BIG events series

Recorded at BIG's event on 7 May 2026, this panel discussion explored how Europe's defence industrial capacity can be leveraged and coordinated to bolster the continent's strategic autonomy in the light of the threat from Russia and American strategic abandonment. Leading the conversation was BIG's Senior Defence Fellow Claude-France Arnould, who formerly served as Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency. She asked Indra Group's David Luengo and SAAB's Mikael Isaksson about Europe's home-grown potential - and what it needs to flourish.

Recorded at BIG’s event on 7 May 2026, this exchange of insights on the urgent challenge of European digital sovereignty brought together two of its leading advocates: Marietje Schaake, International Policy Director at the Stanford University Cyber Policy Center as well as a former MEP (2009-19), and Paul Timmers, professor at KU Leuven and European University Cyprus, and a former Director at the European Commission’s DG CONNECT. How can Europe become a competitive player in the digital revolution – and avoid a dystopian scenario in which the tools of tomorrow's prosperity are outsourced to MAGA and its Silicon Valley acolytes?

Recorded at BIG’s event on 28 April 2026, the conversation focused on how Europe can strengthen its energy security in an age of conflict. Jilles van den Beukel (HCSS), Brendan Devlin (European Commission), and Maria Pastukhova (E3G), in a discussion moderated by BIG Energy Fellow Thijs Van de Graaf, explore what the Iran war reveals about the EU’s energy vulnerabilities, from fossil fuel dependence and fragile supply routes to price volatility, market uncertainty, and geopolitical risk. The event looks at how the EU can build a more resilient energy strategy through diversification, preparedness, and a stronger focus on secure and sustainable energy systems.