Since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, the EU has spent an additional 24 billion euros (28 billion U.S. dollars) on energy imports due to higher prices, according to a European Commission statement on Wednesday.

KATOWICE, Poland, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Rising geopolitical tensions have pushed security to the forefront of Europe's economic agenda, with energy and defense taking center stage. The shift was reflected at this year's European Economic Congress (EEC) in Katowice.

Held under the theme "The Power of Dialogue," the 18th EEC opened on Wednesday and runs through Friday. It has drawn around 1,300 speakers and 13,500 participants, making it one of the largest economic gatherings in Europe.

"Public debate is increasingly shaped by security considerations, which require a strong, sovereign and competitive European economy," said Wojciech Kuspik, CEO of PTWP Group, the organizer of the EEC.

Jerzy Buzek, former Polish prime minister, said the war in Ukraine, tension in the Middle East and shifts in U.S. policy have altered Europe's geopolitical outlook, adding that the bloc must "stand on its own feet."

Europe is increasing investment in defense despite its fragmented economic structure, said Johan Pelissier, president of the Europe Region of Airbus, during a panel discussion.

"Europe's defense budget has already doubled and could double again within the next five years," Pelissier added.

The EU approved its 150-billion-euro (175-billion-U.S. dollar) Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program in May 2025 to expand joint production and procurement of defense equipment.

Under the program, the European Commission is expected to send the final version of loan agreements to members in the near future, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, a Polish government plenipotentiary for the European security instrument, said at the congress.

In addition, energy has become another pillar of the security debate. Participants warned that Europe remains vulnerable to external shocks, underscoring the need to accelerate both diversification and the energy transition.

Since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, the EU has spent an additional 24 billion euros (28 billion dollars) on energy imports due to higher prices, according to a European Commission statement on Wednesday.

The European Commission has proposed a package of measures, known as "AccelerateEU," aimed at reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets and boosting domestic clean energy.

"The only path forward for the EU is to build its own resilience, including in energy," said Ireneusz Fafara, general director of Orlen, the largest oil company in Poland.

Grzegorz Onichimowski, president of the management board of Poland's power grid operator, said that the conflicts had highlighted the advantages of an energy mix based on nuclear power and distributed renewable energy sources. He added that investment should primarily focus on these two areas, noting that European countries are already taking this into account.