The European Parliament and the European Commission, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), will hold the Stati Generali on Defence, Space and Cybersecurity at ESA’s ESRIN centre in Frascati on Friday, 12 September 2025, from 09:30 CEST.

This high-level event will bring together European and national institutions, defence and space industry leaders, and international organisations to address the challenges of strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy in defence, space and cybersecurity.

Media representatives are invited to attend the event and to take the opportunity to book interviews.

Programme highlights

09.00 Registration and welcome coffee

09.30 Welcome speech – Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes and Head of ESRIN.

09.35 Welcome remarks by institutional representatives:

• Roberta Angelilli, Vice-President of the Lazio Region
• Carlo Corazza, Head of the European Parliament Office in Italy
• Claudio Casini, Head of the European Commission Representation in Italy

09:45 Opening addresses

• Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space
• Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency

10:25 Analysis of European policy – Bruno Vespa Journalist and television presenter

10:30 Towards a common defence: the European Strategy

Opening remarks:

• Matteo Perego di Cremnago, Undersecretary of State for Defence
• Antonella Sberna, Vice-President of the European Parliament
• Ammiraglio Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee

Speakers:

• Antonio Conserva, Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force

• Salvatore De Meo, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the EU-NATO Delegation
• Nicola Procaccini, Member of the European Parliament, Co-Chair of the ECR Group
• Nicola Zingaretti, Member of the European Parliament, Head of the PD Delegation
• Roberto Cingolani, CEO Leonardo
• Alessandro Ercolani, CEO Rheinmetall
• Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO Fincantieri
• Domitilla Benigni, CEO & COO Elt Group
• Giuseppe Cossiga, President AIAD
• Alberico Gambino, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Member of the Committee on Security and Defence
• Michele Valensise, President IAI

12:00 Strengthening European security and strategic autonomy: the role of space

Opening remarks:

• Adolfo Urso, Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy

Speakers:

• Massimiliano Salini, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of the EPP Group, Rapporteur for the European Space Programme
• Giorgio Gori, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of ITRE Committee
• Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI)
• Elena Donazzan, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of ITRE Committee
• Giampiero Di Paolo, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia
• Paolo Borchia, Member of the European Parliament, Head of the Lega Delegation, ITRE Committee
• Christoph Kautz, Director – Space Policy, Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation – European Commission
• Giulio Ranzo, CEO of AVIO
• Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes and Head of ESRIN.
• Giorgio Marsiaj, Delegate for Aerospace – Confindustria
• Gérard Lefloure, Chief Technical Officer – Dassault Aviation
• Gabriele Pieralli, CEO of Telespazio
• Antonella Polimeni, Rector of Sapienza University

13.00 Photo-opportunity

13.15 Networking lunch

14.30 – 15.15 – Side Event – Lazio as the European Aerospace Hub: Innovation, Investments, Industrial Supply Chains

15:30 Hybrid warfare and cybersecurity: defending liberal democracies

Opening session:

• Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior
• Roberto Viola, Director-General – Directorate-General for Communications Networks Content and Technology (CNECT) – European Commission

Speakers

• Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Delegation for relations with the United States – co-rapporteur of the A.I. Act
• Hans de Vries, Chief Cybersecurity and Operations Officer (COO) – ENISA
• Bruno Frattasi, Director General of Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency
• Vittorio Rizzi, Director General of the Department of Information for Security
• Aldo Bisio, CEO Engineering
• Alessandra Michelini, General Director Telsy SpA
• Antonio Amati, Deputy CEO Divisione IT – Almaviva

16.45 Photo opportunity