European Central Bank hosts Annual Research Conference 2026 on geoeconomics

Luc Laeven: Luc Laeven serves as Director General of Research at the European Central Bank. He opened the conference with a welcome address and chaired the opening session on geopolitics and globalisation, facilitating dialogue on Europe’s policy options amid changing global conditions. Paul Krugman: Paul Krugman is a Nobel Prize laureate in economics and a professor at the City University of New York, specializing in international trade and macroeconomics. He is delivering the Jean Monnet lecture titled “Economic Size and Economic Power” at the ECB event, with Philip R. Lane serving as chair. Philip R. Lane: Philip R. Lane is a Member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank and functions as its Chief Economist. He is chairing the Jean Monnet lecture by Paul Krugman during the 2026 Annual Research Conference, linking academic insights to central bank perspectives on global economic dynamics. European Central Bank: The European Central Bank is the central bank responsible for monetary policy across the euro area and for overseeing financial stability in the European Union. It regularly convenes researchers and policymakers to examine emerging economic challenges. In this case, the ECB is hosting its 2026 Annual Research Conference in Frankfurt to explore geoeconomics and shifts in the international trading system. Policy Dialogue: Researchers and central bankers are exchanging views on Europe’s strategic responses to strains in the rules-based multilateral trading system. Conference Theme: The 2026 event examines how great-power competition, security concerns, and geoeconomic dependencies are altering the interplay between economics and geopolitics.