CFIS 26 Brussels - CELIS Institute - Investment Screening | National Security

CFIS 26

07-09 October 2026 | Brussels (Belgium)

Hosted by the CELIS Institute | Convened by Steffen Hindelang and Roland M Stein

About CFIS 26 - The Leading Small Room-High Trust Forum on Investment Security

About CFIS 26

The CELIS Forum (CFIS) is the flagship event of the CELIS Institute, now in its 8th year, and Europe's first and foremost place to discuss investment screening and economic security issues.

Thought leaders in investment control and economic security from Europe, the U.S. and beyond debate current challenges and influential ideas from both a strategic and highly practical perspective to chart geo-economic strategies for Europe.

The number of participants is limited to no more than 60 speakers and 60 attendees. Participants are invited with the view to form a trusted community of economic security experts from business, government, and academia who deal with the subject matter on a high level. Discussions at CFIS 26 will be held in private (strict Chatham House rules apply). There will be no public sessions.

Topics

CFIS 26 takes place amid an unfolding erosion of international trade rules, a growing U.S.-China confrontation, and ongoing war on European soil. These dynamics are challenging traditional notions of sovereignty, resilience, and openness across markets.

Against this backdrop, CFIS is more vital than ever. It offers trusted, cross-sector dialogue among thought-leading voices in economic security, thinking ahead in a time of accelerating global fragmentation.

Panels

Protect & Promote: Implementing the EU's new Economic Security Strategy
The Art of Mitigation
Data and AI in Investment Screening
Emerging and Smaller Screening Regimes across the World
The Pharmaceuticals Industry
Regulatory Risk in Multi-Jurisdiction Investment Screening
Judicial Recourse
Competition & Competitiveness in the EU - FSR, IAA, Investment Security
Navigating Investment in European Defence
EU Investment Screening Regulation and Economic Security Strategy

What Sets CFIS 26 Apart

A forum that goes beyond the current

CFIS is not limited to interpreting the contemporary regulatory landscape—it is designed to think ahead. Grounded in academic rigor and expert analysis, the Forum explores the future of economic security.

All stakeholders on deck

Every CFIS panel brings together thought leaders from across sectors and disciplines. This real-time, cross-disciplinary dialogue creates conversations that rarely occur in other forums or intergovernmental settings.

Closed-door format

Participation is by invitation only and limited to 60 speakers and 60 attendees. Each attendee is carefully selected to ensure optimal representation from government, academia, business, and law.

No spectators, only contributors

At CFIS, the line between panelist and participant disappears. Everyone is part of the conversation. The Forum avoids performative panels and fosters dynamic dialogue where every voice contributes to a richer understanding of today’s challenges and tomorrow’s solutions.

Rooted in Europe, engaged globally

While anchored in Europe, CFIS brings in key global voices. Past Forums have included voices from North and Central America, Southeast and East Asia, and beyond ensuring the conversation reflects the full spectrum of global economic security dynamics.

Unique stakeholder mix - Curated for balance

Each attendee is selected to ensure representation across government (≈35%), business (≈35%), academia (≈10%), and legal practice (≈20%).

Why You Should Attend CFIS 26

Government Officials

Step into a room of peers from Europe, the U.S., and beyond to exchange on emerging best practices.
Gain a 360° perspective into the evolving economic security landscape through a dialogue that complements intergovernmental consultations with thought-leading perspectives from business, academia, and law.
Showcase your institution’s leadership and agency in navigating the economic security challenges of the 21st century.
Steer tomorrow’s economic security policies by contributing your institutional expertise and strategic foresight.

Legal Experts

Engage directly with peers, business leaders, and government officials to exchange perspectives on how economic security policies are or should be interpreted and applied in practice.
Track legal developments across Europe, the U.S., and beyond to stay at the forefront of economic security regulation.
Build relationships with government officials, in-house counsels and business leaders.
Enrich the development of technically sound economic security policies by contributing your perspective as a legal practitioner.

Business Leaders

Gain firsthand insights into today’s and tomorrow’s regulatory agenda—and bring business priorities directly into high-level policy dialogue.
Learn how your peers are responding to an increasingly complex and fragmented global investment environment. ·
Anticipate risks and opportunities amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.
Drive sustainable, growth-enabling economic security policies by contributing your business perspective.

Academics

Translate your research into real-time dialogue with government officials, business leaders, and legal experts.
Stay on top of developments in Europe and beyond to be ahead of the curve in your research.
Expand your academic network into policy and business circles to foster future collaborations. ·
Stimulate forward-looking economic security policymaking by contributing your academic thinking.

CFIS 26 Speakers

Speakers, chairs and moderators are listed by organisation and seniority. In keeping with the Chatham House rule that governs the Forum, no names are published.

Programme as of the current draft. Further speakers to be announced.

CFIS 26 Patrons

CFIS 26 Tickets

Participation is by invitation only.

Each attendee is carefully selected to ensure a balanced representation from government (35%), business (35%), academia (10%), and legal practice (20%).

While we have a significant number of returning participants, we also aim to attract new participants each year who are interested in contributing to the strategic debate.

If you are interested in attending CFIS 26 in Brussels, we encourage you to contact our events team early at events@celis.institute or by clicking the button below to send an email indicating your interest.

Ticket pricing is aligned to stakeholder groups.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

CFIS 26 Event Location

All sessions will take place at

The Merode
Place Poelaert 6
B-1000 Brussels
Belgium

◊ Directions.

Please note that the location of the event dinner may vary.

Impressions from CFIS 25

Queries on the CFIS 26

If you have any questions about participation and sponsorship opportunities, please contact us.

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