The Brussels Economic Security Forum (BESF) is Europe’s leading research initiative and platform on economic security. Through year-long research, policy dialogue, and multi-stakeholder engagement, BESF brings together industry leaders, EU institutions, Member States, third-country governments, and a global network of think-tank partners to shape Europe’s economic security agenda.
Our Mission
The BESF aims to serve as a high-level research platform for conceptualising ways to salvage international economic collaboration and open trade while ensuring countries can properly safeguard their economic security and address new security challenges.
At its core, this initiative builds on the European Policy Centre’s (EPC) Economic Security Project, which has played a pivotal role in defining economic security as a central tenet of EU policy. Over the past years, the EPC has shaped the debate on this topic through speeches and publications, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s seminal speech on EU-China relations in March 2023 and the project's launch report.
Brussels Economic Security Forum – Annual Summit
Each spring, the Brussels Economic Security Forum Summit convenes ministers, senior policymakers, CEOs, and leading experts from across Europe and international partners to discuss today’s most pressing geo-economic challenges, engage in high-level bilateral exchanges, and develop forward-looking approaches. The summit takes place alongside key international economic gatherings, such as the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting and the G7 Leaders Summit, bringing together many of the same decision-makers and providing an opportunity to connect the Forum’s discussions with the wider international economic agenda.
As the apex of the Forum’s activities, the Summit builds on the ideas and conversations developed through its yearlong research, dialogue and engagement. It combines open sessions that promote broad, high-level debate with a dedicated closed-door programme that creates space for more candid and direct exchanges
