Authors: Dr. Elisabeth Winter, Lea Holst
Economic security is high on the EU's agenda. With the European Commission having presented its new economic security doctrine last week, the debate on how Europe can remain open, competitive and resilient in a fragmented world is gaining momentum. Our newest policy paper contributes to this discussion by proposing a renewed—multidimensional—understanding of economic security for Germany and Europe.
In our paper “Rethinking economic security: the Port of Hamburg as a hub for inclusive geoeconomics”, my colleague Lea Holst and I argue that economic security goes beyond competitiveness and defence. In an era in which economic dependencies, military risks, social tensions and ecological pressures are increasingly intertwined, Germany must adopt an inclusive geoeconomic approach that systematically integrates economic, military-strategic, societal and ecological dimensions.
The paper shows how these four dimensions converge at the Port of Hamburg: as an economic and technological hub, a critical security infrastructure, a major social anchor and a place where climate impacts and transition meet. The case study of Hamburg demonstrates that ports are hubs of economic security and that only coordinated cooperation between politics, business, trade unions and civil society can secure long-term resilience.
Key takeaways:
#1 Economic security is multidimensional.
Germany can only remain resilient and internationally competitive if economic, security-related, societal and ecological dimensions are integrated into economic security.
#2 The EU has set the strategic framework.
The triad of promote, protect, partner, which was recently reaffirmed in the Commission’s newly released economic security doctrine, must guide Germany’s upcoming national economic security strategy to be released in 2026.
#3 Ports are hubs of economic security.
The Port of Hamburg illustrates how deeply economic, strategic, societal and ecological dimensions are intertwined and thus illustrates the need for close coordination between various actors.
#4 Inclusive geoeconomics is the key.
Economic policy must be actively shaped by linking efficiency, social participation and ecological sustainability.
You can read the full policy brief here:
More information about our work on Inclusive Geoeconomics can be found here.
Find the German version here.
