On 24–25 September 2025, a EURODEFENSE delegation of national chapter presidents carried out a high-level visit to Brussels. The delegation included Liviu Muresan (Romania, current President of the EURODEFENSE network), Miguel Carvalho Gomes (Portugal, Secretary-General of the EURODEFENSE network), Tamas Rath (Hungary), Jean-Marc Vigilant (France), Robert Walter (United Kingdom), Jan Wind (Netherlands), Luís Valença Pinto (Portugal) and Manuel de la Cámara (Spain).
On 24 September, the group was received at the European Commission by Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, responsible for Space and Defence. Discussions addressed the Union’s strategic priorities and the contribution of the EURODEFENSE network, notably through its report For a new approach to the commissioning of equipment within the EU framework (EWG30). The delegation raised key questions on the future of European Defence, including the political feasibility of deeper integration in today’s divided Europe, the role of the European Commission in forthcoming initiatives such as the White Paper, the SAFE regulation and the Defence omnibus, the impact of the EU–US trade deal on strategic autonomy, ways to overcome fragmentation of the defence industry through clustering, and the need to stimulate super-fast innovation by mobilising networks of SMEs, research organisations and industry. Commissioner Kubilius asked the intellectual support of the Eurodefense network on several key questions for European Defence policy.
Later that day, the delegation was hosted at the European Parliament by the EPP Group, with the participation of MEP Bart Groothuis the Renew group, who focussed on the extreme relevance of technology in future conflict and the urgent need for European owned strategic enablers in view of the changes in the US-administration. The exchange focused on the main political and industrial challenges of European Defence, notably the obstacles to further integration, the implications of global trade arrangements, and the need for enhanced cooperation and innovation across the Union.
On 25 September, an informal presidents’ meeting was held at the Club Prince Albert, hosted by Theodossis Georgiou, President of EuroDefense Greece and of the Atlantic Treaty Association. The visit concluded with an exchange at the European Parliament with members of the Renew Europe Group, where similar questions were put forward to gather the parliamentary perspective.
This mission underlined the EURODEFENSE network’s commitment to maintaining a structured dialogue with European institutions and to contributing expert insight to the debate on Europe’s security and defence future.