Editorial

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2016, a remarkable year!

2016, a remarkable year!

At the end of each year one should take the time to reflect on the past twelve months but also to look ahead at what is on the agenda for the next year. Let’s look at 2016 in a nutshell! The civil war in Syria turned into a proxy war of regional and world powers and caused a massive number …

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EUROMIL Activities

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European Parliament Supports Military Personnel in a Resolution on the European Defence Union

European Parliament Supports Military Personnel in a Resolution on the European Defence Union

On 22 November 2016, Members of the European Parliament voted on a motion for a European Parliament Resolution on the European Defence Union, tabled by the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Confronted to a new financial and security context, European armed forces are required to collaborate closer and military personnel to train and work more and better together. The EU should …

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Internal Security Tasks for Military Forces: Has Europe a Role to Play?

Internal Security Tasks for Military Forces: Has Europe a Role to Play?

On 8 November 2016, the Kangaroo Group organised a lunch debate on the topic of “Internal Security Tasks for Military Forces: Has Europe a Role to Play?”. The President of the Kangaroo Group, MEP Michael Gahler, opened the meeting by pointing out that the lines between internal and external security are blurring in today’s world, where instability in Europe’s neighbourhood …

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Berlin Security Conference 2016

Berlin Security Conference 2016

On 29 and 30 November 2016, the Berlin Security Conference and 15th Congress on European Security and Defence were organised by the Behörden Spiegel – Germany’s leading independent newspaper for civil and military services. More than 1000 participants from the military, politics and industry came together to discuss the topic “Europe at risk – what are our answers to common …

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NATO Parliamentary Assembly: “Deterring To Defend: NATO After The Warsaw Summit”

NATO Parliamentary Assembly: “Deterring To Defend: NATO After The Warsaw Summit”

From 18 to 21 November 2016 the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) gathered for its 62nd annual session in Istanbul, Turkey. The outgoing NATO PA President Hon. Michael R.Turner, expressed his support for Turkey in its battle against terrorism and struggles to host some three million Syrian refugees while recovering from a failed coup attempt at the same time. “We …

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Members' News

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Polish Professional Soldiers Elect New Representatives

Polish Professional Soldiers Elect New Representatives

On 5 December 2016 the Polish professional soldiers elected representatives for the next term. During a secret ballot CAPT (N) Wiesław Banszewski was elected as the new chairman of KONWENT. In accordance with the Ordinance of the Minister of National Defence of 28 June 2004 on representative bodies of professional soldiers, KONWENT holds elections every three years. During a democratic election …

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Jubilee Congress - 25th Anniversary of HOSZ

Jubilee Congress - 25th Anniversary of HOSZ

EUROMIL’s Hungarian member HOSZ organised a Jubilee Congress on the occasion of its 25th anniversary on 24 and 25 November 2016. The event started with ceremonial speeches. In his inaugural speech Mr. János Czövek, President of HOSZ, highlighted that the interests of military personnel in Hungary are formally protected since  25 years: The „Alliance of military personnel for interest protection” …

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HKKF Congress: Focus on education and defence agreement

HKKF Congress: Focus on education and defence agreement

The Union of Enlisted Privates and Corporals in the Danish Army (HKKF) held a congress on 13-15 November. Flemming Vinther was re-elected to his fourth term as Chairman of the Union of Enlisted Privates and Corporals in the Danish Army at HKKF’s congress on 15 November. Flemming Vinther is also a member of the board of directors of EUROMIL. Enlisted …

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Belgian Military Trade Unions Demonstrate Against Raise Of Pension Age

Belgian Military Trade Unions Demonstrate Against Raise Of Pension Age

In mid-October 2016, the Belgian government abolished the current pension system of military personnel without consultations. The new system foresees a raise of retirement age from currently 56 to 63 years by 2030, and eventually to 67 years. The impact for military personnel would be disastrous, especially because of blocked promotion opportunities, compromised recruitment and a general aging of the …

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Non-Compliance With Law On Right Of Association Of Portuguese Soldiers

Non-Compliance With Law On Right Of Association Of Portuguese Soldiers

Abstract – In August 2001, 19 years after the publication of the LDNFA (National Defence and Armed Forces Law - Law 29/82 of 11 December) and after an intense struggle to amend its article 31 a law was finally published which recognized the right of professional associations for military personnel (Organic Law 03/2001, of 29 August). The original article 31 …

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50 Years Of UN Covenants On Human Rights - Conference In Lisbon

50 Years Of UN Covenants On Human Rights - Conference In Lisbon

The Portuguese Association of Democratic Jurists (APJD) together with the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) organised an international conference from 10 until 12 November 2016, at the University of Law of Lisbon, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the two International Covenants on Human Rights (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural …

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Portuguese Military Associations Denounce Bad Governance And Promise Not To Stand Still

Portuguese Military Associations Denounce Bad Governance And Promise Not To Stand Still

Abstract - On 23 September 2016, three portuguese military associations (ANS, AOFA and AP), all of them full members of EUROMIL, convened a press conference to denounce bad governance and disrespect of the existing laws. The press conference was held in an hotel at the center of Lisbon. The three presidents, Luís Reis (AP), José Gonçalves (ANS) and António Mota …

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Protest March Against Dismissal Of Temporary Military Personnel In Spain

Protest March Against Dismissal Of Temporary Military Personnel In Spain

Abstract – Two Spanish ex-professional soldiers started a protest march on 11 November 2016 to demonstrate against their dismissal from the armed forces after reaching the age of 45. All temporary military personnel in Spain (about 45% of the total military force) are dismissed from service when they turn 45. On 26 November 2016, Fernando and David are expected to …

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Andrés Merino And MoD Reach Agreement

Andrés Merino And MoD Reach Agreement

Abstract – Mr. Andrés Merino, who was on hunger strike, has reached an agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) headed by Maria Dolores de Cospedal after being hospitalised in La Paz University Hospital (Madrid). The Ministry will pay him an amount in advance, depending on the receipt of the clarification that the MoD requested to the High Court of Justice …

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Spanish Military Associations Denounce the Lieutenant General Who Compares Them to Jihadism

Spanish Military Associations Denounce the Lieutenant General Who Compares Them to Jihadism

On 8 December 2016, the Spanish journal eldiario.es, revealed information concerning the content of a security meeting among the Chief of the ground forces, Lt. Gen. Juan Gómez de Salazar, and other generals, wherein Gómez de Salazar would have compared the possible infiltration of jihadists into the armed forces to having representatives of military associations in the units. The military …

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Protection And Rights At The Workplace: Also for Workers in Uniform

Protection And Rights At The Workplace: Also for Workers in Uniform

On 24 November 2016, ASSODIPRO organised a conference at which political, military, trade union and association representatives, as well as lawyers came together. The conference was an opportunity to celebrate and remember the former President of ASSODIPRO, Emilio Ammiraglia, who passed away last year but dedicated many years of his life to the fight for the rights of military personnel. …

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Top Leadership Changes in Danish Defence

Top Leadership Changes in Danish Defence

The Danish Defence welcomes a new Minister of Defence and a new Chief of Defence ahead of important political negotiations in 2017 On 10 January 2017, the Danish Armed Forces will have a new chief as Lieutenant General Bjørn Bisserup succeeds General Peter Bartram as Chief of Defence. Meanwhile, a new Minister of Defence has been appointed at a time …

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EUROMIL Northern Group Meeting

EUROMIL Northern Group Meeting

A meeting of the Northern Group of EUROMIL was held between 18 and 21 August 2016. This meeting was facilitated by SAMO the union representing Soldiers, Sailors and Aircrew from Sweden. One of the central differences between SAMO and PDFORRA was outlined on the first night of discussions, which was the entitlement of SAMO, although it has never been used, …

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External News

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Priorities of the Maltese EU Council Presidency

Priorities of the Maltese EU Council Presidency

On 1 January 2017 Malta will take over the EU Council Presidency from Slovakia. The Presidency rotates every 6 months, and was held by Slovakia and the Netherlands in 2016. The three countries have closely worked together to establish the 18 months working programme. Within this common programme, the individual country holding the Presidency has the possibility to set priorities …

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European Defence Action Plan

European Defence Action Plan

On 30 November 2016, the European Commission proposed the “European Defence Action Plan”. The document contains a plan to increase defence spending and defence cooperation amongst European member states and proposes the creation of a European Defence Fund. The fund is to be managed by a coordination board composed of member states, the High Representative for foreign affairs and security …

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Comparative Study on Social Dialogue in the EU

Comparative Study on Social Dialogue in the EU

The European Commission recently published a comparative study entitled “The role of social partners in the design and implementation of policies and reforms”. The study was conducted by the European Employment Policy Observatory (EEPO), a European network, which produces regular and independent research on a range of topics relating to employment and the labour market. The study "aims at providing practitioners …

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Labour Rights Are Human Rights

Labour Rights Are Human Rights

On 20 October 2016, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, presented his last report to the United Nations General Assembly. In his report, the rapporteur emphasizes the deteriorating labour relations across the world but insists that labour rights are human rights! Since they enable people to voice and represent their …

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EUROMIL aisbl (European Organisation of Military Associations)

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