Conference in Berlin (June 9-10, 2026)
Tariffs, industrial subsidies, export controls, and diverging regulatory approaches are placing increasing strain on transatlantic economic relations. At the same time, intensifying global competition over critical technologies is pushing Europe and the United States to recalibrate their trade and technology strategies. How can a sustainable transatlantic agenda be shaped under these conditions?
Against this backdrop, the fourth German-American Trade and Tech Conference (GATT-C) will take place in Berlin on June 9–10, 2026, organized by Aspen Institute Germany and hosted with the State Representation of Baden-Württemberg as part of the German-American Trade and Tech Dialogue (GATT-D). Under the title “Navigating Strategic Rivalries: Transatlantic Trade and Tech in an Age of Competition,” the conference will convene key decision makers from government, business, and academia.
The discussions will address both current points of friction and forward-looking priorities on the transatlantic agenda: the impact of tariffs and industrial subsidies, approaches to export controls and investment screening, coordination in EU–U.S. trade policy, and the development of a joint technology strategy in an era of heightened global rivalry.
Participants will also examine risks in global supply chains, dependencies in critical technologies, questions of standards-setting and regulation, and strategic positioning vis-à-vis China and other competitors. The objective is to strike a viable balance between economic openness, competitiveness, and security interests and to identify concrete pathways for resilient transatlantic cooperation in trade and technology.
Interested in joining? Register for in-person or online participation here.
Agenda
Please note, the agenda is subject to change. Addition speakers still to be announced. Check back regularly for updates!
Day 1: June 9, 2026
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Small Lunch Reception and Registration |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Welcome Remarks from Hosting Partner |
| 12:30 – 12:45 | Opening Keynote |
| 12:45 – 13:00 | Setting the Scene: Innovation in an Era of Competition Karan Bhatia, Vice-President, Global Head, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Panel Discussion 1: Markets, Microchips, and Might: How Trade and Technology Redefine Power and Security Karan Bhatia, Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google David Blumberg, Founder & Managing Partner, Blumberg Capital Christian Forwick, Deputy Director-General, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Nicol Turner Lee, Director of the Center for Technology Innovation and Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution N.N. Moderator: Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 14:00 – 14:30 | Keynote 2 |
| 14:30 – 15:00 | Coffee Break |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Spotlight Talk 1: Firewalls and Fault Lines: Cybersecurity in U.S.–European Relations |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Panel Discussion 2: Shockproof and Sustainable: Building Supply Chains for a Riskier World Fabian Bahr, Head of Public and Government Affairs, Carl Zeiss AG Lars Purkarthofer, Director of Public Affairs DACH, UPS Alexander Lücke, Deputy Director-General, National Economic Security and Energy Security, German Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy N.N. Moderator: Anja Wehler-Schöck, Member of the Editorial Board, Tagesspiegel |
| 16:30 – 17:00 | Coffee Break |
| 17:00 – 18:30 | Oxford Style Debate: Digital Sovereignty: Walling Off or Working with? Team 1: Digital resilience is best achieved through cooperation with partners and international interdependencies, not through strategic autonomy and sovereignty. Ben Brake, Director General, DOT Europe Dr. Sharinee Jagtiani, Senior Officer, GMF Technology, German Marshall Fund of the United States Dr. Nicole Lemke, Senior Policy Reseacher AI Systems, Markets & Governance, interface Laura Mahrenbach, Adjunct Professor, Technical University Munich Team 2: Digital resilience is best achieved through strategic autonomy and sovereignty, not through cooperation with partners and international interdependencies. Frederik Olivanti, Head of Sales, Europe, Wire Felix Styma, Managing Partner, iconomy Shane Tews, Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute N.N. Moderator: Nicole Tisdale, Interim Senior Director of Cybersecurity Programs, Aspen Digital |
| 18:30 – 18:45 | Closing Remarks Day 1 |
Day 2: June 10, 2026
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Coffee and Registration |
| 9:30 – 9:35 | Welcome Remarks Day 2 |
| 9:35 – 10:05 | Keynote 3 |
| 10:05 – 11:00 | Panel Discussion 3: Modernizing Multilateralism: Can the Trading System Be Saved? Beth Baltzan, Deputy Director, Coalition for New Trade John Hancock, G20/G7 Sherpa, Head of Policy Development, World Trade Organization Nathalie Martin-Hübner, Head of the Corporate Office for Governmental Affairs, Robert Bosch GmbH N.N. |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee Break |
| 11:30 – 13:00 | Breakout Sessions with Audience Input Session 1: From Tools to Agents: AI and the Future of Work in Europe and the United States Liba Rubenstein, Director, Economic Opportunities Program, Future of Work Initiative, Aspen Institute Monique Priestly, Member of the Vermont House of Representatives, D-Orange-2 N.N. Moderator: Dr. Nicola Brandt, Head, OECD Berlin Centre Session 2: Curing the Rift: The Future of Transatlantic Health Cooperation Dr. Lara Peterson, Managing Director, German Health Alliance Industry Network for Global Health Armin Smajilovic, Business Development Lead, North America, Kimetec GmbH N.N. Session 3: From Space to Sea: Securing Critical Infrastructure in an Age of Strategic Competition Andrea Rotter, Head of Division Foreign and Security Policy, Hans Seidel Foundation Lauryn Williams, Deputy Director, Strategic Technologies Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Tobias Ziegler, Partner, Stinson LLC N.N. |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 – 14:30 | Two on Two: Economic Statecraft in an Era of Strategic Competition (Chatham House Rule, non live-streamed) Metin Hakverdi, Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation, German Federal Foreign Office Bryant Trick, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East Moderator: Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Panel Discussion 4: AI Governance at a Crossroads: Cooperation or Fragmentation? The Role of the BRICS Marco-Alexander Breit, Director General Digital Policy and Economic Affairs at the German Federal Ministry of Digital Transformation and Government Modernization Dr. Shiko Gitau, CEO of Qhala, a premier digital innovation company, from Kenya N.N. Moderator: Sascha Tamm, Head of the Transatlantic Dialogue and Latin America Division, Friedrich Naumann Foundation |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee Break |
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Panel Discussion 5: Strategic Autonomy or Alliance Integration? Transatlantic Defense Cooperation at a Crossroads Stephanie Willmann, Country Director for Germany, Northrop Grumman N.N. Moderator: Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany |
| 17:00 – 17:15 | Closing Remarks |
