The European Commission’s proposal to lift the defence sector’s exemption in EU competition law is proving controversial. As unemployment continues to soar in Europe and economic recovery wavers in the US, should the defence sector be given special treatment? Should open competition rules be applied to such a specific sector, or should it instead benefit from a measure of protection? How is global competition likely to affect industrial actors in defence? Should export policies be re-thought, and is it time for the private sector in Europe to bit the bullet of industrial consolidation?

In the run up to the December 2013 European Council devoted to defence issues, and in view of ongoing austerity cuts in EU and NATO member states, the Security & Defence Day ’13 will address several questions: Does Europe have the means to fulfil its global security ambitions and stabilise its own neighbourhood? How could NATO’s ‘smart defence’ and EU’s ‘pooling and sharing’ relieve the pressure on defence budget and what could be done to kick-start a renewed defence industry drive? This year’s debate will span many topics, including how cooperation between the EU and NATO might be improved to avoid duplication in maritime operations, mitigate the threats posed by counter-terrorism and coordinate their cyber-security as well as cyber defence strategies.