Annual General Meeting Conference
Stanhope Hotel Brussels
21 November 2023

Europe has a global competitive advantage in building, operating and maintaining waterborne transport infrastructures. However, over the past decade, this European leadership has been progressively weakened and is now even under threat by the relentless and determined use of unfair trade practices. Non-EU State-owned Enterprises (non-EU SoEs) are the spearheading instruments used by some nations to fulfil their economic and geopolitical ambitions. This ‘aggressive’ use of economic power and resources to deliberately weaken and progressively eliminate competition in targeted markets is also known as hybrid warfare.

When addressing unfair trade practices, there is no silver bullet and the only effective approach is through a strategic toolbox of “differentiated” but complementary trade instruments.

During our 2023 Annual Conference, representatives from the European Commission, Academia and Industry will present their views on the multipronged threats to Europe as well as the corresponding initiatives to adequately counter them: hybrid warfare, Foreign Subsidies Regulation and the Open Global Gateway. They will exchange their views on their respective strategies and the way to fill the remaining gaps. The floor will then be opened for meaningful exchanges with the audience.