The two-days event “From the Baltic to the Arctic: How to Develop European Capabilities” organized by the Armament Industry European Research Group (ARES Group) and the Think Tank Europa (TTE) took place from March 12th to March 13th in Copenhagen, Denmark. Dr. Elena Lazarou participated in both events in her capacity as a member of the ARES Group Scientific Committee.
The two‑day programme brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders and analysts to discuss Europe’s defence capability needs, industrial cooperation and the strategic pressures shaping both the Baltic and Arctic regions. In particular, the sessions benefited from active participation by representatives of the French and Danish defence and dual-use industries, with whom ELIAMEP remains in contact, ensuring our research activity is informed by up-to-date industry perspectives.
On 12 March, a closed-door discussion, held at Terma Group, explored how Denmark’s evolving strategic outlook and defence industrial policies interact with broader European frameworks and initiatives. The discussion focused on pathways to further integrate the Danish defence technological and industrial base into European cooperation, including identifying priority capability areas, addressing barriers to integration, and strengthening the participation of Danish SMEs and suppliers within European supply chains. On 13 March, the ARES Group – EU, led by IRIS – Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques, and Tænketanken EUROPA co-organised a conference at Gorrissen Federspiel, dedicated to addressing the capability requirements needed to defend Europe and the Arctic. Discussions shifted to the Arctic as a strategic and industrial frontier, examining operational requirements and Europe’s preparedness for High North challenges. The day opened with a keynote address by Thierry Breton, Former European Commissioner for the Internal Market, followed by a keynote speech by Bo Lidegaard, Historian, Author and Political Analyst.
Finally, the meeting provided a timely opportunity, in more informal exchanges, to refer to the newly established ELIAMEP Defence Hub, a new initiative aimed at fostering dialogue and analysis on defence industrial policy at the national, European and transatlantic levels. With a strong focus on the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) and the EU’s funding instruments, the Hub aims to serve as a convening platform for relevant stakeholders and a driver of forward-looking policy thinking. Discussions also touched on strengthening the cooperation between ELIAMEP and ARES Group. In this context, reference was made to the ELIAMEP Defence Hub’s research team, which will contribute to a forthcoming ARES Group paper by providing the Greek perspective on the integration of European capability process in Greece’s administration.
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