On 5-6 May 2026, the NAVIGATOR consortium gathered in Brussels for its mid-term meeting, bringing together project partners, experts and practitioners for two days of discussion on Europe’s role in an increasingly complex global environment.
Hosted at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)’s offices, the meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of the project’s progress while bringing NAVIGATOR’s research into conversation with perspectives from beyond the consortium.
The first day focused on some of the broader questions at the heart of the project. Discussions explored Europe’s approach to digitalisation and technological change, as well as a central question for NAVIGATOR: what role can the EU play in global governance at a time of growing geopolitical competition and fragmentation?
The programme also offered a first look at NAVIGATOR’s Data Nest, bringing together data and insights developed across the project to better understand how the EU navigates an evolving international landscape.
On the second day, participants moved into smaller thematic discussions on climate and finance, digitalisation and security, and migration and health. These sessions created space for exchanges across NAVIGATOR’s different research areas and for reflection on the connections emerging between them.
Beyond taking stock at the project’s halfway point, the Brussels meeting was an opportunity to bring different perspectives together and look ahead. The discussions will help inform NAVIGATOR’s work over the coming months as the project continues to examine how the EU can navigate — and help shape — a changing global order.
