On 21 October 2026, Skills4ADC+ will host a Policy Roundtable and Workshop in Brussels, bringing together European policymakers, social partners and industry representatives to discuss the transformation of Europe’s defence sector and its implications for workers’ jobs and skills.
The session will provide a forum to:
- Improve the understanding of the policy framework provided by the European Commission’s DG DEFIS and DG EMPL to support the transformation in the defence sector and its implications for workers, including on skills
- Exchange on the reality of transformation in the defence sector, by taking a closer look at concrete examples of reconversion and ramp up, and their implications for production, workers and skills
- Identify challenges and opportunities in the ongoing transformation, and draw recommendations for successful reconversion, training approaches on reskilling and upskilling, including from other sectors
- Identify possible areas for follow-up and joint action
PROGRAMME
MAI Meeting Centre (La Maison des Associations Internationales). Room Berlin. 40 Rue Washington. 1050 Brussels
09:30 Welcome and introduction
- Isabelle Barthès, industriAll Europe
- Delphine Rudelli, Ceemet
- Liga Baltina, Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini
10:00 The European Commission’s new vision on defence and its impacts on jobs and skills. Roundtable on the transformation in Europe’s defence sector with a focus on employment, working conditions and skills needs (incl. insights from European Skills Guarantee pilot) Moderated by Isabelle Barthes, industriAll Europe
Followed by a Q&A session
- Paraskevi Papantoniou Head of Unit, DG DEFIS, European Commission
- Raluca Painter, Head of Unit G.2, DG EMPL, European Commission
- Sonia de Melo Xavier, Policy Officer, DG EMPL B5, European Commission
11:30 Coffee break
12:00 The reality of transformation in companies. Presentation of concrete examples: Rheinmetall SAAB. Followed by a Q&A session
- Martin Wolfgang Hoffmann, Chair of the European Works Council of Rheinmetall AG, Germany
- Emma Paavonen Chief of Staff – Surveillance Saab Technology Center
13:00 Lunch break
14:00 The reality of transformation in companies – Presentation of concrete examples: MBDA Questions and Answers
- Dominique Doucet, CFE-CGC, MBDA, France
- Jean-Baptiste Ertlé, Human Resources Director, MBDA, France
15:00 Experiences from the transformation and reconversion, including on re-skilling and up-skilling Interactive session with participants Exchange on concrete sectoral cases and drawing up of recommendations
15:45 Conclusions
- Isabelle Barthès, industriAll Europe
- Delphine Rudelli, Ceemet
16:00 End of event
