Tech Summit, 4th Edition – EU Tech Power and Diplomacy: Searching for Political Consensus

The 2025 Tech Summit will explore the upcoming challenges and the necessary actions for the EU to bolster its technological sovereignty while enhancing its competitive edge globally. A key focus will be the topic of achieving a balance between innovation and regulation by empowering the EU to harness digital diplomacy and shape international technology governance. Along with the need to safeguard the European regulatory framework from competing models, the importance of the EU forming new partnerships with like-minded actors to mitigate vulnerabilities and enhance resilience will also be addressed. This is particularly relevant given current technology-related geopolitical tensions and growing global fragmentation trends. Against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the event will also consider the EU’s need to strengthen defense integration through investing in advanced and critical technologies such as AI, drones, and space capabilities.

The initiative is organised by the Rome Office of ECFR, with the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The discussion was held in English, under Chatham House rule.

Agenda

DAY 1 – April 2nd, 2025

19:30 – 21:30 Dinner discussion: “Tech” united, do we stand? How to unlock Europe’s potential
In the unpredictability and fragmentation deriving from President Trump’s presidency, an EU political consensus is urgently needed. The Tech domain should be key to Europe to deal with the current “unorder”. How should the EU unlock its full potential?

Welcome remarks: Marco Gilli, Chairman, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo

Kick off by:
Brando Benifei, Chair, Delegation for relations with the United States, European Parliament
Daniel Gros, Director, Institute for European Policymaking, Bocconi University
Beniamino Irdi, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Atlantic Council

Chair: Teresa Coratella, Deputy Head and Policy Fellow, ECFR Rome

DAY 2 – April 3rd, 2025

09:00 – 09:15 Welcome remarks: Nicolò Russo Perez, Head, International Affairs Programme, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo; ECFR Council Member and Arturo Varvelli, Head and Senior
Policy Fellow, ECFR Rome

09:15 – 10:30 PANEL 1: Building a “Tech-Enhanced” European Defense Union
After years of debate and missed opportunities, the urgent need for the EU to assume greater responsibility for its own defense is now a mandatory and urgent reality. This could be achieved more quickly through enhanced Tech capabilities. What are the concrete next steps, scenarios and challenges?

Kick off by:
Andrea Gilli, Lecturer, University of St. Andrews
Aleksandra Kozioł, Senior Analyst, International Security Programme, The Polish Institute of International Affairs
Victoria Vdovychenko, Joint Programme Leader – Future of Ukraine, Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge

Chair: Clotilde Bômont, Senior Policy Analyst, EUISS

10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 – 12:15 PANEL 2: Enhancing the EU “tech interdependence” in face of technological fragmentation
The increasing vulnerability and disruption risks in supply chains, exacerbated by the current unstable scenario as well as by US-China rivalry, should push the EU to speed up on its strategic interdependence. What are EU strengths, missed opportunities and challenges ahead?

Kick off by:
Francesca Ghiretti, Research Leader, RAND Europe
Sharinee Jagtiani. Senior Officer, GMF Technology
Herman Quarles Van Ufford, Senior Policy Fellow, ECFR

Chair: Alberto Rizzi, Policy Fellow, ECFR Rome

12:15 – 13:30 PANEL 3: Navigating through global disorder: what potential for EU digital diplomacy?
Digital diplomacy is key today to the EU’s global strategy. But it needs attention, vision and inclusivity to guarantee a stable multilateral order and to counter imbalances in the technology realm. For this, digital alliances with like-minded countries remain a key pillar of EU strategy. How to boost EU diplomacy potential?

Kick off by:
Corneliu Bjola, Professor of Digital Diplomacy, University of Oxford
Oliver Bringer, Head of Unit for International Affairs, DG CNECT, European Commission
Angel Melguizo, Partner, ARGIA Green, Tech & Economics; Visiting Fellow, ECFR

Chair: Flavia Lucenti, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, LUISS University

13:30 Light lunch and departure of participants