Vol. 1 (2026)

Policy Proposals

Towards an Economic Security Alliance: The Architecture of Collective Resilience in the Age of Geoeconomics

Published 2026-05-19

  • Fabian Zuleeg

Fabian Zuleeg
European Policy Centre (Belgium)

Journal of Geoeconomics Cover

Abstract

Liberal democracies face mounting geoeconomic threats and economic coercion, yet no structured common framework exists to address them. This Policy Proposal calls for a pragmatic Economic Security Alliance (ESA) between like-minded countries to enhance collective resilience and manage interdependence strategically. Rather than a rigid treaty-based model, the ESA would coordinate pragmatically across priority policy areas such as export controls, investment screening, critical raw materials, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, under a rotating secretariat. The proposal advocates a phased Track 1.5 approach, led by trusted experts, to develop a blueprint for later adoption. The resulting ESA would safeguard economic openness and liberal democracy and deter those seeking to undermine them.

Keywords

Economic security, economic statecraft, economic coercion, strategic interdependence, liberal democracies, economic security alliance, export controls, investment screening

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Author Biography

Fabian Zuleeg

Fabian Zuleeg is Chief Executive and Chief Economist of the European Policy Centre.

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