First Schuman Security and Defence Forum on 20-21 March

Brussels, 15 March 2023

The EU is organising the first edition of Schuman Security and Defence Forum (Schuman Forum) on 20-21 March, under the authority of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell.

In line with the political priorities established in the Strategic Compass adopted in March 2022, the Schuman Forum will bring together the EU´s closest partners in the field of security and defence to exchange on common security challenges and common responses. The Schuman Forum is part of the EU’s broader engagement to establish a more coherent and comprehensive network of relationships with international and regional actors and with bilateral partners around the world. The Schuman Forum will take place every two years.

The first edition of the Schuman Forum will bring together primarily Ministers of Defence from the 27 EU Member States and from 45 partner countries, as well as international and regional organisations with which the EU cooperates on security and defence matters, such as the UN, NATO, OSCE, African Union, ASEAN, Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States; non-governmental participants such as think tanks/academia will also be invited to attend the second day of the Forum.

The Schuman Forum will start with a closed-door ministerial dinner on 20 March.

On 21 March, the Schuman Forum will continue at the European Parliament premises with a series of keynote speeches, high-level panels, roundtables, and plenary sessions. They will provide an opportunity for politicians and senior decision-makers to express their vision for partnerships in security and defence, and more generally on the challenges to be addressed in these fields.

A press conference by the EU High Representative/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell will take place at 13:00 at the European Parliament and will be live on Europe by Satellite (EbS).

Source – EEAS