Belgium and the UK are facing significant challenges that have major implications for their approach to security policy and to international security cooperation. From terrorism to cyber-crime, illegal migration to hybrid threats, the threats we face as Europeans are increasing in their scale and complexity. Now more than ever it is in all our interests to confront them together. This conference brings together senior policy-makers, diplomats and academic experts from both countries to assess this new reality.

Key points of discussion will be:

• How is Brexit affecting European security relationships?
• What sort of defence role will the EU have in future?
• How can PESCO contribute to NATO?
• What’s next in the fight against terror now that Daesh is losing terrain?
• How do we counter the terrorists’ propaganda machinery?
• What is the future of Belgian and British defence and security cooperation after Brexit?

Programme

• 10h30: Registration
• 11h00: Opening remarks by British Ambassador Alison Rose and Egmont Institute Director General Johan Verbeke
• 11h15: PESCO and NATO, Prospects for Strengthening European Defence?
  • Chair: Brig Gen (Ret) Jo Coelmont, Senior Research Fellow, Egmont Institute
  • Speakers
    1. Angus Lapsley, Director for Defence and International Security
    2. Pascal Heyman, Political Director, Belgian Ministry of Defence
    3. Prof Dr Sven Biscop, Director Europe in the World, Egmont Institute
• 13h00: Sandwich lunch
• 14h00: Countering Daesh, What Next?
  • Chair: Thomas Renard, Senior Research Fellow, Egmont Institute
  • Speakers
    1. Ramin Navai, Counter-Daesh Coalition Communications Cell
    2. Frank Arnauts, Director Security Policy & Counter Terrorism, Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• 15h30: Coffee break
• 16h00: Tackling Terrorism Together
  • Chair: Johan Verbeke, Director General, Egmont Institute
  • Speakers
    1. Sonia Farrey, Regional Coordinator for Counter Terrorism & Counter Extremism, Europe
    2. Thomas Renard, Senior Research Fellow, Egmont Institute
• 17h30: Closing remarks by British Ambassador Alison Rose and Egmont Institute Director General Johan Verbeke
• 17h45: Reception

• 19h15: End

The conference will be held under Chatham House rules.

(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)