We are delighted to invite you to a hybrid event which will be held on Wednesday, 19th of June at 17.00.
This event will consist of an afternoon of discussion on whether the next EU legislative mandate will foster an industrial policy which combines competitiveness and sustainability. The event will also be a timely opportunity to discuss the array of challenges with which the European industry is confronted in the current international context, with our distinguished speakers:
- Cristian Bulumac, ITRE Policy Advisor, Greens/EFA Group;
- Lars Ole Locke, ITRE Policy Advisor, EPP Group;
- Axel Minaire, ITRE Policy Advisor, Renew Group;
- Maxim Raym, ITRE Policy Advisor, ECR Group;
- Stella Sassi, ITRE Policy Advisor, S&D Group.
Frank Niederländer, Head of Governmental Affairs Europe, BMW will hold an introductory speech.
The debate will be moderated by Rebecca Christie, Europe Columnist, Reuters Breakingnews
This event is public and will be held both onsite and online.
Due to a limited number of seats, please await final confirmation from us after registration, if you wish to attend this event in person.
This event is kindly supported by
About the debate
In recent years, several questions related to industrial policies have regained prominence in both the international and European public discourse and are poised to become a crucial issue during the upcoming EU legislative term. Indeed, Europe finds itself at a pivotal juncture, undergoing the most significant transformation in a century towards a greener and more connected economy. Within this context, the majority of European industries are keen to maintain their production within the continent. However, they also face an array of challenges, including fierce global competition, rising energy costs, lack of skilled workers, and the imperative to invest in research, development and retention of innovative technologies.
These challenges are further compounded by the necessity of rolling out new infrastructures and the need of accessing to finance within a fragmented capital market. Additionally, the EU is adjusting its trade policies to protect its industries and is grappling with the task of creating an effective Capital Market Union to better finance Europe’s economy. Against this backdrop, the European Union is behoved to establish a more robust framework to ensure the competitiveness of its industries and safeguard Europe’s standards of living.
The commissioning of the Letta and Draghi reports has been well-received by the European industrial sector, with the former focusing on reforming the Single Market for growth and the latter addressing the competitiveness of the EU economy in a complex global context. However, some observers noted that, while strategic legislation has already been proposed by European institutions, the EU has yet to create the actual conditions for its industries to thrive and promote growth across the continent.
There is widespread agreement that a revitalised EU industrial and policy environment has the potential to drive technological innovation, facilitate the transition to a greener economy and generate employment and growth. However, other major global competitors, such as the US and China, are performing better also thanks to a different approach to the question of competitiveness.
In this connection, several authoritative players have called for an Industrial Deal complementary to the European Green Deal. Nevertheless, whether the next EU legislative term will succeed in fostering a comprehensive industrial policy that balances competitiveness and sustainability remains to be seen.
This is a public event, hence the Chatham House Rule will not apply.
The event will start at 17.00 online, while the onsite welcoming at the premises of L42 will begin at 16.30. The discussion will last around an hour and a half.
Due to a limited number of seats, please await final confirmation from us after registration, if you wish to attend this event in person.
The audience will be able to ask questions both in person or through sli.do #EUIndustry
We look forward to hosting you on the 19th of June 2024.
