As Volker nears the end of his directorship, we took the opportunity to learn more about what inspired him to become the CoE’s Founding Director, what he is most proud of, and what he will miss most.
Friday 7 February 2025 marked a significant milestone for the CoE and its partners, with the official launch of the first informal working group of EU Member States (“Cluster”), on National Governance.
On 20-21 November, the CoE welcomed its members, as well as the European External Action Service as ‘preferred partner’, to Berlin for the Centre’s eighth General Meeting. The General Meeting provided a valuable opportunity to take stock of the CoE’s past achievements and to look ahead to 2025.
On 7 October, the CoE co-hosted a workshop with CMC Finland, the Folke Bernadotte Academy, SIPRI, and ZIF, on the sidelines of the Berlin Climate and Security Conference. The event, titled “Impact through partnerships: How international and regional organisations can advance the Climate, Peace and Security agenda,” brought together climate security actors to discuss how to build capacity, improve operational responses, and strengthen institutional partnerships with regards to climate security.
On 26/27 September, the CoE held a two-day workshop in Berlin in collaboration with the European External Action Service (EEAS). Participants from 16 EU Member States and the EEAS came together to discuss how the creation of an informal cluster system, that is thematic working groups of EU Member States, could support the latter to strengthen their national civilian capabilities and deliver on their commitments under the 2023 Civilian CSDP Compact.
On 26-27 September, the CoE will welcome representatives from EU Member States and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to a Cluster Workshop in Berlin. The CoE will present an informal cluster system, which has been developed in collaboration with the EEAS, to support EU Member States' delivery of commitments under the civilian CSDP Compact. Member States will be offered the opportunity to share their ideas, step forward as co-chairs, identify potential work topics, and agree concrete next steps.
On 22 -23 August, the CoE hosted a workshop on National Career Path Development of Experts Outside of Public Service. Participants from 7 EU Member States came together to identify the strategic benefits of career path development, discuss the challenges faced at the national level, and share good practices and ways to move forward.
The CoE team and Director Volker Jacoby warmly welcomed H.E. Adriana-Loreta Stanescu, Ambassador of Romania in Germany, to the Centre’s premises in Berlin.
