ICC wraps up successful defence procurement seminar
Professionals and academics from around the world recently gathered at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to discuss the potential impact of the new European Commission (EC) Directive on Defence and Sensitive Security Procurement.
More than 60 participants from a wide variety of fields attended the seminar, entitled The new EU Directive: Towards Market-based Defence and Sensitive Security Procurement, held at the ICC headquarters in Paris on 1 February. The ICC Task Force on Public Procurement organized the seminar in view of the August 2011 deadline for the EC Directive implementation
The seminar was a hit, attracting representatives from the European Commission, defence industry, major business advisory groups, and legal practices. They came together to engage in stimulating debate on the scope of the Directive, to voice their concerns on commercial practicality issues, as well as to discuss the changing future of defence procurement.
With a diverse cross-section of expertise and cultures present, the seminar served as a unique opportunity for practitioners and academics to meet and combine both theoretical and practical perspectives of the Directive. Representatives from outside Europe, including from the US, also shared their views on how the Directive could affect them. The exact effects of the Directive on the European defence equipment market remain to be seen.
Participants commended the quality and organization of the debate. The day ended in a cocktail reception and was both an enjoyable and informative one for all.
