ANNUAL CONFERENCES

The twelfth EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference (EUNPDC) was held on 4 and 5 December 2023 in a hybrid format at the Thon Hotel Brussels City Center in Brussels (Belgium). The Conference was organised by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) on behalf of the EU Network of Independent Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Think Tanks, gathering experts on non-proliferation, disarmament, arms control and conventional weapons from public institutions, governments, international organisations, independent think tanks, and civil society. Over 400 experts from more than 50 countries – EU members, associated states, and third countries – attended the conference in person. Browse the agenda The Conference, organised within the framework of the activities carried out by the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium, is funded by the European Union. Access the Brief Conference Report in: EN | AR | SP | FR | RU | ZH Watch the replay of the sessions on our YouTube channel: 

• EU's Non Proliferation and Disarmament Agenda
• Nuclear Proliferation and Disarmament Challenges
• Chemical Disarmament after the Fifth Review Conference of the CWC
• Outer Space: Realm of Conflict or Cooperation? 
• Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Warfare
• Diversion of Conventional Arms
• Conflict Dynamics and Security Cooperation in East Asia
• Bio-Technology and Weaponization Risks
• Testimonies of Non-Proliferation and Disarmament - A Conversation with the Next Generation
• The War in Ukraine and the Future of Arms Control in Europe
• Arms Control and Global Power Dynamics

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8antm7fm1is[/embed]  

  SUMMARY REPORT Download the report, available in the following languages: ENG, FRA, SPA, ARA, RUS, CIN The eleventh EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference (EUNPDC) was held on 14 and 15 November 2022 in a hybrid format at the SQUARE - Brussels Convention Centre in Brussels (Belgium). The Conference was organised by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) on behalf of the EU Network of Independent Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Think Tanks, gathering experts on non-proliferation, disarmament, arms control and conventional weapons from public institutions, governments, international organisations, independent think tanks and civil society. Over 250 experts from more than 50 countries – EU members, associated states and third countries – attended the conference in person. The EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference is one of the flagship events of the European Network of Independent Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Think Tanks. The Network was established in July 2010 by the Council of the European Union to support the implementation of the EU Strategy Against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Network, which also focuses on the implementation of the EU Strategy Against Illicit Firearms, Small Arms & Light Weapons & Their Ammunition, brings together more than 100 research entities and is coordinated by a Consortium of six institutes: La Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (HSFK - PRIF), Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). Since 2012, the Annual Conference has been one of the key non-proliferation and disarmament meetings worldwide. It has contributed to promoting strategic discussion on measures to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems, as well as to address challenges related to conventional weapons, including their illicit trade and the excessive accumulation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition. The 2022 edition addressed numerous topics of central importance for the work of the EU, notably the European External Action Service (EEAS), as well as several pressing arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament issues. The participants were welcomed by Ettore Greco, Executive Vice President of the Istituto Affari Internazionali, who started his speech by explaining the overall mission of the Consortium and the progress it has made in consolidating a broad network of European think tanks working on non-proliferation and disarmament. He then stressed that the Consortium had made a constant effort to improve its activities, such as expanding and diversifying educational activities, involving new areas of expertise, developing its outreach and communication strategy, and undertaking new initiatives to promote the active involvement of the younger generation, in particular young women. He then noted that the 2022 Conference would focus on the war in Ukraine, with a plenary session specifically dedicated to the implications and perspectives of the war. He stated that there would also be two plenary sessions on the main priorities of the international non-proliferation and disarmament agenda. Finally, he also announced two sets of parallel sessions covering topics such as cyber-attacks, the militarisation of outer space, biotechnology, missile proliferation and lethal autonomous weapons. The Conference was opened by the Managing Director for Common Security and Defence Policy and Crisis Response of the EEAS, Benedikta Von Seherr-Thoss. She emphasised that European security had dramatically changed in one year and there had been, more broadly, a considerable deterioration of the international security environment. Nevertheless, the biggest reason for concern by far is, she said, Russia. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, she noted, hampered the EU’s work in most multilateral cooperation forums such as at the NPT Review Conference. She added that the EU will continue to work on pressing issues related to WMD, not only nuclear but also chemical and biological weapons, and mentioned the need to face the deteriorating situation in various regional and security environments such as the Middle East and North East Asia. Finally, she mentioned the challenges associated with the proliferation of conventional weapons in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. She ended her intervention by emphasising that the EU’s role and commitment are crucial to tackle all these challenges. The remainder of the conference was articulated into four plenary sessions and six parallel sessions which discussed a variety of issues such as the future of arms control and international security; the challenges to the NPT regime; the evolving threats of biological weapons; WMD threats in the Middle East; lethal autonomous weapons; cyber-security; responsible behaviour in outer space; missile technology proliferation; the Ukrainian war and weapons proliferation; and the implementation of the EU’s non-proliferation and disarmament agenda. The Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation at the EEAS, Marjolijn van Deelen, stressed the radical change in the global and European security architecture. The current non-proliferation and disarmament regimes served very well in the past as they were instrumental in preventing destabilising arms races and reducing WMD threats over the past decades. Entire categories of WMD were outlawed and robust control mechanisms were set up, and as imperfect as they were, they gave a sense of stability. However, the present reality is different: we are witnessing a paradigm shift, not only in the WMD domain but also beyond. Practically, all major agreements have been challenged or violated. In the diplomatic jargon, this is attributable to “growing tensions between major powers and worsening of international security”, but this is just a way of saying that some States appear to be willing to deconstruct the global security order in the hope of gaining a relative advantage. The UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, concurred that there was a visible shift towards a more turbulent and unstable future. The world is increasingly divided, she noted, distrust is replacing dialogue and the relations between nuclear armed States are deteriorating. She mentioned five objectives that need to be pursued in this context as a matter of priority: first, consolidate global norms against the use and possession of WMD; second, further work towards the elimination of chemical weapons; third, activate new instruments to cope with the dramatically worsening biological threats; fourth, advance the analysis of cyber and outer space as potential domains of conflict; and finally, work towards a positive outcome at the RevCon of the programme of action on small and light weapons. She closed her remarks by stating that in order to tackle the current challenges, there is the need to work with a multiplicity of actors, and added that the complementarity between the EU and the UNODA is grounded in a mutual conviction and commitment to a multilateral approach to disarmament and non-proliferation. The 2022 EUNPD Conference also featured key interventions from high-ranking officials such as Wendin D. Smith, Director of NATO’s Arms Control, Disarmament, and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Non-proliferation Centre (ACDC); Deepti Choubey, Director of Knowledge Management and HR, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO); Gustavo Zlauvinen, President-designate of the Tenth Review Conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT); Jacek Bylica, Chief of Cabinet at the Director General’s Office, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Daniel Feakes, Chief of the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention within the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA); Leonardo Bencini, President-designate of the Ninth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC); Stephan Klement, Head of Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna and EU Permanent Representative to the UN Organisations in Vienna, IAEA and CTBTO; Beyza Unal, Head of Science, Technology and International Security Unit at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA); Seraina Frost, Deputy Head of Export Control Policy at SECO and Chair of MTCR Technical Expert Meeting; Heike Gerstbrein, Head of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Operations & Election Observation Unit; Stefan Tressing, Deputy Head of Division, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Export Control, European External Action Service (EEAS); along with renowned academics, researchers and government officials from around the world. The final session featured interventions by two young scholars: Emily Faux, mentee at the 2021 edition of the Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme (YWNGI), and Tim Thies, researcher in the Arms Control and Emerging Technologies Project at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) and speaker at the 2021 Next Generation Workshop. Both emphasised the need to raise public awareness about the potentially destructive effects of nuclear weapons and to include young people in order to promote new expertise on arms control, in fields such as cybersecurity and AI, and to foster greater generational diversity. In her concluding remarks, Sibylle Bauer, Chair of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium and Director of Studies, Armament and Disarmament at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) emphasised the need to be open to new ideas and unorthodox solutions, and to think outside of the box. She noted that in the last five years the Conference had ensured a gender balance in terms of chairs, speakers and participants. She added that a greater dose of optimism was required in evaluating developments in the non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament field. In view of this, there is a need to switch to a problem-solving mode and think more deeply about concrete solutions to the new challenges. She then spoke about the need, in this age of disinformation and misinformation, to build trust between people in the sharing and dissemination of data and other sources of information and analysis. In this regard, she stressed the importance of independent research and the work done by the network of independent non-proliferation and disarmament think tanks. She concluded by calling for intensified efforts to bring a greater diversity of disciplines and approaches into the non-proliferation and disarmament field. The EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference proved to be, once again, a central event for the international discussion on the future of arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament. It also contributed to reaffirming the strong EU commitment towards a rules-based global order and showed the increased awareness of EU non-proliferation and disarmament policies among government officials, academics and civil society representatives of third countries. Moreover, the debate explored new ways and means of improving capacities in areas of the world with limited expertise in countering the threats stemming from SALW, WMD and their means of delivery. Finally, as every year, the Conference served as a venue to highlight the role played by European think tanks specialised in non-proliferation and disarmament and the efforts undertaken by the EU Consortium to promote and coordinate their work. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqZTM-L7Ong[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdxoUgPm47g[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGUxrDp3Ros[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLCLqxtBR9Q[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tvTLzf_GB0[/embed]   [embeddoc url="https://www.iai.it/sites/default/files/eunpd_221114-15.pdf" download="all" viewer="google"]

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The Ninth EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Conference was held virtually on 12 - 13 November 2020. Organised by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) on behalf of the EU Consortium of independent non-proliferation and disarmament think tanks the Conference has been, since 2012, one of the key non-proliferation and disarmament events worldwide.

The conference addressed several pressing issues of the field, including ways to rebuild mutual trust in arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament; how to tackle arms diversion; the impact of artificial intelligence and related technologies; and the similitudes between biological weapons and pandemics and lessons learned from Covid-19.

The conference was attended by over 420 experts from over 54 different countries, including experts and representatives from governments and international organizations and high-level speakers from public institutions, international organisations and civil society. Opened by a message from the Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and remarks from United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, the Conference included keynote speeches from Amb. Gustavo Zlauvinen, President-designate of the 2020 Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and Amb. Fernando Arias, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Further speakers included US Assistant Secretary of State, Christopher Ford, and the Director-General of the Department of Arms Control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Fu Cong, besides renowned academics, researchers and officials from around the world.

The EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Conference demonstrated once again the EU’s strong commitment and support for multilateral non-proliferation and disarmament as well as the rules-based order.

  Message from High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission Josep Borrell   [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cg3O24c1ug&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference 12-13 November 2020 Remarks by HE Gustavo Zlauvinen, President-designate of Tenth NPT Review Conference Speech by Izumi Nakamitsu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Speech by Christopher Ashley Ford, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, U.S. Department of State

Statement by Director-General FU Cong at the EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Conference

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vchS_vrTGus&list=PLlBLU211Zhenw79g8sT39wp4u28UWTxiw&index=1&t=1s&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLqEyzLRFqw&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htkqv0tLnSQ&t=12s&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortiumhttps://[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VqlmaK3uPw&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhDce-fc3r4&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7fPsEkszNw&t=6s&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NDYekp-J-w&t=9s&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FphEA7nr8wQ&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIsqK-TuQxw&ab_channel=EUNon-ProliferationandDisarmamentConsortium[/embed]

Read the summary report from the event :

  Agenda of the ninth EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference [embeddoc url="https://www.nonproliferation.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-EUNPD-Agenda-1.pdf" download="all" viewer="google"]  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JFbGaeVoFI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moXtjR2YGDY   Message from Pawel Herczyński on behalf of HR/VP Josep Borrell EU NON-PROLIFERATION AND DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE 13-14 DECEMBER, 2019 Excellency's, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my pleasure to welcome you to Brussels to the Eight Annual EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Conference. Diplomats, policy makers, civil society, industry, and academics from around the world are here today to tackle some of the most complex challenges of our times. Today you are not simply discussing non-proliferation and disarmament issues. You are here to discuss about our future: the fate of global security. I very much regret not being able to attend in person. I want to welcome the participation of civil society, in particular the EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Consortium of think tanks. Thank you for organising this event. But, above all, thank you for your tireless work in promoting research and dialogue on these important issues. We live in a dangerous world. This will not come as a surprise to you. Looking at the wider geo-strategic picture, we see the rebirth of geo-strategic competition. This affects different regions and mobilises powerful regional actors. Today’s challenges affect us all irrespective of our location. We are seeing a step back in some of the greatest accomplishments in global non-proliferation and disarmamanet after the cold war. If we forget our past, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. We must avoid entering into a new arms race which would endanger the peaceful future of our continent. Non-proliferation and disarmament are at a critical juncture. Multilateralism as a whole is under threat. The European Union strongly believes in a rules-based world order, where States and institutions address global challenges together, but also resolve their differences. In the coming year, the EU will particularly focus on promoting a successful outcome of the 2020 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. On its 50^th anniversary, we must celebrate and reinforce the NPT as a key multilateral instrument for international peace, security and stability. The EU strongly supports all three pillars of the NPT: disarmament, non-proliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear technologies. All States Parties have committed to pursuing policies that are fully compatible with the Treaty and the objective of achieving a world without nuclear weapons. Our non-proliferation efforts in relation to Iran will continue to be key in this context. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty has been an important component of European security architecture. Its disappearance creates a dangerous security void. It also highlights that intermediate-range nuclear missiles are a threat way beyond Europe. The EU is ready to support international efforts aimed at developing confidence-building measures that will help avoid escalation and further proliferation. The well-established norm against chemical weapons is being tested. We must be firm that any use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anyone, be it a State or a non-State actor, under any circumstances is unacceptable and violates international law and norms. There can be no impunity, those responsible need to be brought to justice. Finally, we should not forget that it is conventional weapons that claim most victims in today's conflicts. For this reason, the EU is stepping up its efforts to prevent the trafficking of small arms and light weapons, and to achieve a mine-free world for future generations. We should never forget the human face of security. Further initiatives and processes at international and regional levels to restore dialogue and trust and promote transparency and confidence-building measures are crucial and deserve our support. In all these areas, dialogue with our global partners is essential. This is what makes gatherings such as this conference so important. We must collectively speak the language of both our interests and of our values. I call upon all of you to demonstrate persistence and creativity in strengthening the global non-proliferation and disarmament architecture. We owe this to future generations to leave to them a more secure and stable world. I wish you a fruitful and open discussion, with the collective aim to increase international security, ensure non-proliferation, and promote disarmament. This is some extract of the Eighth EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference :

SUMMARY REPORT

   

Presentation at the 8th EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference

        

FRIDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2019

INTRODUCTORY SESSION - Europe Room

Welcome Addresses Ettore Greco, Executive Vice President, Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome Opening Speech Pawel Herczyński, Acting Deputy Secretary General for Common Security and Defence Policy and Crisis Response FIRST PLENARY SESSION - Europe Room Non-Proliferation and Disarmament at a Critical Juncture: New Trends and Challenges Chair: Jacek Bylica, Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, European Union External Action Service (EEAS), Brussels Speakers: Christopher Ford, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, U.S. Department of State, Washington D.C. Izumi Nakamitsu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, New York Mikhail Ulyanov, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the International Organizations in Vienna William Alberque, Director of Arms Control, Disarmament, WMD Non-Proliferation Centre (ACDC), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

PARALLEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS

SESSION IA - Orange Room

Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in North-East Asia Chair: Elena Sokova, Executive Director, Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) Speakers: Akira Igata, Visiting Professor, Center for Rule-making Strategies, Tama University, Tokyo Andrei Lankov, Director of Korea Risk Group, and Professor, Kookmin University, Seoul Duyeon Kim, Senior Advisor for Northeast Asia and Nuclear Policy, International Crisis Group, Seoul Melissa Hanham, Deputy Director, Open Nuclear Network, and Director, Datayo Project, One Earth Future Foundation, Vienna

SESSION IB - Europe Room

Prospects and challenges of the WMDFZ in the Middle East Chair: Chen Kane, Director, Middle East Nonproliferation Program, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), Monterey Speakers: Emad Kiyaei, Principal, IGD Group Farzan Sabet, Project Manager and Researcher, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Geneva Karim Haggag, Professor, American University of Cairo Tomisha Bino, Programme Analyst, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Geneva

SESSION IIA - Orange Room

Arms Control in Outer Space Chair: Michael Elleman, Director of Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Programme, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Washington DC Speakers: Ajey Lele, Senior Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi Alexandra Stickings, Research Fellow, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), London Petr Havlik, Senior Space Policy Officer, EEAS Ma Shengkun, Deputy Director-General, Department of Arms Control, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Beijing Xavier Pasco, Director, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FRS), Paris

SESSION IIB - Europe Room

Cyber Security Challenges Chair: Niklas Schörnig, Senior Researcher, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) Speakers: Giacomo Persi Paoli, Programme Lead for Security and Technology, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Geneva Gregor Ramuš, Project Associate, OSCE, Vienna Jinghua Lyu, Visiting Scholar, Cyber Policy Initiative, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington D.C. Raluca Csernatoni, Visiting Researcher, Carnegie Europe, Brussels

SECOND PLENARY SESSION - Europe Room

Towards the 2020 NPT Review Conference Chair: Benjamin Hautecouverture, Senior Research Fellow, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FRS), Paris Speakers: Jenny Nielsen, Information Officer, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Vienna Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, Director of International Organizations and Non-Proliferation Program, Vienna Center For Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) Marjolijn van Deelen, Head of the Non-proliferation, Disarmament and Nuclear Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, The Hague Meena Singelee, Head of the Geneva Office, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) The JCPOA Procurement Channel: An Assessment Nicolas Kasprzyk, Head JCPOA Procurement Channel Section, Delegation of the EU to the International Organisations in Vienna

SATURDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2019

THIRD PLENARY SESSION - Europe Room

Regulating Arms Trade Chair: Tim Ripley, Independent journalist and analyst Speakers: Abayomi Nicholas Adeomi, Program Officer, Small Arms and Light Weapons, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Jānis Kārkliņš, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations, Geneva Mélanie Régimbal, Director, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), Lima Sigrid Lipott, Associate Researcher, Small Arms Survey, Geneva

FOURTH PLENARY SESSION - Europe Room

Keynote Speech Hans Brattskar, President of the Fourth Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations and other International Organisations, Geneva Implementing the EU’s Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Agenda Chair: Gustav Lindstrom, Director, EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Paris Speakers: Jacek Bylica, Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, European Union External Action Service (EEAS), Brussels Leena Pylvanainen, Director for Arms Control, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Helsinki Susanne Baumann, Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control and Director-General for International Order, the United Nations and Arms Control, Federal Foreign Office, Berlin Closing Remarks Sibylle Bauer, Chair, EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Consortium /Director of Studies, Armament and Disarmament, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)  

To watch the full videos from the conference, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqpWJLN2954&list=PLlBLU211Zhenvhe4HE_vDwV1JnuaOnaWd&index=2&t=0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqpWJLN2954&list=PLlBLU211Zhenvhe4HE_vDwV1JnuaOnaWd

 

SUMMARY REPORT

   

NETWORK MEETING

Monday, 17 December 2018

14.00 - 15.00     Registration and Welcome Coffee   15.00 - 16.30     FIRST SESSION: CURRENT STATE OF THE NETWORK AND THE WAY AHEAD This session will provide a brief overview of the new structure and activities of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium as well as of the EUNPD Network, assessing membership, role and available expertise. The session will also be an opportunity to provide input and make proposals for the next implementation steps. Chair: Sibylle Bauer, EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Consortium/ Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Introductory Remarks: Emil Kazakov, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Export Control Division, European External Action Service (EEAS) State and Prospects of the Network: Giovanna Maletta, EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Consortium/SIPRI   16.30 - 17.00     COFFEE BREAK   17.00 - 18.30     SECOND SESSION: THE CHANGING SECURITY ENVIRONMENT, THE EU’S ROLE AND RELATED RESEARCH PRIORITIES This session will look at the challenges ahead for non-proliferation and disarmament, exploring in particular the EU’s role. In light of this, the session will also discuss the network’s current and future contribution to the ongoing security debate. Chair: Ettore Greco, EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Consortium / Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) Open Debate   Closing Remarks: Representative of the European Union External Action Service (EEAS)   18.30                DINNER BUFFET  

EU NON-PROLIFERATION AND DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE

Tuesday, 18 December 2018

  MORNING INTRODUCTORY SESSION   8:30     Registration and Welcome Coffee             9:30     Welcome Remarks Ettore Greco, Executive Vice President, Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome                         9:45     Opening Speech Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission - TBC   FIRST PLENARY SESSION 10:00    Non-Proliferation and Disarmament: The Political Framework Chair: Jacek Bylica, Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, European Union External Action Service (EEAS) Speakers:

• Vladimir Baranovskiy, Member of the Directorate, Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Moscow
• Christopher Ford, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Security and Non-Proliferation, U.S. Department of State
• Rose Gottemoeller, Deputy Secretary General, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• Anja Kaspersen, Director Geneva Branch, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)

  11:45    Keynote Speech - The CWC after the Fourth Review Conference Fernando Arias, Director-General, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)   12:15 - 13:30 - LUNCH   AFTERNOON PARALLEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS:   SESSION IA 13:30    Regulating the Arms Trade Chair: Sibylle Bauer, Director of Studies, Armament and Disarmament, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Stockholm Speakers:

• Ashley Georgina Hamer, Field Analyst, Conflict Armament Research, London
• Manuel Martinez Miralles, Researcher, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Geneva
• Sarah Parker, Policy Support Officer, Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Secretariat, Geneva
• Anselme Nahmtante Yabouri, Director, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), Lomé

  SESSION IB 13:30    The Challenges of Autonomous Weapons Chair: Niklas Schörnig, Senior Researcher, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), Frankfurt Speakers:

• Vincent Boulanin, Senior Researcher, SIPRI
• Ulrike Esther Franke, Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), London
• Kathleen Lawand, Head of Arms Unit, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Geneva
• Gustav Lindstrom, Director, The EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Paris

  15:00 - 15:30 - COFFEE BREAK   PARALLEL BREAKOUT SESSIONS II   SESSION IIA 15:30    Arms Control in Outer Space Chair: Xavier Pasco, Director, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), Paris Speakers:

• Amber Charlesworth, Office of Space and Advanced Technology, U.S. Department of State - TBC
• Carine Claeys, Acting Special Envoy for Space, EEAS
• Sergio Marchisio, Chairman, European Centre for Space Law (ECSL)
• Tereza Kupkova, Project Coordinator, Space Security Program, The Prague Security Studies Institute, Prague
• Guoyu Wang, Deputy Dean, Academy of Air, Space Policy and Law, Beijing Institute of Technology

  SESSION IIB   15:30    Cyber Security Challenges Chair: Antonio Missiroli, Assistant Secretary General for Emergency Security Challenges, NATO Speakers:

• Eléonore Pauwels, Research Fellow on AI and Emerging Cyber Technologies, United Nations University, New York
• Francesco M. Talò, Coordinator for Cyber Security Issues, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation    
• Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Ambassador at Large for Cyber Security, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - TBC
• Tong Zhao, Fellow, Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, Beijing

  17:00 - 17:30 - COFFEE BREAK   SECOND PLENARY SESSION   17:30    Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Chair: Névine Schepers, Research Analyst, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London Speakers:

• Irma Arguello, President, NPSGlobal Foundation, Buenos Aires
• Cornel Feruţă, Assistant Director General, Chief Coordinator, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
• Patricia Lewis, Research Director, International Security, Chatham House, London
• Adil Sultan Muhammad, Visiting Research Fellow, King’s College London
• Bruno Tertrais, Deputy Director, FRS, Paris

                                                            19:00 - DINNER   WEDNESDAY, 19 DECEMBER 2018 THIRD PLENARY SESSION   08:30    Registration and Welcome Coffee   09:00    Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in North-East Asia Chair: Benjamin Hautecouverture, Senior Research Fellow, FRS, Paris Speakers:

• Nobuyasu Abe, Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center, Cambridge
• Andrea Berger, Senior Research Associate, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey
• Park Jiyoung, Senior Fellow, Asan Institute for Policy Studies, Seoul
• Phillip Schell, Political Affairs Officer, United Nations Department of Political Affairs

  10:30 - 11:00 - COFFEE BREAK   FOURTH PLENARY SESSION   11:00    The EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative and its 2019-2020 Roadmap Tristan Simonart, EU Coordinator, CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence, Brussels   11:30    Implementing the EU’s Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Agenda Chair: Laura Rockwood, Executive Director, Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Speakers:

• Rüdiger Bohn, Ambassador, Federal Foreign Office, Germany
• Jacek Bylica, Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, EEAS
• Ann-Sofie Nilsson, Ambassador for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Manpreet Sethi, Senior Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi

  13:00    Closing Remarks Sibylle Bauer, Chair, EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Consortium /Director of Studies, Armament and Disarmament, SIPRI   13:30 – LUNCH

The Sixth EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament conference took place in Brussels on 12 and 13 December 2017.

For any questions please contact "EUNPC Conference Account".

Video message by Federica Mogherini

High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the European Commission

EU Non-proliferation and Disarmament Conference 2017

Overview of the conference by Dan Smith, SIPRI Director

The video has been produced by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and is published on SIPRI's YouTube Channel.    

Tuesday, 12 December 2017

09:30 – 09:40	Welcome
	Sibylle Bauer, Chair, EU Non-Proliferation Consortium Video message by Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the European Commission Pedro Serrano, Deputy-Secretary General for CSDP and Crisis Response, European External Action Service (EEAS)
	Plenary Session: Perspectives on Nonproliferation and Disarmament Challenges
	Chair: Jacek Bylica, Special Envoy for Disarmament and Nonproliferation, EEAS Vladimir Baranovsky, Board member, Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO) Rose Gottemoeller, Deputy Secretary-General, NATO Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Jianqun Teng, Director, Department of American Studies, China Institute of International Studies Irma Arguello, Non-proliferation for Global Security Foundation, Buenos Aires (was unable to participate due to flight disruptions) (download the presentation)
12:00 - 13:30	Parallel Break-out Sessions I : Perspectives on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Challenges
	North East Asia Chair: Angela Kane, Former UN Under-Secretary-General Antoine Bondaz, Research Fellow, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), Paris Hua Han, Professor, School of International Studies (SIS), Beijing University Andrei Lankov, Professor, Kookmin University, Seoul Kiejoo Kim, Minister, Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Belgium and Mission of the Republic of Korea to the European UnionAsia Pacific Chair: Laura Rockwood, Executive Director, Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-proliferation (VCDNP) Rizwana Abassi, Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, National Defence University, Islamabad Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Senior Fellow and Head of the Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative, Observer Research Foundation, Delhi Piotr Topychkanov, Senior Researcher, Center for International Security – Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences
14:30 - 16:00	Parallel Break-out Sessions II : Perspectives on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Challenges
	After the BTWC Meeting of States Parties: What Next? Chair: Anne Kemppainen, Head of Political Section for Disarmament and Non-proliferation, EU Delegation, Geneva Amandeep Singh Gill, Ambassador of India to the UN Conference on Disarmament Elisande Nexon, Research Fellow, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS), Paris Richard Guthrie, Coordinating Editor, CBW Events Emil Kazakov, International Relations Officer, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Arms Export Control Division, EEASSmall Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Flows: Preventing Diversion Chair: Pawel Herczynski, Director, Security Policy Directorate, EEAS James Bevan, Executive Director, Conflict Armaments Research Nils Duquet, Senior Researcher, Flemish Peace Institute Nobushige Takamizawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament/ President of the Fourth Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty
14:30 - 16:00	Plenary Session: The JCPOA
	Chair: Rolf Ekeus, European Leadership Network / Distinguished Associate Fellow SIPRI Mark Fitzpatrick, Head, Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Programme, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London/Washington D.C. Saeed Khatibzadeh, Acting Director, Institute for International and Political Studies (IPIS), Tehran Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, Research Fellow, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), London
18:00 - 18:30	Keynote Speech
	Annika Söder, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Sweden

   

Wednesday, 13 December 2017

09:00 - 10:30	Plenary Session: Technological Challenges to Arms Control, Too Fast to Keep Up?
	Chair: John Borrie, Chief of Research, UNIDIR/Associate Fellow, Chatham House Rick Cupitt, Senior Associate, WMD, Non-proliferation and Security, Stimson Center, Washington D.C. Netta Goussac, Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross – Arms Unit, Legal Division Lora Saalman, Director of Studies, Peace and Conflict/ Programme Director, China and Global Security, SIPRI
11:00 - 13:00	Closing PLenary: The Future of Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament and the Role of the EU
	Chair: Sibylle Bauer, Chair, EU Non-proliferation Consortium/Director of Studies, Armament and Disarmament, SIPRI Jacek Bylica, Special Envoy for Disarmament and Nonproliferation, EEAS Christopher Ford, Senior Director for WMD and Counterproliferation, U.S. National Security Council (download the presentation) Angela Kane, Former UN Under-Secretary-General (download the presentation)

 

 

The fifth EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament conference was held in Brussels from 3–4 November 2016.

Introduction by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini Selection of pictures For additional information on the Conference, please see the dedicated Conference website of IISS.  

Thursday 3 November 2016

10:00 - 11:00	Introduction to the conference
	Introduction of video welcome Video welcome Introduction of keynote speaker Keynote speaker
11:00 - 13:00	First Plenary Session: Disarmament and Deterrence – bridging the divide
14:15 - 15:45	Simultaneous Special Sessions (First Sitting)
	Session 1: The role of Conventional Arms Control in light of pressing security challenges
	Session 2: Ensuring the Space Environment is peaceful, safe and secure
	Session 3: The threat of Non-State Actors - responding to CBRN events
	Session 4: Prospects for Arms Control and Disarmament in the Middle East
16:15 – 17:45	Simultaneous Special Sessions (Second Sitting)
	Session 5: The BTWC – maintaining relevance
	Session 6: Combatting the trafficking of small arms and light weapons
	Session 7: Security on the korean peninsula
	Session 8: The future of the Nuclear Suppliers Group
19:000 - 21:00	Conference Dinner
	Introduction of keynote speaker Keynote speaker

 

Friday 4 November 2016

08:45 - 10:00	Second Plenary Session: the impact of technological change on Security and Nonproliferation
10:30 – 12:00	Simultaneous Special Sessions (Third Sitting)
	Session 9: Progress and Challenges in Chemical Disarmament
	Session 10: Nuclear Security – what next after the NSS process?
	Session 11: Missile Defence – Asia, Middle East and Europe
	Session 12: The utility of sanctions in Non-Proliferation Policy
12:30 – 13:45	Third Plenary Session: the Iran accord one year on
13:45 – 14:00	Closing Comments

 

The fourth EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament conference was held in Brussels on 11 and 12 November 2015.

The list of participants and a selection of pictures are now available. For additional information on the Conference, please see the dedicated Conference website of IISS.  

Wednesday, 11 November, 2015

Welcome and introduction
11:30 - 13:30	Lunch and registration
13:30 - 14:30	Introduction to the conference Introduction of keynote speaker keynote speaker
14:45 - 16:15	Simultaneous Special Sessions (First Sitting)
	Session 1: New technologies and challenges to Non-Proliferation and Disarmament
	Session 2: Chemical warfare at 100
	Session 3: The future of nuclear power
	Session 4: The EU, China and Non-Proliferation: from Iran to North Korea?
16:15 – 16:45	Refreshment Break
16:45 – 18:00	Simultaneous Special Sessions (Second Sitting)
	Session 5: Prospects for the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit and beyond
	Session 6: The Arms Trade Treaty – Implementation after entry into force
	Session 7: The BWC: Issues for the 2016 Review Conference
	Session 8: Advances in Missile Delivery Systems
18:00 – 19:00	Reception
19:000 - 21:00	Conference Dinner Introduction of keynote speaker keynote speaker

 

Thursday, 12 November, 2015

Plenary Sessions
08:45 - 10:00	First Plenary Session: The NPT Review Conference and the future of Nuclear Disarmament
10:00 - 10:30	Second Plenary Session: The Salience of Nuclear Weapons after Ukraine
10:30 – 12:00	Reception
12:00– 13:00	Lunch
13:00 – 14:30	Simultaneous Special Sessions (third Sitting)
	Session 9: CBRN: Lessons learned from Fukushima, Ebola and Syria
	Session 10: How to regulate Autonomous Weapons Systems
	session 11: fostering cooperation and non-weaponisation in Space
	Session 12: The CTBT as a regional CBM (in Middle East and South ASia)
14:30 – 15:00	Refreshments
15:00 – 16:30	Plenary Sessions
	Third Plenary Session: The Iran deal – outcomes and next steps
16:30 – 17:00	Closing Comments

Around 280 experts have gathered in Brussels on the 4 &5 September 2014 to discuss the spread of nuclear and other dangerous weapons. In accordance with the Consortium division of labour, IISS took on the main organizing role for the conference. Introductory Remarks were given by Joelle Jenny, Director, Security Policy and Conflict Prevention, European External Action Service (EEAS). Keynote address was given by Ahmet Üzümcü, Director-General, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Evening Keynote Speech was given by UN High Representative for Disarmament Angela Kane and the ensuing discussion moderated by former BBC World News presenter Nik Gowing. All the plenary sessions, simultaneous special sessions, introductory remarks and keynote addresses were recorded on video and are available through this website. For additional information on the Conference, please see the dedicated Conference website of IISS.

General Documents

Speaker agenda

Plenary and Special Sessions: videos, speech transcripts, Q & A

• Introduction to the meeting and Keynote Speech - by Joelle Jenny and Ahmet Ahmet Üzümcü
• First Plenary Session - The Role of the EU in Iran Nuclear Negotiations
• Evening Keynote Address- by Angela Kane
• Second Plenary Session - Eliminating Chemical Weapons
• Third Plenary Session - Working for a Successful 2015 NPT Review Conference
• Special Sessions

On Twitter

#EUnonprolif

Conference Photo Gallery

The Conference online photo album is available on Flickr.

More than 300 experts have gathered in Brussels on the 30 September-1 October 2013 to discuss the spread of nuclear and other dangerous weapons. In accordance with the Consortium division of labour, IISS took on the main organizing role for the conference. Introductory Remarks were given by Maciej Popowski, Deputy Secretary General, European External Action Service (EEAS). Keynote address was given by Dr Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary, Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Evening Keynote Speech was given by Linas Linkevicius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania. All the Plenary Sessions, introductory remarks and keynote addresses were recorded on video and are available through this website. For additional information on the Conference, please see the dedicated Conference website of IISS.

General Documents

Speaker agenda

Plenary and Special Sessions: videos, speech transcripts, Q & A

• Introduction to the meeting and Keynote Speech - by Maciej Popowski and Dr Lassina Zerbo
• First Plenary Session - Strengthening The Non-Proliferation & Disarmament Regime
  • Jacek Bylica
  • Patricia Lewis
  • Tibor Toth
  • Angela Kane
  • Questions & Answers
• Evening Keynote Address - by Linas Linkevicius
• Second Plenary Session - Addressing Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in the Middle East
  • Jaakko Laajava
  • Mahmoud Karem
  • Shlomo Brom
  • Questions & Answers
• Third Plenary Session - EU Non-Proliferation Policy and Implementation
  • Joëlle Jenny
  • Lars-Erik Lundin
  • Tarja Cronberg
  • Andrew Cottey
  • Questions & Answers
• Special Sessions
  • Addressing Bio Risks
  • Ballistic Missiles & Outer Space: Transparency & Confidence Building
  • Strategic Trade Controls
  • Regional Security & Proliferation Challenges In Northeast Asia
  • Nuclear Security
  • Countering Illicit SALW Trafficking
  • The 2015 NPT Review Process: Challenges & Opportunities
  • Controlling Chemical Weapons
  • Arms Trade Treaty: the Way Forward
  • Nuclear Disarmament (Multilateral, bilateral and humanitarian initiative)
  • Assessing the Efficacy of Sanctions Policy

On Twitter

#EUnonprolif

Conference Photo Gallery

The Conference online photo album is available on Flickr.

More than 200 experts gathered in Brussels on the 3-4 February 2012 to discuss the spread of nuclear and other dangerous weapons. The EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Conference took place just as the EU imposed a ban on Iranian oil sales in an effort to persuade Tehran back to the nuclear negotiating table. In accordance with the Consortium division of labour, IISS took on the main organizing role for the conference. The keynote address was given by Hans Blix, the former Director General of the IAEA. All the Plenary Sessions were recorded on video and are available through this website. Furthermore, summaries of the Plenary Sessions can be downloaded, as well as the Plenary and Special Sessions transcripts. For additional information on the Conference, please see the dedicated Conference website of IISS.

General Documents

• Final agenda
• List of delegates

Plenary Sessions: videos, speech transcripts, Q&A and summaries

• Introduction – by Mark Fitzpatrick
• Welcoming Comments – by Maciej Popowski
• First Plenary Session – Strengthening the NPT
  • Boguslaw Winid
  • David Hannay
  • George Perkovich
  • Questions & Answers
  • Session Summary
• Keynote Address – by Hans Blix
• Second Plenary Session – Non-proliferation and security in the Middle East
  • Prince Turki Al Faisa
  • Bernd Kubbig
  • Sameh Aboul-Enein
  • Ariel Levite
  • Questions & Answers
  • Session Summary
• Third Plenary Session – EU non-proliferation policy and implementation
  • Annalisa Giannella
  • François Rivasseau
  • Werner Bauwens
  • Questions & Answers
  • Session Summary
• Fourth Plenary Session – Iranian Nuclear Issue
  • Pierre Goldschmidt
  • Maurizio Martellini
  • Erzsébet Rózsa
  • Questions & Answers
  • Session Summary
• Closing Comments – by Mara Marinaki

Special Sessions: transcripts

• Special Session 1 - Reducing Biological Risks and Chemical Weapons Threats
• Special Session 2 - Space and Missile Proliferation
• Special Session 3 - Combating Proliferation-Related Crimes
• Special Session 4 - Nuclear Security
• Special Session 5 - Conventional Arms Trade and Trafficking
• Special Session 6 - Proliferation Case Studies: North Korea, Pakistan, Syria

Photos

• The Conference online photo album is available on Flickr