In an increasingly tumultuous world, geoeconomics has emerged as a key foreign policy tool for states to protect their national interests. For Belgium, with a globally integrated economy, this trend presents both opportunities and challenges. 

The global rise of geoeconomics has prompted scholarly efforts to define the concept and analyse its use in policy. Simultaneously, policymakers have been confronted with the day-to-day task of both designing and responding to geoeconomic policies. 

This conference aims to bridge the gap between academia and policymaking. Convening researchers from Belgian universities and research institutions working on geoeconomics, and policymakers from the Belgian federal and regional government services, it provides a platform for mutual learning and dialogue about geoeconomics. Through a mix of plenary sessions and thematic breakouts, it facilitates the dissemination of research insights and the articulation of policy priorities directly from practice. 

Ultimately, the conference seeks to strengthen Belgium’s capacity to navigate the rise of geoeconomics and reinforce Belgian policy making on this increasingly important topic. 

Format

This in-person conference, held under Chatham House rule, will span one afternoon. It will open in plenary setting with a welcome address, followed by a keynote speech to introduce the main theme: Geoeconomics for Belgium – bringing together research and policy. Subsequently, an expert panel serves to further inspire the upcoming discussions. After the plenary opening session, the audience will be divided over 4 thematic breakout sessions, addressing: 

1. Trade 
2. Investment 
3. Industrial policy 
4. The maritime domain 

The breakouts will be held in parallel with each other and chaired by a researcher from the Geoeconomics Group. Each breakout session opens with several brief academic presentations, followed by open dialogue between all participants, aimed at inviting policymakers to share their perspective on the topic. To ensure a fruitful discussion the chair will prepare several questions regarding the topic of the session. 

After the breakouts, all participants will reconvene for the plenary closing of the conference. During the closing session, first, the breakout session chairs will briefly report on the key discussions and findings from their respective sessions. Then, there will be a second keynote speech. Finally, the master of ceremony wraps up the conference with a summary. Afterwards, there will be a networking reception.

The programme will be uploaded soon.

Objectives

• Strengthen the knowledge community on geoeconomics in Belgium by reinforcing connections between researchers and policymakers in this field. 
• Present the research of the Geoeconomics Group to Belgian policymakers and practitioners and inform Belgian policymakers about the geoeconomic aspect of their respective policy fields. 
• Facilitate dialogue between researchers and policy makers, particularly to allow policymakers to signal key challenges and developments in their policy field related to geoeconomics. 

After the conference, the Geoeconomics Group will write a conference summary, gathering key insights from the plenary and breakout sessions. The summary will be distributed among all participants. 

Participate

To preserve the high quality of discussions and give the opportunity to all of the participants to share their views, participation in the conference is limited and on invitation only. Are you a civil servant working for a Belgian national or federal government on the domain of geoeconomics or economic security? Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you're interested in participating.