Transatlantic Economic Security at a Crossroads: CELIS DC Leaders Meeting 2025
John Kay, Head of Programmes and Strategic Partnerships, CELIS Institute
The United States and the European Union remains one of the most deeply integrated economic partnerships in the world with immense volumes of trade, joint investment, and overlapping financial infrastructure. U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe is roughly three times more than in Asia, and European companies play a central role in American innovation. From cross-border mergers to strategic tech alliances, financial markets on both sides of the Atlantic are interdependent at nearly every level.
Despite this deep economic entwinement, recent years of economic security policy have brought growing complexity to the policy landscape. On the U.S. side, tariff regimes, expanded export control frameworks, and a more assertive investment policy have significantly influenced the landscape of cross-border business activity. New outbound investment screening mechanisms and updates to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) process reflect an evolving view of what constitutes a national security risk. Meanwhile, industrial base protection, defense production authorities, and critical tech restrictions are increasingly shaping the operating environment for U.S.-linked firms abroad.
In Europe, the policy terrain is also shifting. The European Union continues to refine its FDI screening guidance, with more Member States adopting robust review frameworks. Proposed revisions to digital and tech regulations—including the Digital Markets Act and AI Act—reflect a growing emphasis on technological sovereignty. At the same time, new defense and industrial policy agendas are emerging in response to the war in Ukraine, concerns over critical dependencies, and global geopolitical shifts.
Taken together, these developments present important considerations for cross-border investors and enterprises. Without thoughtful coordination, the evolution of economic security frameworks may lead to overlapping rules, divergent compliance obligations, and increased political risk—particularly for firms operating in dual-use sectors, critical infrastructure, or emerging technologies.
In response to these dynamics, the CELIS Institute is proud to convene the CELIS DC Leaders Meeting 2025, a high-level, closed-door dialogue on the future of transatlantic economic security governance. The event is held in partnership with the Hudson Institute and the Center for International Private Enterprise. The meeting will take place on May 6, 2025, at 1:00 PM at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. Participation is by invitation only.
Strategic Forum on the Future of Economic Security Policy
The CELIS DC Leaders Meeting 2025 will gather senior government officials, legal practitioners, academics, and corporate leaders from both sides of the Atlantic. Through a series of structured discussions, the event will explore the evolving frameworks, legal standards, and policy priorities shaping cross-border economic activity in the name of national security.
Key themes will include:
- The future of CFIUS and outbound investment screening: how U.S. authorities may expand the scope, sectors, and tools of investment review
- The evolution of EU FDI screening mechanisms, including the growing convergence and divergence across Member States
- Supply chain resilience in critical sectors such as semiconductors, critical minerals, sensitive tech, pharmaceuticals, and defense
- Defense industrial base policy and how national security priorities are reshaping public-private collaboration
- Digital and technological sovereignty, including cybersecurity, data localization, and AI regulation
A Diverse Lineup of Transatlantic Experts
The event will feature speakers and participants from across the U.S. and European economic security communities, including:
- Tom Feddo, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Investment Security and former head of CFIUS,
- Ivo Nobel, Head of the Investment Review Office at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
- Ana Belacurencu, Case Handler, Romanian Competition Counsel
- Santiago Conde Lara, Deputy Director, Foreign Investment Unit, Spanish Department of Commerce
- Dr Mikael Wigell, Research Director, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- Mick Tuesley, Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
- Mike Considine, Senior Advisor, FGS Global; former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Foreign Investment, National Security, and Technology Collaboration, U.S. Department of Energy.
European participants will include senior representatives from Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, France, and Romania —key Member States at the forefront of shaping FDI screening regimes and high-priority destinations for U.S. investment in the EU. Their perspectives will ensure a comprehensive view of the European economic security architecture.
The meeting will also welcome members of the CFIUS practitioner community, business leaders from critical sectors, legal experts from top firms advising on cross-border transactions, and scholars with deep experience in international economic law and strategic trade controls.
This timely and focused dialogue will provide a platform for addressing some of the most pressing and sensitive questions in transatlantic economic security. As policy continues to evolve, the CELIS DC Leaders Meeting 2025 aims to build mutual understanding, clarify points of convergence and divergence, and support informed decision-making for government and private-sector actors alike.
👉 Learn more or request participation.
