Working in conjunction with the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome for two years, and supported by Finmeccanica, the Forum brought the business, NGO, and defence policy community together to reinvigorate public debate about the meaning and role of common security and defence policies. It focused on investigating areas of international cooperation, as well as identifying potential responses to new and emerging threats and challenges.
The Forum convened a series of events, workshops and an annual conference. Over the course of the two years, a series of briefing papers were published, together with an annual compendium of essays and commentaries known as The Carrington Papers. These provided the opportunity for dissemination of policy-oriented research and recommendations to policy experts and the wider public.
A Steering Committee was also set up to provide guidance and advice on the focus and substance of the meetings and reviews the Forum’s progress. Members of the Steering Committee included:
- Sir David Omand GCB, formerly Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office
- Professor Alyson Bailes, Visiting Professor, University of Iceland; formerly Director, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Bernard Jenkin MP, Defence Select Committee, House of Commons
- Dr Carlo Musso, Head, Research Department, Finmeccanica
- William Shapcott, Director General, Personnel and Administration, Council of the European Union
- Dr Jamie Shea, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, NATO
- Professor Stefano Silvestri, President, Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Sir Kevin Tebbit, Chairman, Finmeccanica UK
This project was funded by Finmeccanica, the leading Italian industrial group operating globally in the aerospace, defence and security sectors.
Young Professionals and Academics in ESDF
One central component of the Forum was a focus on young academics and professionals, so that new UK and European voices could be heard at a time of considerable change in European security and strategic thinking.
Workshops on A New European Security Architecture in 2010, and New Transnational Security Challenges and Responses in 2009, featured papers and presentations by young academics.
This project has been concluded.