Each year, our programme reflects the policy priorities that are actually shaping European governance — not the themes that generate the most headlines, but the issues where genuine decisions are being made and contested. For 2025, we have designed a calendar of six conferences across Brussels, The Hague, Vienna and Berlin.
The Programme at a Glance
Here is what we have planned:
- Green Economy Summit 2025 (18–19 March, Brussels) — Following the success of our 2024 Vienna summit, this event examines industrial decarbonisation pathways, green finance and the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
- European AI Governance Forum (15–16 September, Brussels) — A focused examination of the EU AI Act's implementation, with particular attention to enforcement mechanisms, the role of national competent authorities and the Act's interaction with existing sectoral regulation.
- Defence & Security Convention (22–23 October, The Hague) — Europe's security landscape has changed markedly in recent years. This convention addresses procurement, capability gaps, industrial policy and the evolving relationship between EU defence initiatives and NATO.
- EU Trade & Competitiveness Conference (3–4 December, Vienna) — Europe's competitive position in global trade is under pressure. This conference brings together trade officials, industry federations and economists to examine tariff policy, supply chain strategy and the single market's effectiveness.
- Digital Single Market Review (date TBC, Berlin) — An assessment of progress on digital single market integration, covering data governance, cross-border digital services and infrastructure investment.
- European Social Policy Forum (date TBC, Brussels) — A new addition to our programme, examining the social dimension of European integration: labour mobility, social protection systems and demographic challenges.
Why These Themes
Our programme design process begins with extensive consultation. Between September and December 2024, our Policy Programme Lead, Astrid Nørgaard, and her team conducted over 60 conversations with policymakers, academics and industry representatives across Europe. The themes we have selected reflect the areas where our interlocutors identified the greatest need for structured, high-level dialogue.
The AI Act and defence were, unsurprisingly, top priorities. But we were struck by the strength of demand for a dedicated social policy event. Several of our contacts observed that social policy is underrepresented in the Brussels conference circuit, despite its centrality to debates about Europe's future direction. We are pleased to address that gap.
Format and Approach
Our format remains consistent: two-day events with a mix of plenary sessions, closed-door roundtables and structured networking. We limit delegate numbers to ensure meaningful interaction — typically between 200 and 400 participants, depending on the event. All plenary sessions are conducted under the Chatham House Rule unless speakers agree to be quoted on the record.
For the first time in 2025, we will offer a limited number of digital participation places for delegates who cannot attend in person. This is not a full hybrid format — our experience, which Sophie wrote about in a previous post, suggests that hybrid works best when the digital component is designed separately rather than simply streamed. We will share more details on the digital programme in due course.
Registration
Registration for the Green Economy Summit and the AI Governance Forum is now open. For the remaining events, we encourage interested delegates to register their interest through our website. We will be in touch with programme details and registration information as each event approaches.
We look forward to welcoming you to one — or several — of our 2025 events.