On May 27th, the Swedish-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, the Swedish Embassy in Lisbon, Business Sweden, and Ericsson Portugal hosted a business seminar exploring the role of connectivity and defence in strengthening Europe’s resilience. The conversations reinforced a clear message: Europe’s strength lies in its ability to act collectively, invest boldly, and build resilience across borders.
Portugal and Sweden – two countries located in the opposite periphery of Europe, have a unique opportunity of acting as forerunner for how strategic cooperation can encourage innovation, connecting vital infrastructure with a robust defence ecosystem.
What became equally clear during the business seminar, is that collaboration alone is not enough. Europe must back its ambitions with funding. Increased European investment in shared infrastructure, defence, and industrial cooperation is not optional — it is essential. Fragmentation is one of Europe’s greatest vulnerabilities, and only coordinated, well-resourced action between industries, governments, and institutions can overcome it.
In modern defence operations, connectivity is no longer a support function. It is part of the operational backbone. Decision superiority, autonomous systems, ISR, joint operations and resilience all depend on secure and adaptive digital infrastructure. As global leader in Next-Generation Mission Critical connectivity, Ericsson is delivering 5G capabilities engineered for defence today and the needs of tomorrow.
Key highlights in the business seminar included contributions from:
H.E. Elisabeth Eklund, Ambassador of Sweden to Portugal and H.E. Erik Widman, Ambassador and Defence Export Coordinator
Jennifer Ekström, President & Chairwoman, Swedish-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (CLS)
Marco Pinto, R&D National Defence Representative, and José Neves, President AED Cluster Portugal & Director of Homeland Security and Defense at GMV
Juan Olivera Urquijo, Country Manager at Ericsson Portugal
The seminar concluded with roundtable discussions moderated by CLS Board Member Anna Bergström Segerberg featuring contributions from representatives at Ericsson Portugal, SAAB, OGMA, and Recotech.
Throughout the seminar, discussions highlighted how Portugal and Sweden can serve as a model for strategic collaboration. The conversations reinforced a clear message: Europe’s resilience depends on its ability to act collectively, invest strategically, and strengthen cooperation across borders.
Sweden and Portugal have a real opportunity to lead by example by combining innovation, industrial expertise, and long-term vision to help shape a more unified and resilient Europe.
In a rapidly changing world, resilience is no longer built alone - it is built together.
The CLS extends its sincerest appreciation to all participants, partners and speakers of the seminar. Your presence and contributions made the discussions richer and more meaningful.
