A background paper from the Trio Presidency, published on 24 July 2026, asks members of the High Level Group on Competitiveness and Growth (HLG) to discuss how to align economic security and competitiveness at a working lunch on 7 September 2026 in Brussels. The paper frames the two policy streams as interconnected rather than separate, arguing that a coherent strategy must pursue both objectives together.
The document identifies two key challenges for the HLG discussion: maintaining the right balance between openness and resilience, and ensuring policy coherence across physical infrastructure, supply chains, critical technologies, and industrial and trade policy. On the first challenge, the paper stresses that economic security means reducing excessive vulnerabilities, not reducing global engagement, and that measures must be targeted, proportionate, and evidence-based. On the second, it calls for improved information-sharing and coordination among member states and EU institutions.
Investment in innovation, research, and advanced technologies is presented as a way to improve both economic performance and strategic resilience. Diversification is framed as a dual objective for competitiveness and economic security, including expanding partnerships with trusted countries and protecting strategic industry within the Single Market. The paper also calls for closer public-private cooperation on risk assessment, strategic opportunities, and investment mobilisation.
Director General Ditte Juul Jørgensen of DG Trade and Economic Security will attend the lunchtime discussion to set out her vision, after which HLG members will respond and share perspectives. The meeting is expected to feed into broader EU work on economic security, including the upcoming review of the European Economic Security Strategy.
EU member states face pressure to coordinate national security measures with EU-level frameworks, potentially limiting unilateral actions. EU producers in critical technologies and supply chains may benefit from targeted support and diversification incentives but could face new compliance costs from security-related screening. EU consumers may see higher prices if resilience measures reduce reliance on cheaper foreign suppliers. EU trade partners, especially non-trusted countries, could face reduced market access as diversification and de-risking measures take effect.
The HLG discussion on 7 September will inform the Commission's ongoing work on economic security, including possible legislative proposals on outbound investment screening and critical technology controls. The Council is expected to return to the topic in the Competitiveness Council later in 2026.