Context et objectives

Over the past year, the topic of connectivity has picked up steam in the European Union. Just a couple of days ago, the European Commission launched its Global Gateway, the new European Strategy to boost “smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport and strengthen health, education and research systems across the world”. The initiative, aimed to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments between 2021 and 2027, is new in two ways: it is an attempt to internalise the logic of strategic competition with the China, which has gained ground in the past years; and it is an attempt to increase EU visibility through better branding, given the scope of the EU’s existing engagements worldwide. But will this renewed strategy be fit for the challenges the EU ambitions to meet? How will it interact with China’s Belt and Road initiative in Europe and beyond?

The wiiw in collaboration with the Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (CFA/ÖFZ) and the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) would like to invite you to discuss these issues and many others. The event will take place in the framework of the Rencontres de Schwarzenbergplatz and at the occasion of the inauguration of the night train Vienna-Paris.

Programme

9h00 Opening

Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, Secretary General of the Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe and former Head of the European Union Delegation to China

9h10 Panel Discussion

Romana Vlahutin, Ambassador at Large for Connectivity, European External Action Service

Mario Holzner, Executive Director of the Vienna Institute for international Economic Studies

Plamen Tonchev, MERICS European China Policy Fellow and Head of Asia Unit at the Institute of International Economic Relations, Athens

Moderation: Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, Secretary General of the Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe and former Head of the European Union Delegation to China

10h30 end of the event

Working language: English

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