In from the Cold: Europe Confronting Hybrid Threats and Building Resilience

Europe has been increasingly exposed to hybrid threats that comprise hostile actions designed to destabilise a region or a state. To counter these and other threats, and foster the security and resilience of the EU, its member states and neighbours, the EU Global Strategy calls joint efforts in the field of security and defence, cyber, energy and strategic communications. In the context of the implementation of the EU Global Strategy, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) will organise, together with the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), a conference on hybrid threats and resilience of the EU, its member states and neighbours. The two-day conference will bring together scholars and policy-makers to discuss how the vision of the EU strategy should be translated into action.

Opening Session 13:00 – 13:30

Anne Sipiläinen, Undersecretary of State, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Antonio Missiroli, Director, European Union Institute for Security Studies

Teija Tiilikainen, Director, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Session I: After the EUGS: EU’s strategic priorities – from vision to action, 13:30 – 14:45

Chair:Teija Tiilikainen, Director, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Speakers:

Alexander McLachlan, Senior Adviser, Strategic Planning Division, European External Action Service

Timo Kantola, Deputy Director General, Political Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Margriet Drent, Coordinator Security Cluster / Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael

Session II: Responsive and resilient: The EU and hybrid threats,15:00 – 16:15

Chair: Juha Jokela, Programme Director, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Speakers: Matti Saarelainen, Head, Hybrid Threat Center, Prime Minister’s Office, Finland

Axel Butenschoen, Project Officer, European Defence Agency

Lars Hedström, Head, Institute for Higher Defence Studies, Swedish Defence University

Jarno Limnéll, Professor, Aalto University

Session III: Fostering resilience among our European neighbours,16:15-17:30

Chair: Nicu Popescu, Senior Analyst, European Union Institute for Security Studies

Speakers:

Silvio Gonzato, Director, Strategic Communications, Parliamentary and Legal Affairs, European External Action Service

Zoltán Précsényi, EU Policy Director, Symantec

Marc-Antoine Eyl-Mazzega, Manager, Russia Programme, International Energy Agency

Tuesday 7 March

Session IV: EU-NATO cooperation: Agendas and approaches, 9:00 – 10:30

Chair: Jan Joel Andersson, Senior Analyst, European Union Institute for Security Studies

Francois Fischer, Head, Intelligence Analysis Division, European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre

Petr Chalupecký, Head, NATO and Multilateral Affairs Section, Political Affairs and Security, Policy Division, NATO

Antti Kaski, Director for Policy Planning and Research, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland