End of EU Presidency – Sharing and Assessing Military Lessons Learned in Brussels

Speaking in the presence of the Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (EUMC), the member states’ military representatives and experts delegated to military working groups, General Dr. Gábor Böröndi praised the support received from the member states during the presidency at the Hungarian Embassy in Belgium. He pointed out that strengthening the European defence policy was among the main priorities of the Hungarian EU presidency’s program as in the current security environment, the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is of considerable significance.

“In harmony with the program of the Spanish-Belgian-Hungarian presidency trio, we handled the support for the implementation of the Strategic Compass – determining the main directions of EU defence policy – as a comprehensive task”, said the general. He added that the three priorities of the Hungarian presidency were developing the EU’s crisis management capacity, increasing the efficiency of capability development and strengthening the European defence industry.

“Hungary is committed to the security and defence of Europe”, he emphasized. “In the constantly changing security situation, a closer and more efficient cooperation is vital to us; it is obvious that the goals can only be achieved with joint efforts.”

In his speech, EUMC Chairman General Robert Brieger underlined that the program of the Hungarian presidency was in harmony with the goals of the 27 EU member states. In addition to the fundamental consensus, every military priority was handled with special care during the Hungarian presidency, striving for pragmatic progress, in accordance with each member state.

Before the closing ceremony, the chiefs of defence and military representatives of the trio handing and taking over the rotating presidency held an informal meeting. The current trio, involving the member states holding the rotating presidency one after the other, is made up of Spain, Belgium and Hungary. As of 1 January, Poland, Denmark and Cyprus are next in line with their own trio program, in which they determine the subjects and important issues of the next 18 months.

The Spanish-Belgian-Hungarian trio assessed the results and shared the lessons learned. The elements of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy formed an integral part of the Hungarian presidency program, emphasized the Chief of Defence, pointing out that strengthening the EU’s crisis management capability via a 360-degree approach, increasing the efficiency of military capability development and creating a competitive and innovative European military industry were especially prioritized.

At the discussion, General Brieger introduced the defence policy and military professional challenges ahead of the EU, then as a closing, the Polish-Danish-Cypriot trio also outlined the priorities and elements of their program.

Hungary is holding the rotating EU presidency from 1 July to 31 December. During the past more than five months, 13 military events were organized, seven in Brussels and six in Budapest. Out of the latter, the formal EU Military Committee meeting at Chiefs of Defence level was an outstanding one, which was held outside of Brussels for the first time in the history of the Committee. The meeting in Budapest in the middle of October was irregular also because the chiefs of defence of the Western Balkans countries participated in this highest-level session of the Committee for the first time. In harmony with Hungary’s efforts, the goal of this was to explore and deepen further cooperation possibilities.

During his visit to Brussels, General Dr. Gábor Böröndi also met with the personnel of the Office of the Hungarian Military Representative to NATO and the EU Military Committee, who – following the model of unit visits at the end of the year – were informed about the main results of and lessons learned in 2024, and about the tasks and focal points ahead of the Hungarian Defence Forces.