ABOUT BERLIN SECURITY CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE PROFILE:

The Berlin Security Conference is one of the largest European security and defence policy events.

The congress and exhibition, held every autumn since 2001 in Berlin, draw participants from European and non-European countries, the European institutions, and NATO. The 19th Berlin Security Conference will take place at the Vienna House Andel’s Berlin on 18 and 19 May 2021.

The Berlin Security Conference is organised by the Behörden Spiegel, Germany’s leading independent civil service newspaper. The event is free of any government influence. It is not supported by public budgets and is therefore at liberty to take a neutral and objective stance. The many participants appreciate this independence.

Berlin Security Conference at a glance:

  • International forum for security and defence
  • Gathering of political and military decision-makers
  • Participants from armed forces and security organisations
  • Keynote speeches by Ministers / State Secretaries, EU Commissioners and business leaders
  • Main programme with international political, military and business leaders
  • Panel sessions with international experts
  • Exhibition with leading systems solutions manufacturers
  • Media coverage by the print press, radio and television
  • Congress language English

Famous Speakers

Over 140 distinguished speakers

Actual Topics

The Berlin Security Conference deals with European issues of security and defence

Catering included

Coffee, lunch and dinner during the conference included

Panel Sessions

About 15 panels with different topics

Participants

from European and non-European countries

Venue: Vienna House Andel’s Berlin, Landsberger Allee 106, 10369 Berlin, Germany

Now safety first

A comprehensive hygiene concept is designed for our events, taking into account the number of participants as well as the local and spatial conditions, and discussed with the local health authorities. Consistent hygiene measures and sufficient distance rules ensure your safety at our events. Details…

Topics for the Berlin Security Conference 2020

General Issues

  • European Security and Defence – Central and East European contribution
  • How to maintain a credible nuclear deterrence in and for Europe?
  • Relationship between NATO and the EU
  • Defence and Security after Brexit
  • Framework Nations Concept
  • CBRN Defence – Whole-of-Government Approach
  • China’s military ascent and its implication for the West
  • Implementation of gender policy in NATO and EU defence planning
  • OSCE – acting with comprehensive approach to Security

Security and Defence

  • Enhancing European security through regional military cooperation
  • Joint and Combined Armed Forces
  • Personnel – recruitment and retention
  • Maritime security in the Baltic and the Black Sea
  • Standardization of Multinational Air Power
  • Covid-19 Lessons Learned
  • Cyber Security / Defence

Technology, Research, Development and Procurement

  • EU Defence Initiatives – challenges and answers
  • Synergy of Defence and Budget Plans
  • Interoperable networks for European Military Operations
  • Progress of digitalisation warfare in multidomain operations
  • Strategic Intelligence and Communications
  • European Future Combat Aircrafts
  • Air Defence for Multinational Formations
  • New and disruptive technologies

ADVISORY BOARD

The event is supported by an Advisory Board made up of distinguished international personalities. The members of this board are:

Niels Annen

MP, Minister of State, German Federal Foreign Office

Claude-France Arnould

Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy NATO, former Director for Security Policy at the Federal Foreign Office, former Ambassador of Germany to Georgia

Michel Barnier

Head of the Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom, former Advisor of President Juncker on Security and Defence, European Commission

Bettina Cadenbach

Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy NATO, former Director for Security Policy at the Federal Foreign Office, former Ambassador of Germany to Georgia

Michael Gahler

MEP, EPP Group Foreign Affairs Coordinator, European Parliament

Wolfgang Hellmich

MP, Chairman of the Defence Committee, German Bundestag, Congress President BSC 2021

Prof Ioan Mircea Pascu

former MEP, former Vice-President of the European Parliament, former Defence Minister of Romania, Congress President BSC 2018

Dr Hans-Gert Pöttering

former President of the European Parliament, Representative for European Affairs of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Congress President BSC 2019 – 2020

Thomas Silberhorn

MP, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Ministry of Defence

J. Sedivy

Chief Executive, European Defence Agency (EDA), former Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, Congress President BSC 2015–2017

Robert Walter

President of the Assembly of the WEU 2008 – 2011, President of the European Security and Defence Association (ESDA), Congress President BSC 2012 – 2014

Dr Karl von Wogau

Secretary General of the Kangaroo Group, Congress President BSC 2001 – 2011

MAJOR SUBJECTS

European Security and Defence

The Berlin Security Conference is a forum aimed at promoting the Common Security and Defence Policy. It focuses on issues concerning the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council as well as national parliaments and ministries. The emphasis is on proposing and discussing concrete solutions aimed at improving European and transatlantic political, operational and tactical cooperation. The goal is to develop ways to mitigate the frictions caused by insufficient capabilities, inadequate standardisation, the lack of interoperability, differences in the levels of support and national restrictions.

Transatlantic Cooperation

Security in Europe must be ensured by cooperating closely with the United States while taking the requirements of the EU’s and NATO’s neighbours into account. Transatlantic cooperation and future security structures will therefore be a central focus of the conference. Members of the EU, NATO and OSCE contribute to the programme and participate in the Berlin Security Conferences.

The European Post-Cold War Security System

Despite the fact that there is currently considerable disagreement with the Russian Federation, Europe has become a continent of stability and peace. NATO and the EU have substantially contributed to this success. However, the increasing tension indicates that the European Post-Cold War Security System will need to be adjusted.

Neighbourhood

The Berlin Security Conference deals with European issues of security and defence, but looks also beyond Europe’s borders. Afghanistan has been the focus many times. The Middle East and Africa are areas of major concern requiring continuous attention. Neighbourhood policy is a decisive issue of security and defence.

IMPRESSIONS

PARTNERS

For some years now nations have been invited to become partners of the Berlin Security Conference. They contribute to the programme, participate with high-ranking delegations and organise the pre-event Reception in their embassies. Partners thus far include:

  • BSC 2012: Russian Federation
  • BSC 2013: United Kingdom
  • BSC 2014: Turkey
  • BSC 2015: United States of America
  • BSC 2016: France
  • BSC 2017: Sweden
  • BSC 2018: The Netherlands
  • BSC 2019: Italy
  • BSC 2020: Czech Republic

SPEAKERS AND PARTICIPANTS

In addition to over 140 distinguished speakers including political, military, business and civil society leaders the conference draws an ever larger number of members of national parliaments and the European Parliament, as well representatives of the European institutions and NATO. Foreign and Defence Ministers, Ambassadors, Generals, Admirals and industry representatives see the conference as an invaluable forum for addressing a wide range of topics related to security and defence policy. Members of the armed forces, representing all ranks and a wide range of European countries and multinational staffs, as well as representatives of security organisations and industry, contribute to the lively exchange of views and hence to the success of the conference.