On Tuesday 30th June, the GICAN's board of directors took the decision to maintain the Euronaval 2020 exhibition from October 20^th to 23^rd in Paris-Le Bourget. The end of lockdown and the resumption of industrial and commercial activity in France and in a large part of the world are all positive and encouraging signs after this troubling period of doubt and difficulty. The formal and courageous decision to maintain the exhibition in October was eagerly awaited by industrialists, decision-makers and navy consultants from the five continents. It supports and reinforces the organisers’ determination to make EURONAVAL the key event for the naval defence industry in 2020.

The organisers are also both proud and happy to count once again this year on the successful partnership with the Ministry of Armed Forces and the strong support of the DGA (General Directorate of Armaments).

Furthermore, positive indicators including the number of registered exhibitors and the success of the call for applications for the SEAnnovation space are proof of the optimism accompanying the decision to hold EURONAVAL. SOGENA, GICAN’s subsidiary in charge of organising the exhibition, is also working on the creation of a new space: the CYBER Naval Hub, entirely dedicated to cybersecurity.

"Euronaval 2020 will be the exceptional event of recovery and the first major post-covid defence exhibition in France and in the world. We are working to ensure that our visitors and exhibitors are welcomed in the best possible conditions and in compliance with the new health regulations. For this 27th edition, we will continue to offer innovative and original content, taking into account the major challenges that the naval defence sector will have to face in the years to come."
Hugues d’Argentré, Managing Director of EURONAVAL

A NEW PAVILION DEDICATED TO CYBERSECURITY: CYBER NAVAL HUB
On board warships, the large number of connected systems are potentially exposed to cyber-malware. For naval forces, establishing themselves in the digital space has become an operational priority. While recent ships incorporate a resilient cyber architecture for their on-board systems by design, the cyber threat is more difficult to apprehend for ships that have been in service for several years.
In partnership with CEIS, a company specialising in cyberdefence consultancy and co-organiser of the International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC), EURONAVAL has therefore decided to create the Cyber Naval Hub by FIC, the first pavilion entirely dedicated to cybersecurity.
The industrialists, administrations or research institutes who will be present on the pavilion will have the opportunity to showcase their innovative solutions, intervene on targeted issues in the field of defence system protection applied to the maritime sector, and exchange with the entire ecosystem gathered on this occasion.

REASSURING INDICATORS
In this period of crisis, the entire event sector is subject to great uncertainty, but there are some factors that are encouraging for the EURONAVAL exhibition:
- Since the launch of the call for applications on 2^nd April, the SEAnnovation space dedicated to start-ups has already registered about 60 candidates. This enthusiasm confirms the success of the scheme launched at EURONAVAL 2018, and the willingness of start-ups to exhibit and move forward.
- To date, the exhibition has the same number of registered exhibitors as on the same date in 2018. Proof that the industry is counting on this end-of-year event and trusts the organisation to welcome visitors, delegations, exhibitors and journalists in optimal health safety conditions.
- The shipbuilding sector, with its long and cyclical order cycles, has in all likelihood suffered less from the crisis than some more consumer and general public-oriented industrial sectors. The introduction of new health standards and work arrangements that respect the distancing regulations have slowed production but order books remain at normal levels.


Key figures for EURONAVAL 2018
• 480 exhibitors including 60% from abroad
• 34 exhibiting nationalities
• 142 official delegations of which 101 foreign delegations representing
72 countries from the 5 continents
• 60 representatives of foreign and international defence organisations
• 29 Navy chiefs of staff
• 25,000 professional visits
• 900 BtoB meetings took place at the exhibition
• More than 300 trainees and students at the Trade Vessel
• 350 accredited journalists