European Forum Alpbach 2025 Breaks records and Looks to the Future of Europe

The forum was the venue for high-profile debates with leading politicians, including Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and numerous EU commissioners and CEOs of renowned companies also took part in the discussions.

A particular highlight was the speech by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who emphasized in his opening address that “Europe is the answer.” He highlighted the importance of European unity and compared the dynamics of Europe with those of the Baltic states, which he described as “true EU fans.” “We are a strong alliance, no matter what danger is on our doorstep,” said Van der Bellen. He also criticized the increasing restrictions on media freedom and the rule of law in a neighboring country, without naming it.

However, the invitation from the US think tank Heritage Foundation caused controversy, as reported by “DerStandard.” The foundation, which is considered a thought leader for former US President Donald Trump's policies with its “Project 2025,” is known for its critical stance toward liberal democracies and the EU. The presence of Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom, was described by critics as a “dangerous normalization of disinformation.” The forum defended the invitation, arguing that it is important to understand all points of view to develop effective strategies for Europe.

Records broken and standards set

With almost 4,300 participants from 108 countries, EFA24 attracted strong international interest, as reported by ORF. The annual theme, “Moment of Truth,” addressed the significant election decisions made worldwide in 2024. Under the motto “Recharge Europe,” the European Forum Alpbach (EFA) is using its 80th anniversary in 2025 to develop concrete visions for the future. "Europe is currently experiencing more parallel crises than at any time since 1945. That is why we need a bold vision that strengthens Europe's competitiveness, capacity for action, and innovative power,“ said EFA President Othmar Karas, who replaced Andreas Treichl as president of the Forum Alpbach last year. ”With Recharge Europe, we want to give Europe the energy it needs to regain a leading role globally," said Karas.

This year, Alpbach will once again be the meeting place for international exchange in the last two weeks of August. The European Forum Alpbach program was divided into five modules: Euregio Days, focusing on global challenges from the perspective of the Euregio Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino; Seminar Days and Lab Days; Europe in the World Days, with debates on Europe's role in the global context; and Austria in Europe Days, focusing on the role of EU member states in Europe.

Among the 4,300 participants were other high-ranking guests such as Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, who, like Vindobona.org, gave a notable speech on Europe as a defense union. Several EU commissioners, including Magnus Brunner, Jessika Rosswall, and Maria Luís Albuquerque, as well as representatives from the business community, including Peter Bosek, CEO of Erste Group, Axel van Trostenburg, Senior Managing Director of the World Bank, and Rumman Chowdhury, Managing Director of Humane Intelligence, also took part. Representatives from the scientific community included Sigrid Stagl, climate economist, Nobel Prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz, and Fields Medal winner Cédric Villani. International political figures and representatives of international organizations were also in attendance, such as the Chair of the Committee on Security and Defense in the European Parliament, Mairead McGuiness, Irish presidential candidate, Armin Laschet, former Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Katarina Barley, Vice-President of the European Parliament, and Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Innovation and strategic cooperation

The EFA 2025 was also marked by innovation and cooperation. Cooperation with think tanks such as Bruegel, WIFO, and the Hertie School was significantly expanded to document and further develop the results of the discussions in a sustainable manner. The ideas generated by the forum are incorporated into the work of EFA365, a year-round program that ensures that the insights gained in the summer are translated into concrete projects.

Another example of the innovative power of the media industry, which was also discussed in Alpbach, is the Media Innovation Lab of the Wiener Zeitung media group. The lab supports young content and media tech startups through a nine-month fellowship program. Projects focusing on artificial intelligence, large language models, and AdTech can receive funding of up to €40,000. The program has already achieved success, as demonstrated by the example of the startup nexus Group AI, which has developed an AI solution for personalized archive searches.

The Czech Republic was also prominently represented. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský emphasized the need to strengthen Europe's defense readiness. In his speech at the “Europe in the World” panel, he highlighted the importance of transatlantic relations and referred to the Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine. He announced that the Czech Republic intends to increase its defense budget to 3% of GDP by 2030, underscoring the country's determination to take more responsibility for its own security.

Participants at the European Forum Alpbach 2025 expressed confidence that Europe can shape a positive future despite all the crises it faces. The new record number of participants underscores the growing interest in the European idea. The next European Forum Alpbach will take place from August 22 to September 4, 2026.

Presidential Chancellery of Austria

EFA

Czech MFA

Brutkasten