Brussels, Belgium - The European Union and the United States of America held a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Capacity Building Dialogue on May 14-15, 2019 in Brussels, Belgium, to coordinate efforts in reducing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) threats and strengthen CBRN security globally.  In a globalized world, where the free movement of persons and goods is increasing, the risk of transnational CBRN threats is increasing as well.  Differing national approaches to CBRN preparedness may leave gaps that state and non-state actors could exploit to traffic or use WMD and related materials.

As such, the EU and the United States have been actively administering programs that assist third countries in building capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to WMD threats as well as implement strategic trade controls.  The May 14-15 Dialogue enabled a constructive exchange of information, facilitated closer coordination between the two sides on their respective programmes and projects, and prioritized areas for collaboration.

The dialogue was chaired by Eddie Maier, Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) for the EU, and Renee Sonderman, Bureau of International Security and Non-proliferation (ISN), U.S. Department of State for the United States. The EU delegation included representatives from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Joint Research Centre. The U.S. delegation included representatives from the Departments of State, Defense, and Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).