About the event
The EU faces several severe challenges: the war in Ukraine, intensified and fragmented global competition and sluggish European competitiveness. The new US administration has added considerable uncertainty as regards European security and transatlantic relations.
In addressing these challenges, Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission is working to align new EU investments and funding with the bloc’s security needs and the green and digital transition strategies, ensuring that economic transformation does not come at the cost of political and social cohesion. Efforts to cut administrative burdens and simplify legislation must also be carefully weighed against the need for stability and effectiveness in driving Europe’s transition. Meanwhile, the future of Ukraine demands both immediate and long-term commitments from European partners.
All of this will put the EU’s ability to prioritize and act in unity to the test. Much responsibility falls to the European Commission in cooperation with the European Council, the European Parliament, and the EU Council presidencies – held by Denmark in the second semester of 2025 – to provide leadership in this volatile landscape.
Program
09.00 – 09.05: Welcome: Welcome: Stocktaking 2025
Martin André Dittmer, Managing Partner, Gorrissen Federspiel
09.05 – 09.10: Taking Stock of the EU (video)
Benjamin Haddad, Minister Delegate for Europe, France
Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs, Denmark
STAYING COMPETITIVE IN A GEOPOLITICAL WORLD
09.10 – 09.25: A view from Europe
Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director, Eurasia Group
09.25 – 09.40: A view from China
Janka Oertel, Director of the Asia programme and Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations
09:40 – 09.55 A view from the US
Marietje Schaake, International Policy Director, Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center
09.55 – 10.15 The increasing European importance of the North (KEYNOTE)
Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland
10.15 – 10.40: Coffee break
WHAT CAN THE EU DO TO STRENGTHEN ITS COMPETITION?
10.40 – 11.00: The EU’s geoeconomic position and possibilities
Shahin Vallée, Director of the Geoeconomics programme, German Council on Foreign Relations
Jeromin Zettelmeyer, Director, Bruegel
11.00 – 11.45: Does the EU’s response to strengthen European competitiveness suffice?
Miguel Ángel López Borrego, CEO, ThyssenKrupp
André Rogaczewski, CEO and co-founder, Netcompany
Lars Sandahl Sørensen, CEO, Danish Industry
Lucy C. Cronin, Vice President for EU Public Policy, Amazon
11.45 – 12.15:The value of nordic unity and European leadership (KEYNOTE)
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Denmark
12.15-12.25: Concluding remarks
Margrethe Vestager, Chair, Stocktaking EU Advisory Board
12.25 – 13.30: Networking lunch
Registration
Please register your attendance via the link below.
Time & place
18 June, 2025 from 09.00 – 13.30.
Address: Axel Towers, Axel Torv 2, 1609 Copenhagen.
If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to contact us via events@gorrissenfederspiel.com
We look forward to seeing you.
Best regards
Think Tank EUROPA & Gorrissen Federspiel