Security concerns have moved to the centre of Europe’s economic agenda, with defence spending and energy resilience emerging as dominant themes at the European Economic Congress (EEC) in Katowice, Poland.
The three-day forum, held under the theme “The Power of Dialogue”, brought together around 1,300 speakers and 13,500 participants, making it one of the largest economic gatherings in Europe. The discussions reflected a shifting European outlook shaped by ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as changing transatlantic relations.
Organisers and policymakers said the growing overlap between economics and security has fundamentally altered the nature of public debate in Europe.
“Public debate is increasingly shaped by security considerations, which require a strong, sovereign and competitive European economy,” said Wojciech Kuspik, CEO of PTWP Group, which organises the congress.
European policymakers at the event stressed that the continent can no longer treat defence and energy as separate policy areas, as both are now directly tied to geopolitical stability and economic performance.
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Jerzy Buzek, a member of the European Parliament, said Europe’s strategic environment had been reshaped by multiple crises, including the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East and shifts in United States policy. He warned that the European Union must strengthen its autonomy.
“Europe must stand on its own feet,” Buzek said, underscoring calls for greater strategic independence in defence and energy policy.
Rising defence spending across Europe
A key focus of the congress was Europe’s accelerating defence investment. Johan Pelissier, president of Airbus Europe, said military spending across the continent has already doubled and could rise further in the coming years.
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“Europe’s defence budget has already doubled and could double again within the next five years,” he said during a panel discussion.
The EU has already approved a 150-billion-euro Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, launched in 2025, designed to strengthen joint defence production and procurement among member states. The initiative aims to reduce fragmentation in Europe’s defence industry while boosting collective military capability.
Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, a Polish government official overseeing the European security instrument, said the European Commission is expected to finalise loan agreements under the SAFE programme and distribute them to member states in the near future.
Energy security under pressure
Alongside defence, energy security emerged as a parallel concern, with officials warning that Europe remains highly exposed to external shocks in global fuel markets.
Since the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, the European Commission said the bloc has spent an additional 24 billion euros on energy imports due to higher prices, without receiving increased volumes of energy. The figures highlight Europe’s vulnerability to global supply disruptions and price volatility.
In response, the European Commission has proposed a new initiative dubbed “AccelerateEU”, aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports and speeding up investment in clean energy infrastructure.
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“The only path forward for the EU is to build its own resilience, including in energy,” said Ireneusz Fafara, head of Poland’s oil giant Orlen.
Energy experts at the congress argued that Europe must accelerate diversification of its energy mix, combining renewable energy expansion with investment in nuclear power to ensure long-term stability.
Grzegorz Onichimowski, head of Poland’s national power grid operator, said current geopolitical instability has reinforced the importance of a balanced energy strategy.
He said a system based on nuclear energy and decentralised renewable sources offers the strongest resilience against external shocks, adding that many European countries are already shifting investment in that direction.
Strategic shift in Europe’s economic outlook
The discussions in Katowice reflect a broader transformation in Europe’s policy priorities, where economic competitiveness is increasingly tied to security preparedness.
As geopolitical tensions persist, European leaders are signalling a long-term shift toward greater self-reliance in both defence production and energy supply, marking a departure from decades of dependence on external partners.
The congress concluded with a consensus that Europe’s economic future will depend on its ability to integrate security considerations into core economic planning, particularly in energy transition and defence industrial strategy.
