Upon the invitation of State Secretary Czesław Mroczek, EDA Chief Executive Claude-France Arnould visited Poland on 20-21 October ahead of the meeting of the Ministers on 18 November.
Claude-France Arnould and Czesław Mroczek exchanged views on multi-role transport tanker (MRTT) aircraft, the next generation of Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely piloted air systems (Male RPAS) and the European defence industry. Mr Mroczek underlined the willingness of Poland to step up its engagement in major European programmes in order to improve the capabilities of the Polish armed forces. He also welcomed the role of the European Defence Agency in support of a more competitive and balanced European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB).
Over the course of her visit, Claude-France Arnould also had meetings with representatives from the Visegrad group in order to discuss specificities of the defence industry of those countries, as well as security of supply and defence cooperation in the current European legal framework. The Chief Executive underlined the support that EDA can bring to the Visegrad countries and encouraged discussions to continue in the coming semester, including in view of the IDET defence exhibition that will take place in May 2015 in Czech Republic.