19/05/2022 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 18 May, the EU Chiefs of Defence selected Lieutenant-General Michiel Van Der Laan of the Netherlands as the new Director General of the EU Military Staff and Director of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability. He will replace French Vice-Admiral Hervé Bléjean at the end of his mandate in 2023. Mr Van Der Laan is currently Head of the Permanent Military Representation of the Netherlands to the EU and NATO. At their meeting, the first to be chaired by Austrian General Robert Brieger, the Chiefs of Defence also discussed the implementation of the ‘Strategic Compass’, the work of the EU Military Staff and its Information Exchange Cell on the coordination of the supply of military equipment to Ukraine, and cooperation with NATO and partners currently contributing to EU missions and training operations. (CG)