EU Commission members at 60th Munich Security Conference

The 60th Munich Security Conference 2024 will take place from February 16 to 18, 2024, at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich.

From 16 to 18 February, President von der Leyen; Executive Vice-Presidents Vestager, Dombrovskis and Šefčovič; High Representative Borrell; Vice-Presidents Jourová, Šuica and Schinas; and Commissioner Hahn, Johansson, Simson, and Hoekstra will participate in the 2024 Munich Security Conference (MSC).

As the Munich Security Conference turns 60, this year’s edition will be an opportunity to discuss how to strengthen the rules-based international order, the EU’s role in security and defence, and the security implications of climate change, among other topics.

On Thursday, Vice-President Schinas will deliver a keynote speech at the opening of the Munich Cyber Security Conference. The Vice-President will then visit the Synagogue of Munich together with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.

On Friday, President von der Leyen and Vice-President Schinas will participate in the CSU Transatlantic Forum, in a discussion on “How to defend a free world order against extremism and authoritarianism.” Vice-President Schinas will deliver a keynote speech at the side event “Hamas hostage taking as a tool of terror: testimonies and first-hand accounts”, and deliver introductory remarks at the side event “Processing power: the impact of cyber and cutting-edge technology on international security”, in the evening. Executive Vice-President Vestager will participate in a roundtable discussion on “Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Warfare” and speak at a panel event on transatlantic digital relations. In the evening, she will participate in an Atlantic Council dinner on “emerging technologies and the integrity of the internet”. Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis will speak at the panel discussion “Rebuilding Ukraine”. Executive Vice-President Šefčovič will participate in a panel discussion on ‘Getting Serious about Scaling: How to bring European Clean Technologies to Market’. High Representative Borrell will attend the opening session of the Munich Security Conference. Vice-President Jourová will speak at the panel “Defending the truth” and participate in the side-event “The Munich Compact for manipulative AI content”. Vice-President Šuica delivers a keynote speech for the UNICEF event: “Upending what Hard-to-Reach Means: Delivering Services with and for Girls in Afghanistan”. Commissioner Hahn will attend the “Reagan Thatcher Dinner” organised by the International Democracy Union. Commissioner Johansson will speak in the panel “A Rocky Route: Managing Global Refugee Flows” and attend the John McCain Dissertation Award and Dinner in the evening. Commissioner Simson will participate in the Roundtable discussion “Shifting Sands: The Geopolitics of transitioning away from fossil fuels”, in the side-event “REPower Security: Rethinking European energy interests amidst a shifting security landscape”, and in the Energy Resilience Leadership Group (ERLG) CEOs meeting on “European energy resilience in volatile times: Safeguarding industrial competitiveness at the intersection of security and climate”.

On Saturday, President von der Leyen will participate in the main stage panel discussion “Europe’s Finest Hour? Building a Defence Union in Challenging Times”. Executive Vice-President Vestager will attend events on AI and elections, North-South cooperation and EU-China engagement and de-risking, inter alia. Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis will attend a dinner on economic security. High Representative Borrell will attend the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in the margins of the MSC. Executive Vice-President Šefčovič will participate in a panel discussion on ‘The Unavoidable Master Risk? Addressing Climate Overshoot’. Commissioner Hahn will take part in the “Ukrainian Lunch”, hosted by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and Yalta European Strategy. Commissioner Johansson will participate in a roundtable breakfast, “Forging a New Security Paradigm for the Mediterranean: Policy innovations and partnerships to address complex risks”. Commissioner Simson will attend a side event on “Decarbonization Dilemma: Crafting Equitable and Peaceful Transitions in the Global South”. Commissioner Hoekstra will participate in the event “Townhall COPing Mechanism: Prospects for International Climate Diplomacy”.

On Sunday, High Representative Borrell will address the main stage panel, “The EU’s Geopolitical Agenda”. He will also attend the annual MSC Foundation meeting hosted by Wolfgang Ischinger and deliver opening remarks at the Atlantic Council’s annual luncheon on “charting a path for the transatlantic community after Munich”.

College members will also hold bilateral meetings in the margins of the event. More details are available in the calendar. Audiovisual coverage will be available on EbS.