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European Parliament
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What is said in the sittings, update by update, the latest first. Each update opens the video at the second it was said.
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The chair opens the floor for last comments, a member thanks the delegation and secretariat, the chair announces upcoming SEDE meeting dates and formally ends the session, followed by brief informal off‑record style exchanges.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The chair closes the EPF item and shifts to the SEDE mission to Japan, with the head of delegation presenting the mission’s programme, Japan’s defence transformation and threat assessment, and outlining prospects and gaps for EU–Japan defence industrial cooperation and required policy frameworks.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
MEPs question the EPF’s profile, predictability, budgetary needs and member state engagement, while the EPF Head explains the legal constraints, assistance and operations pillars, contribution rules, handling of abstentions, implementing actors, overall financial ceiling and remaining envelope, and clarifies past and current member state blockages, including on Ukraine.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The chair opens the meeting, adopts the agenda and introduces the European Peace Facility, followed by a detailed institutional briefing on its mandate, pillars, geographic priorities, implementation focus in Ukraine, Moldova, Lebanon, Jordan, the Eastern neighbourhood and Africa, and its global reach, governance, safeguards and post‑2027 outlook.
In this chapter
MEPs from S&D, Patriots for Europe, ECR, Renew, Greens, ESN and EPP set out contrasting visions on a European Defence Union, debating a stronger European pillar of NATO and a ‘plan B’ for EU‑led defence, opposing or supporting supranational command structures, treaty change and majority decision‑making, and raising concerns about budgetary realism, sovereignty, and the design of bodies such as a European Security Council and wartime HQ.
In this chapter
In the joint SEDE–AFCO session, the chairs open the meeting and procedure on the joint report, while rapporteurs Herbst and De Meo outline the proposed structure of a European Defence Union, its governance pillars, instruments like a European Security Council and strategic HQ, and the need to clarify Article 42(7) and ensure NATO–EU interoperability.
In this chapter
MEPs question NATO on capability gaps and US dependence, Black Sea limitations, deterrence and attribution of hybrid attacks, monitoring of Russia’s shadow fleet and cost asymmetries, while Dr. Buck and colleagues explain remaining dependencies, the role of MainSail and forensic networks, the political nature of Article 4, and the division of responsibilities between NATO, member states and the EU for sanctions enforcement.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
MEPs query Baltic Sentry’s capability gaps, US–EU roles, Black Sea applicability, attribution of hybrid attacks, tracking of the Russian shadow fleet and cost asymmetries, with NATO detailing dependency areas, Article 4 use, deterrence via attribution, maritime surveillance tools and the role of EU sanctions and national legal action.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The Chair launches a NATO briefing where Dr Buck outlines Russia’s hybrid threats, NATO’s deterrence and defence concept and Baltic Sentry’s enhanced vigilance activities, explaining its multi-domain design, sharp reduction of incidents and complementarity with EU initiatives like the Cable Security Action Plan.
In this chapter
Chair Gomart and NATO’s operations chief present the strategic context of Russian hybrid attacks, explain SACEUR’s peacetime authorities and Enhanced Vigilance Activities, and detail the launch, functioning and early results of EVA Baltic Sentry, including its tools, multi-domain set‑up and links with EU cable security measures.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
MEPs question how to accelerate capability delivery, reduce fragmentation and improve SME access, prompting exchanges on mutual recognition, legal and doctrinal barriers, national liability, AGILE and EDIP tools, and the link between multinational testing, interoperability and avoidance of duplicated specialised ranges.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
SAFE, Rheinmetall and AVL set out proposals for an EU‑wide connected testing ecosystem, highlighting support for SMEs and startups, long‑range and high‑tech battlefield requirements, GNSS‑denied trials, export control and IP constraints, and the need for efficient, trusted, and reusable test and simulation results across Member States.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
SAFE, Rheinmetall and AVL present operational, technological and industrial requirements for modern test ranges, advocate SME-friendly iterative campaigns and reusable evidence, and call for a federated European T&E ecosystem with common methodologies, digital qualification and coordinated high-end capacities.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The chair launches the agenda point on strengthening EU cooperation in defence testing and evaluation, and the European Defence Agency presents its DTEB strategy, fragmentation challenges, and the ‘test once, accept everywhere’ mutual recognition approach, including an explainer video on capacity gaps and iterative testing lessons from Ukraine.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The Chair opens the SEDE item on strengthening European defence testing and evaluation, while EDA sets out its DTEB 2025–2035 strategy, mutual recognition aims and readiness 2030 goals, complemented by a video detailing the planned EU-wide test network and SME access needs.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The chair opens the SEDE meeting, reports on the second trilogue on the military mobility regulation, and political groups set out their positions on worker protection, national sovereignty, dual‑use infrastructure, references to Ukraine and Moldova, and the goal of a ‘military Schengen’ ahead of the planned December agreement.
In this chapter
Members question how a European Defense Union will reinforce NATO, probe defense spending efficiency and readiness narratives, raise the US–Greenland agreement, and the Chair then closes the public session as the Commissioner departs for an in‑camera continuation.
In this chapter
Debate focuses on protecting European preference under US pressure, overcoming market fragmentation and Article 346 practices, assessing SAFE and EDIP performance, and building a scalable drone defense ecosystem and surge‑ready production model informed by lessons from Ukraine.
In this chapter
MEPs press on Russia’s growing military effort, political fatigue and NATO’s evolution, while Kubilius argues for prioritised EU support, explains the State of the Union’s defense elements, and describes urgent efforts to secure PAC‑3 air defense for Ukraine via stockpile swaps.
In this chapter
Kubilius details EU financial instruments and gaps in support for Ukraine, presents EDIP and flagship industrial projects to close material readiness shortfalls, and outlines space‑for‑defense capabilities including IRIS², EO services, LEO PNT and launch capacity.
In this chapter
The Chair opens the extraordinary SEDE meeting, adopts agenda and minutes, and Kubilius sets out the institutional and strategic context for a new EU‑level defense architecture ahead of the forthcoming European security strategy.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
Launch of work on the annual CSDP report, setting the strategic context and timetable while outlining priorities on support to Ukraine, strengthening CSDP missions and EU security architecture, and boosting defence investment, industrial capacity and use of private and frozen Russian assets in a NATO‑compatible framework.
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
Closes the Ocean-I agenda item and opens the 2025 CSDP implementation report, with the Chair outlining procedure and timeline, followed by the rapporteur’s priorities on EU defence architecture, support to Ukraine, adaptation of CSDP missions to hybrid threats and alignment with NATO and the next MFF.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
Segment on the Ocean Eye initiative covering its integration of EU outermost regions and overseas territories, relations with global partners including China and the US and financing under Horizon Europe and the MFF, and its operational role against IUU fishing, narco‑boats and broader maritime security threats through drones, data‑sharing and EU agency coordination.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The Commission situates Ocean Eye within the Ocean Pact and forthcoming Ocean Act as a tool to strengthen maritime strategic autonomy and the dual‑use industrial base, followed by MEPs’ questions on undersea infrastructure protection, Mediterranean security, deterrence and concrete capabilities, with EEAS and Commission responses on operations, exercises and enforcement limits in international waters.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
Sets the institutional context for EU maritime security and Ocean-I as a core tool for ocean observation, data governance and technological sovereignty, then covers MEPs’ questions on subsea infrastructure protection, Mediterranean security, outermost regions and seabed mining, and global partnerships and enforcement against IUU fishing and organised crime.
In this chapter
Committee on Security and Defence Ordinary meeting
The committee finalises the defence prototypes report through procedural steps (quorum, voting system check and adoption) before moving to the EU Ocean Eye agenda, with the EEAS setting out the updated Maritime Security Strategy, threat environment and the role of Ocean Eye in maritime domain awareness and critical infrastructure protection.
In this chapter
The joint SEDE–AFCO session on the institutional aspects of a Common European Defence Union is opened, with rapporteurs Herbst and De Meo outlining how to operationalise Article 42(7) TEU, avoid duplication with NATO, create an EU assistance ‘playbook’ and security council formats, reform decision‑making and governance, and ensure democratic oversight and preparedness for enlargement, including Ukraine’s future membership.
In this chapter
MEPs question SACEUR on responses to Russian sabotage, security guarantees for Ukraine, pro‑Russian parties and leaks, the southern flank and weaponised migration, lessons from Ukraine on drones and autonomous warfare, the shadow fleet, and proposals for a stronger European pillar in NATO, culminating in a lightning round on hybrid thresholds, Article 5, EU–NATO roles, Berlin Plus and the evolving US posture in Europe.
In this chapter
The Chair opens the SEDE meeting, adopts the agenda and introduces the strategic exchange with NATO’s SACEUR and the US Ambassador, followed by De Meo’s questions on NATO–EU cooperation and Grinkewich’s detailed scene‑setting on the global threat picture, NATO 3.0 and the EU’s role in defence industrial ramp‑up and standard‑setting.
In this chapter
The search covers the sittings held more than two weeks ago. A Polyfact subscription searches every sitting as soon as it is transcribed.
European Parliament broadcasts the sittings of the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE). Polyfact shows each one live, keeps it as a replay with its transcript and links its key moments to the second they were said.
73 sittings on Polyfact since 5 May 2025
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