Expert Seminar | Europe at the Crossroads: Energy Security Challenges

The seminar is organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Prague, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Prague, and the French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences (CEFRES), in cooperation with the Embassy of the French Republic in Prague.

Date: June 10, 2025
Location: Embassy of the Republic of Poland, Valdštejnská 8, Prague 1
Language : EnglishAGENDA

14:30 – 15:00 Registration

15:00 – 15:15 Opening & Keynotes

  • Ms Barbara Tuge-Erecińska, Chargée d’Affaires a.i. of the Republic of Poland to the Czech Republic
  • Mr Andreas Künne, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Czech Republic
  • Mr Stéphane Crouzat, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Czech Republic
  • Mr Václav Bartuška, Ambassador-at-Large for Energy Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

15:15 – 16:00 Panel 1
Europe’s New Oil and Gas Geopolitics: Where Are We Headed?

This panel will examine how recent geopolitical shifts — including the war in Ukraine, Europe’s strategic disengagement from Russian gas and oil, global LNG compe on, and EU decarbonization efforts — are reshaping Europe’s fossil fuel landscape. Experts will discuss prospects for diversification, infrastructure challenges, and the long-term role of hydrocarbons in European energy security.

Moderator : tbc

  • Mr Olivier Massol, Centrale Supélec – University Paris Saclay
  • Ms Franca Pompeÿ, Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena)
  • Mr Filip Rudnik, Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW)
  • Mr Jan Udržal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

16:00 – 16:15 coffee break

16:15 – 17:00 Panel 2
Nuclear Energy in Europe: What Does the Future Hold?

Amid rising energy demand and climate commitments, nuclear power is once again in the spotlight. This panel will explore the strategies and potential of large-scale and small modular reactors (SMRs), as well as the political, social, and environmental debates shaping the future of nuclear energy in the EU.

Moderator : Jan Žižka

  • Ms Kinga Dudzińska, Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM)
  • Mr Jakub Landovský, Aspen Institute Central Europe
  • Mr Felix Matthes, Öko-Institut
  • Ms Teva Mayer, University of Haute-Alsace, Mulhouse

17:00 – 17:45 Panel 3
Renewables: Chances and Challenges

As Europe accelerates the deployment of renewable energy sources, it must also address its reliance on critical metals and on technologies which some of them are currently imported from outside the EU for sectors such as solar panels, batteries and wind turbines. This panel will examine how the EU can reduce its dependence on these imports through strategic investments, diversified supply chains and the implementation of policy instruments such as the Net-Zero Industry Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act.

Moderator : Clément Maufras

  • Mr Wojciech Dzięgiel, Casimir Pulaski Foundation
  • Mr Ondřej Kolínský, Research Fellow, Association for International Affairs (AMO)
  • Mr Gilles Lepesant, CNRS/CEFRES (French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences, Prague)
  • Ms Franca Pompeÿ, Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena)

17:45 Conclusions

Networking cocktail