Towards a European Defence Union
What will it take for Europe to take charge of its own security?
In the context of the 2025 NATO Summit, the European Forum Alpbach and Club Alpbach Netherlands co-hosted a high-level policy dialogue in The Hague as part of the official #NATOintheHuis programme curated by the Munich Security Conference and The Clingendael Institute. The event focused on Europe’s evolving role in collective defence and what concrete steps are needed to strengthen European readiness and strategic sovereignty.
The event brought together policy experts and young voices for an open discussion on the state of European security policy, examining how the EU can strengthen its role as a strategic, autonomous actor with credible defence capabilities. Othmar Karas, President of the European Forum Alpbach, opened the panel with reflections on Europe’s responsibility and capability to shape its own defence future. He emphasised the need for stronger coordination and communication among member states.
Ambassador Martin Hojni, Austria’s Representative to the EU Political and Security Committee, and Jan Farfał, President of Club Forum Alpbach Poland and FAN Security Track Representative shared their perspectives on the current state as well as future of the European Security Architecture and the importance of pursuing stronger European sovereignty in the context of institutional security. The discussion was moderated by Karen van Loon from The Clingendael Institute.
From Funding to Function
Europe already has many of the instruments it needs, from industrial policy to new funding frameworks, to take real steps toward strategic sovereignty. What is needed now is coordinated implementation and political determination.
The event underlined that a functioning European Defence Union will not emerge overnight but it can become a driver of deeper European integration in response to a shifting geopolitical order. The event provided a platform for a genuinely European contribution to institutional security, supported by a diversity of perspectives including those of young people and multiple viewpoints. The panel brought together voices from Austria (a neutral country, yet EU member and NATO partner), Western Europe (the Netherlands), and Central-Eastern Europe (Poland), as well as institutional backgrounds ranging from the EU and national missions to policy research.
EFA365: Year-round Policy Debates
The event is part of the EFA365 initiative, where the European Forum Alpbach organises discussions throughout the year in Vienna, Berlin, Brussels, Munich, The Hague, Innsbruck and other cities. The goal is to deepen key security policy topics continuously, preparing for the Forum's debates in August.
The Security Track at the European Forum Alpbach 2025 will also focus on the topics of the event as they cover questions needed to reach the EU's climate targets.
These are the topics of the Security Track at the EFA25:
- Europe in the World Days (23-26 August): Geopolitical Realignment: Asserting Europe's Role in a Contested World of Power Politics
- Austria in Europe Days (26-29 August): Towards a European Defence Union: Goals, Roles and Responsibilities