Published on 20 January 2026 | Press Release

On 20 January 2026, the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, within the framework of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, successfully organised a workshop entitled:

“The Defence Industry of Small States: The Role of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Their Cooperation with Ministries of Defence.”

The event took place in Brussels, with the participation of the Military Representatives of the EU Member States, as well as representatives of the European Union’s institutional bodies. The keynote speaker was the Director of Armaments and Defence Capabilities Development of the Ministry of Defence, Dr Panagiotis Chatzipavlis, who outlined the strategic value of small states and SMEs in strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base.

During the workshop, it was emphasised that small states can play a disproportionately significant role in European defence through innovation, flexibility, and the development of specialised technological solutions. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of supply-chain resilience, cross-border industrial cooperation, and closer linkage between the operational needs of the Armed Forces and defence research and development.

Dr Chatzipavlis also presented the dynamic growth of Cyprus’s defence ecosystem, the recent institutional reforms within the Ministry of Defence, and the initiatives aimed at strengthening the domestic defence industry, with a focus on areas such as unmanned systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials.

The workshop forms part of the broader effort of the Cypriot Presidency to enhance European defence readiness, strategic autonomy, and the Union’s industrial resilience, while at the same time actively supporting the promotion and further development of the Cypriot defence ecosystem.