; tel. +48 601-388-988.

MOD Spokesperson for the Presidency of Poland in the EU Council

Ms. Dagmara JAROSLAWSKA