State Threats in Canada and the EU: A Perspective for 2027

Nov

As of late 2026 Europe and other parts of the Western world are gripped by what is often referred to as “state threats” - actions by hostile foreign powers which steer clear of conventional war but nonetheless attempt to negatively influence the safety and security of a given state and its citizens. These threats not only include traditional espionage but also sabotage, cyber operations, transnational repression and even state terrorism.
Throughout 2025 and 2026 ICCT’s Current and Emerging Threats published reports and investigations on campaigns of such threats waged in Europe and against Europe by Iran and Russia. It now wishes to go beyond Europe and, given the recent strengthening of ties between the EU and Canada, it is only natural to perceive state threats with a comparative angle in mind.

This webinar will map out state threats for both Canada and the EU and look for commonalities in state threats campaigns waged by the likes of China, India, Iran or Russia on both sides of the Atlantic.
ICCT asked three prominent external experts:

Benedetta Girardi of the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies in the Netherlands
Amarnath Amarasingam of School of Religion, Queen's University in Canada
Thomas Juneau of University of Ottawa in Canada

who will focus in the order of appearance on the Chinese state threats to Europe and for the latter duo: on state threats in general and transnational repression by Iran, India and China in Canada which is also the subject of the book they are currently finishing.

While discussing this issue, they will be joined by ICCT’s current and emerging threats team of Julian Lanches and Uljana Vlagyimirova who authored the ground breaking paper on HAYI operations in Europe and contribute to ICCT’s reports on Russian hybrid warfare in Europe. The event will be moderated by ICCT’s Kacper Rekawek.

Join us for this webinar at 15.00 CET on November 30. Sign-up here.

Photo credit: Skorzewiak on Shutterstock