23rd Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Adversarial Foreign Investments
Honorable Mario Mauro elucidated the European Union’s strategy for managing adversarial foreign investment. While the EU advocates for the free movement of capital, certain foreign direct investments may pose risks to security and public order contingent upon the sector and the country of origin.
He elucidated the 2019 EU regulation, effective October 2020, which established a framework for cooperation between member states and the European Commission. Member states are obligated to notify the Commission of investments, particularly those impacting strategic projects, research programs, or critical infrastructure, although the final decision remains national. Mauro underscored trends observed in recent years, including heightened scrutiny of Chinese investments due to concerns regarding technology transfer and state-controlled firms. EU countries have revised their national regulations, and coordinated screening with trusted partners aims to safeguard the EU’s integrated economy against potential economic or political vulnerabilities
