Recent meetings
| Date | Commissioner / Cabinet | Topic | File |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Feb 2026 | Herald Ruijters Deputy Director-General | SAFE (Security Action for Europe) | SRC |
| 04 Feb 2026 | Herald Ruijters Deputy Director-General | SAFE (Security Action for Europe) | — |
| 01 Jul 2025 | Arthur Corbin Cabinet member | EU Strategic Dialogue on the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy. | — |
| 01 Jul 2025 | Anna Panagopoulou Cabinet member | Strategic Dialogue on the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy | — |
| 01 Jul 2025 | Arthur Corbin Cabinet member | EU Strategic Dialogue on the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy. | SRC |
| 01 Jul 2025 | Anna Panagopoulou Cabinet member | Strategic Dialogue on the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy | SRC |
| 07 Apr 2025 | Ralitza Rosenova Petkova Cabinet member | Innovative solutions tested in shipyards and installed in vessels | SRC |
| 07 Apr 2025 | Costas Kadis Commissioner | Innovative solutions tested in shipyards and installed in vessels | SRC |
| 07 Apr 2025 | Costas Kadis Commissioner | Innovative solutions tested in shipyards and installed in vessels | — |
| 10 Mar 2025 | Matthieu Moulonguet Cabinet member | EU industrial and decarbonisation strategy | — |
| 10 Mar 2025 | Johannes Ten Broeke Cabinet member | EU industrial and decarbonisation strategy | SRC |
| 10 Mar 2025 | Matthieu Moulonguet Cabinet member | EU industrial and decarbonisation strategy | SRC |
| 25 Aug 2020 | Daniel Mes Cabinet member | Recovery in the waterborne sector | — |
| 25 Aug 2020 | Daniel Mes Cabinet member | Recovery in the waterborne sector | SRC |
| 24 Jul 2020 | Daniel Mes Cabinet member | Green recovery opportunities for shipping | SRC |
| 24 Jul 2020 | Daniel Mes Cabinet member | Green recovery opportunities for shipping | — |
Mission & Goals
Our Purpose Seventy percent of the earth is made up of water. Water connects worlds and allows us to discover. To trade. To provide help. To produce food and generate energy. To relax and enjoy. In order to ensure global prosperity for next generations and keep the earth habitable with an ever-increasing world population, it is essential that we use the water and the seabed as optimally, but also as responsibly, as possible. At Damen, we provide unprecedented maritime solutions to utilise and protect these possibilities. Our vision At Damen, we believe that oceans, seas, lakes and rivers offer humanity a growing range of possibilities in the areas of trade, food, energy and recreation. We offer unprecedented maritime solutions for this through design, shipbuilding, ship repair and related services. We offer versatile platforms to connect the world and enable you to be successful. Innovative ships that inspire and raise the standard in terms of safety, reliability, efficiency,
EU Legislative Interests
The Damen Shipyards group actively participates in Horizon 2020 maritime related calls and more specifically in the co-programmed partnership on Zero-Emission Waterborne Transport. This is a partnership between the European maritime industry (cluster) and the European Commission (DG RTD) Damen Naval is part of the Damen Shipyards group and the only Dutch Original Equipment Manufacturer able to design, engineer, build and integrate complex naval vessels. Prime Customer is the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and the Royal Netherlands Navy. Secondary customer base is via EU/NATO defence materiel cooperation in the naval domain, with options for bi- or multinational programmes, resulting from demand aggregation. The EU department closely monitors the various EU defense developments, such as on military mobility, defense readiness, EDF, EDIP and SAFE. In cooperation with SEA Europe (Shipyards and Equipment manufacturers Association) and its members, Damen works on the implementation of the 'European Maritime Industrial Strategy' in order to safeguard high-tech, maritime know-how and skills for Europe. We closely follow the developments of sustainability related files such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism; the Fuel EU Maritime Directive; the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) for shipping; the CSRD and the CSDDD, steel import tariffs. We are engaged in discussions with the European Investment Bank about investment possibilities for the upgrade and modernization of our Dutch and Romanian newbuild and repair facilities. Robotization and automation of our production processes are key to remain competitive in the world. Damen is also involved in EU technical and environmental regulations such as the eco-design product regulation, battery passport, circularity (circles of life), green passport, battery passport and IMO safety and environmental regulation.
Communication Activities
Most of Damen's EU communication activities such as press releases, events and meetings are executed by SEA Europe and the Waterborne Technology Platform. Damen's engagement in Horizon 2020 Zero Emission Waterborne projects are published on the Waterborne website. Damen's engagement in European Defense Projects are published on the DG DEFIS website. Sometimes we organize working visits for Members of European Parliament or Officials of the European Commission to our shipyard(s) in the Netherlands. We publish articles on EU project and policy topics in our Damen Magazine for information purposes.
Interests Represented
Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members
Member Of
European Trade Association: SEA Europe: www.seaeurope.eu Dutch Trade Association for Security and Defense Industries: NIDV: www.nidv.eu Dutch Trade Association for Maritime Industry and Offshore Energy providers: Maritime & Offshore NL https://www.maritimeoffshore.nl/nl/ VNO-NCW https://www.vno-ncw.nl/ Waterborne Technology Platform for EU Maritime R&D: www.waterborne.eu NABU Netherlands Organisation of International maritime Business https://www.nabu.nl/about/
Organisation Members
The Damen Shipyards group is a privately-owned & 100% family-owned company who represents itself in Brussels. Damen works together with 5.200 Dutch suppliers many more in Europe.