On Friday, May 22, HCSS strategic analysts Irina Patrahau and Benedetta Girardi will be co-hosting the GLOBSEC 2026 side-session ‘Europe’s Pivot: Converting Economic Weight into Geopolitical Clout’.
GLOBSEC Forum Side Session
Europe’s geoeconomic instruments have become integral to its security and global standing within an international environment characterised by systemic competition, economic coercion, and the heightened vulnerability of critical supply chains. The adoption of the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), the successive sanctions packages against Russia and other actions illustrate a necessary change in approach.
However, the EU has not always been able to effectively translate its economic power into geopolitical influence. From persistent internal coordination challenges and concerns over escalation to the need to manage key partnerships, especially transatlantic relations, the geoeconomic toolkit has not been used as effectively. This has direct consequences for European security: when economic instruments cannot be mobilised effectively, the Union’s ability to respond to coercion, reduce strategic dependencies, and shape the behaviour of external actors is weakened. These dilemmas are particularly acute for Central and Eastern European countries, where exposure to both economic pressure and hard security risks is especially pronounced.
Europe now faces a series of strategic choices about whether and how to prioritise economic security over market openness, as well as how to clearly calibrate coercive and defensive instruments without undermining alliances. In this context, how can the EU translate its geoeconomic power into consistent geopolitical influence in a fragmented environment, characterised by trade conflicts, renewed industrial policy and protectionism.
- In an era of global fragmentation, can the EU successfully yield its economic weight to secure geopolitical influence? What are the opportunities and the threats?
- How can the EU prioritise its geoeconomic instruments while managing escalation risks and safeguarding transatlantic and other strategic partnerships?
- Which three actions should the EU prioritise over the next 12–18 months to strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of its geoeconomic statecraft?
Details
- Friday, 22. 5. 2026
- 16:00–17:30 (CEST)
- Palmovka 1
- Link
Speakers
- Ivan Hodač, Chairman Supervisory Board, Aspen Institute Central Europe
- Benedetta Girardi, Strategic Analyst, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies
- Ivan Mikloš, President, MESA10 & Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Finance of Slovakia
- Irina Patrahau, Chair of the Energy Security and Critical Minerals Programmes, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies
- Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive & Chief Economist, European Policy Centre
- Joshua Kandie, Member, Parliament of Kenya
Related Content
