The Berlin Security Conference took place on 19-20 November and this year’s topic focused on deterring threats to freedom and democracy. A key message of the event was the continued importance of supporting Ukraine in its fight to uphold European values, democracy, and freedom.

EUROMIL’s President, Emmanuel Jacob participated at a Panel discussion on Human Resources in the military, where he shared insights from EUROMIL’s survey on recruitment and retention challenges in the Armed Forces. His presentation explored the underlying causes of these persistent issues and emphasized the critical need for robust human resources to today’s multiple and diverse challenges. The panel discussion addressed various aspects, including recruitment and retention strategies, the role of conscription, and the increasing need for reserve forces to strengthen military capacities.

NATO’s pivotal role in collective defence and deterrence was a recurring theme throughout the conference, with participants advocating for raising the defence spending benchmark from 2% to 3% of GDP. The importance of European defence and security initiatives was also emphasized, notably the PESCO Military Mobility project and the European Defence Industrial Programme (EDIP). Strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), promoting research and development (R&D), and prioritizing innovation (R&I) were highlighted as crucial steps. Discussions also underscored the need to decarbonize the defence sector to align with broader sustainability goals and enhance capabilities.

To continue, Andrius Kubilius, the EU Commissioner-designate for Defence and Space, reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing Europe’s defence industrial capacities. He also shared his perspectives on the upcoming EU White Paper on Defence, which is expected to outline key priorities for the sector.

Overall, the conference featured in-depth discussions on a range of topics, including support to Ukraine, the need for greater interoperability and preparedness, the urgent need to adopt a whole of society approach to security and defence, while leveraging a technological edge.

The Draghi Report on competitiveness and the Niinistö Report on preparedness were frequently referenced as guiding frameworks.

The 24th Berlin Security Conference will take place on 18-19 November 2025.

EUROMIL participated once again as a logo partner at the Berlin Security Conference.