Trio-Presidency: “We stress the importance of making tangible progress in the field of European defence”

The ministers of defence of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia - Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, João Gomes Cravinho and Matej Tonin - discussed the current state of European defence efforts today via videoconference

Their discussion included the following agenda items: PESCO, the European Peace Facility, the Strategic Compass, and the European Defence Fund.

Together they underlined:

As a trio of consecutive EU Council Presidencies we stress the importance of making tangible progress in the field of European defence. Together we aim at fulfilling our ambitions at a high pace.

Our common goals are to increase our ability to act and to strengthen our resilience.

We emphasise the need for a strong European pillar within NATO. Increased EU-NATO cooperation complements and fosters the strategic priorities of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration.

Info

Most recently, “the Trio” met in person at the Informal EU Defence Ministers’ meeting on 26 August 2020 in Berlin. The next EU defence ministers’ meeting is scheduled for 20 November 2020 in Brussels. Portugal will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January 2021. Slovenia will follow on 1 July 2021.

On this topic

Our strategic priorities in the worldInternal link

With the Presidency we are assuming a special responsibility for an effective European foreign policy. We are convinced that only together can we Europeans effectively address international challenges, assert our interests through cooperation and defend our values.

Managing conflicts and promoting peaceInternal link

The German Presidency is committed to systematically strengthening the EU's crisis response capacity and working to ensure that Europe assumes even greater responsibility for peace and security in the world.

Trio Programme of the Council of the European Union (1 July 2020 - 31 December 2021)Internal link

An 18-month programme of the Council, prepared by the future German, Portuguese and Slovenian Presidencies and the High Representative, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Council.