Security and cooperation: How Europe defies crises!

Security and cooperation: How Europe defies crises!

On June 11, 2025, the Ecoplus economic salon took place as part of the European Forum Wachau, which dealt intensively with security policy threats. The focus was particularly on Russia's war of attack against Ukraine and the challenges of hybrid warfare. These topics were seen as centrally for the current change of security policy, which significantly influenced the economic and social structures in Europe.

The goal of the talks was to promote a safe, stable and competitive Europe through increased cooperation. Objectives that are in accordance with the EU's common foreign and security policy. This policy aims to resolve conflicts and create international consensus, shaped by diplomacy and respect for international rules, such as European-union.europa.eu describes.

economy and innovation as a key

Günther Ofner, who from Flughafen Vienna AG, emphasized the need for de -bureaucratization to strengthen the business location. He emphasized that growth, investments and innovation are essential in order to be able to survive in global competition. Claus Zeppelzauer from Ecoplus added that the EU also functions as a guarantee and prosperity in Europe, which is of crucial importance in view of the current geopolitical situation.

Wolfgang Schneider from IBM Germany addressed the growing importance of international cooperation in the security area. David Blum from Accenture Austria advocated a European unity as a strong instrument for security and stability. These perspectives underline the importance of collective efforts within the EU in order to be able to counter the challenges that arise from military conflicts and geopolitical tensions.

The role of the EU in crisis situations

The EU, which does not have a standing army, can carry out peace missions worldwide through ad hoc forces from member countries and thus has the opportunity to provide humanitarian aid and maintain law and order in crisis areas. The European Foreign Service (EAD) supports these measures with over 140 delegations worldwide, which contribute to the protection and promotion of the values ​​and interests of the EU. These structures are particularly relevant if you look at the current security policy challenges, as they were treated at the Europa Forum as part of the discussions.

Although the event was shaped by state mourning, social and political issues were continued during the conference. President Michael Linhart drew a positive balance of the first day and pointed out the relevance of the topics discussed, which ranged from the need for international cooperation to security -political strategies. The priorities were clearly set: in the morning the focus was on security, while in the afternoon health aspects were treated.

Overall, the event, which is also in line with the goals of the GASP, shows that the EU remains adaptable in its security architecture in order to be able to react appropriately to new challenges. This also underlines the need for a uniform European answer to global crises, which is promoted by the development and implementation of common strategies, as stipulated in the current regulations and guidelines of the EU [Eur-lex.europa.eu] (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/de/legal-content/summary/forign-security-policy-at-eu-level.