Symposium featuring the Director-General for Trade and Economic Security at the European Commission

The Economic Security Intelligence Lab (ESIL) at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo, is pleased to host a public symposium featuring Ms. Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Trade and Economic Security (DG TRADE) at the European Commission titled:

[Symposium featuring the Director-General for Trade and Economic Security at the European Commission]
Europe's Evolving Trade and Economic Security Agenda:
Competitiveness, Diversification, and EU–Japan Cooperation

Rising geopolitical tensions, the weaponization of economic interdependence, supply chain vulnerabilities, and intensifying competition over critical and emerging technologies are fundamentally reshaping the global economic landscape. Against this backdrop, how to safeguard economic security and enhance economic competitiveness while maintaining a free and open international economic order has become a major policy challenge shared by Japan and the European Union (EU).

In response to these challenges, the European Commission outlined a more strategic and proactive approach to economic security in December 2025, emphasizing greater use of existing policy instruments as well as possible new instruments where gaps exist. Further developments in 2026, including revisions to the EU's foreign investment screening framework, reflect the continued evolution of the EU's trade and economic security agenda. The EU is also seeking to diversify its supply chains and trade relationships through trade agreements and partnerships around the world.

Director-General Jørgensen plays a central role in shaping and implementing the EU's external economic policies, overseeing its trade and economic security agenda. Prior to assuming her current position in June 2026, she served as Director-General for Energy at the European Commission, where she worked on the energy transition, energy security and affordability, as well as efforts to phase out the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels during the energy crisis.

In this seminar, Director-General Jørgensen will share her perspectives on EU-Japan cooperation and the latest developments and future direction of the EU's trade and economic security policies.

Ms. Ditte Juul Jørgensen
Director-General for Trade and Economic Security, European Commission

Ditte Juul Jørgensen has served as Director-General for Trade and Economic Security (DG TRADE) at the European Commission since June 2026. She previously served as Director-General for Energy (2019–2026), overseeing the EU's energy transition, security of supply, and efforts to phase out dependence on Russian fossil fuels. From 2014 to 2019, she served as Head of Cabinet to Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. Earlier in her career, she held several senior positions within DG TRADE, including Director for Legal Affairs and Trade in Goods, and worked extensively on WTO matters, trade policy, and trade relations with Asian partners. She also served as Economic Counsellor and Head of the Economic Section at the EU Delegation to the United Nations in New York. She holds a law degree from the University of Copenhagen and studied European law at the College of Europe in Bruges.

Akira Igata (Project Lecturer, RCAST, The University of Tokyo)

This seminar will be conducted in English.

Notes for participants
- This symposium requires advance registration. After applying, only those whose participation is confirmed will receive a confirmation email. Please note that you will not be permitted to attend if you have not received this confirmation email.
- Identity verification will be conducted at reception on the day of the event. Please be sure to bring a valid photo ID (such as a student ID or driver’s license). For security reasons, entry may be denied if your identity cannot be verified.