For 2006, the Association proposes two major initiatives with regard to its activities.

On the one hand, it is planned to endow the Association’s traditional activities with greater added value while, on the other, efforts are to be made to strengthen AFARMADE’s presence on the institutional level.

Addressing the first goal, value is to be added to three areas of activity: Overseas promotion, Reports and Research and Courses, Conferences and Forums.

Overseas Promotion

The Association's planned participation in the International Fairs during 2006, such as FIDAE (Chile), EUROSATORY (France) and DEFENDORY (Greece), aims to consolidate the Defence Ministry’s presence in the Spanish pavilion and, in agreement with the companies represented, will introduce complementary activities to encourage industrial participation. With this in mind, it is proposed to undertake two industrial missions. The United States and Malaysia are suggested as being of special interest among the countries considered.

Reports and Research

Together with a new edition of the annual Report on the Sector and the publication of a report on Security-related technologies, our aim is to undertake a series of studies that will enable associates to access detailed information concerning specific issues of interest.

Courses, Conferences and Forums

As well as the courses and conferences arranged annually, such as the International Course with the Guardia Civil, we plan to organise open Forums in which representatives of the Government and companies will find a suitable environment for analysing and understanding their respective needs in certain areas.

On the other hand, in order to consolidate and increase the Association’s institutional presence, we propose to develop activities on two levels: nationally and internationally.

On the national level, we shall continue to seek closer relations with the Defence and Interior Ministries as well as to strengthen and foster relations with the Industry, Tourism and Trade Ministry and with the Education and Science Ministry. We intend to enhance relations similarly with the Defence Committees in Congress and the Senate, by maintaining periodic contact, and by entering into contact, given Europe’s increasingly important role, with the Spanish Euro-deputies involved in Defence and Security issues.

We also aim to intensify the efforts to communicate to society the overall benefits to the country of these investments in Defence and Security, especially those made in the field of R&D.

Still on the national level, we wish to make headway in our long-term awareness of the needs of our Armed Forces and Security Forces, so the contacts must be developed with the organisations in charge of planning them, by establishing different ways of participating and communicating.

On the international front, on the one hand, our participation in the different industrial initiatives and in the key decisions of European Defence and Security is to be increased; Lol/AM, EDA, ASD, paying special attention to the European Security Programme and its Preparatory Action, and, on the other hand, our participation in the NIAG will be boosted and we shall deepen relations with different NATO bodies and agencies, especially with the Transformation Command and with the NC3A and the RTA.