Sovereign Europe Forum
Gathering Momentum for Europe!
A sovereign Europe is a prerequisite for preserving peace in freedom and the achievements and values of our European Union and its democratic culture.
Responsibility means
Response Ability
The European principle of peace in freedom is based on the systematic prevention of power abuse and the recognition of ALL existing national borders. This is the key to the success of the past 80 years.
After 80 years of strong security support from the United States it is an opportunity for Europe to take-over more responsibility which will also strengthen growth and competitiveness. As the fourth global power, Europe requires stronger security, economic, and political integration.
The Sovereign Europe Forum (SEF) brings together politicians, business leaders and experts to translate Europe’s sovereignty into action, through autonomous defense capabilities within the alliance, technological independence, and strong capital mobilization.
The aim is to develop and propose concrete solutions how to implement a sovereign Europe swiftly on the basis of independent defense capabilities and autonomous key technologies, in order to effectively meet the geopolitical challenges of our time.
The European Defense Union is the base.
On 12 February 2026, we convened the Sovereign Europe Forum 2026 at Hotel Bayerischer Hof (Königssaal) in Munich as an official side event of the Munich Security Conference—
hosted by the Sovereing Europe Forum, co-hosted by European Forum Alpbach (EFA) and United Europe - supported by ERSTE Stiftung.
The evening ran under Chatham House Rules, enabling a frank, implementation-oriented exchange.
The programme was organised in three panels—European Defence Union, Technological Sovereignty & Digital Infrastructure, and Capital Markets Union—yet the conversation had one clear centre of gravity throughout: European security and defence.
Each panel approached it from a different angle, but always with the same practical question in mind: what must Europe do—politically, industrially, and financially—to strengthen sovereignty and the capacity to act?
José Manuel Duaro Barroso
Antonella Mei-Pochtler
Martin Blessing
Finance Panel
Julia Reuss, Arancha Gonzáles Laya
Beat Wittmann
André Loesekrug-Pietri, Anne-Laure de Chammard, Julia Reuss, Arancha Gonzáles Laya, Ricardo Mendes
André Loesekrug-Pietri, Anne-Laure de Chammard, Julia Reuss, Arancha Gonzáles Laya, Ricardo Mendes
André Loesekrug-Pietri, Anne-Laure de Chammard, Julia Reuss, Arancha Gonzáles Laya, Ricardo Mendes
Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, Werner Sinn, Natalia Pouzyreff, Gabor Steingart, Klaus Welle, Moritz Schularick
Beat Wittmann, Martin Blessing, Philipp Hildebrand, Philippe Oddo, Andreas Treichl
Beat Wittmann, Martin Blessing, Philipp Hildebrand, Philippe Oddo, Andreas Treichl
Philippe Oddo
Martin Schoeller
Martin Schoeller
Signing of the Recommendation 2026: Klaus Regling
Signing of the Recommendation 2026: Othmar Karas
Signing of the Recommendation 2026: Othmar Karas
Previous Events
Strong Partners
Joint Forces
Sovereign Europe Forum, United Europe, and the European Forum Alpbach pursue the same goals and jointly advocate for a strong, sovereign, and united Europe through organized events.
Board
ANTONELLA
MEI-POCHTLER
Vice President
European Forum Alpbach
ANDREAS TREICHL
Chairman of the
ERSTE Foundation
DR. PATRICK ADENAUER
Entrepreneur
MARTIN SCHOELLER
Entrepreneur
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Patrick Adenauer (Family Business Network), José Manuel Duaro Barroso (former President of EU Commission), Jürgen Großmann (Entrepreneur and Founder United Europe), Othmar Karas (President European Forum Alpbach), Nico Lange (IRIS), Prof. Alexander Liegl (Lawyer), André Loesekrug-Pietri (Chairman & Scientific Director Jedi Foundation, The European ARPA), Antonella Mei-Pochtler (Entrepreneur, Board Member, Vice-President European Forum Alpbach), Günther H. Oettinger (President of United Europe), Klaus Regling (former Chairman ESM), Florian Schoeller (CEO of SCOPE Rating), Martin Schoeller (Entrepreneur and Founder Sovereign Europe Forum), Johannes Singhammer (Member of the G10 Commission), Andreas Treichl (Chairman ERSTE Stiftung), Nikolaus von Bomhard (Chairman Munich-Re), Erich Prinz von Lobkowicz (Entrepreneur), Heinrich von Pierer (former CEO of Siemens), Beat Wittmann (Founder and Chairman Porta Advisors)
Strong voices
Slide 1 of 3
Media
Press Releases:
29.03.2026
There is no doubt: after 80 years under the protection of the United States, Europe has not developed true strategic independence—on the contrary, its dependence has grown.
Now is the moment to pool our strengths and shape a self-determined, sovereign Europe.
A Europe that has global influence—and that, as potentially the only world power of its kind today, stands for the respect of borders and the protection of human rights.
The key to this is economically self-sufficient strength. And this requires a strong European capital market. Only then can our savings be invested within Europe—and only then can a funded pension system grow sustainably.
Larry Fink, the founder of BlackRock, is right: this step is unavoidable. It is not only in our interest, but also in the interest of the world, that alongside existing powers there is another strong and globally relevant region—one that respects borders and has the strength to defend them.
Europe now has the opportunity to take on exactly this role.
02.03.2026
Current Geopolitical Situation: Sovereign Europe Forum Calls for
Accelerated Establishment of a European Defence Union and Proposes European-Led NATO Command
22.12.2025
Forum for a self-responsible and self-determined Europe – the “Sovereign Europe Forum”
14.02.2025
Munich Declaration: 2025 European Defence Union for strength, peace and freedom: A Call for a Stronger, Autonomous and Competitive Europe
News
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