Programme

4 March - Walking dinner
Venue: Museum of Fine Arts, 3 rue de la Régence, 1000 Brussels

Guided museum tour

Welcome by Mr Pierre Gattaz, President of BusinessEurope

Keynote speech by Mr Peter Power, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Hogan, European Commission

Walking dinner

5 March - Conference
Venue: Cercle de Lorraine,6 place Poelaert, 1000 Brussels

Registration and coffee

Welcome by Mr Markus J. Beyrer, Director General of BusinessEurope

Opening address by Mr Pierre Gattaz, President of BusinessEurope

Introductory video

Keynote speech by Mrs Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

Plenary debate 1: A changing Europe in a changing world

How to shape and adapt to the emerging new global order so that it delivers for Europe, its enterprises and citizens?

Moderator: Mrs Jacki Davis, Journalist, Meade Davis Communications

Scene setting remarks by Mr Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, European Commission

Panellists:
Mrs Dita Charanzová, Vice-President of the European Parliament
Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General of the Confederation of British Industry, CBI
Mr Steffen Kampeter, CEO of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, BDA
H.E. Kazuo Kodama, Ambassador of Japan to the European Union
Mr Pekka Lundmark, President of the Confederation of Finnish Industries, EK

Networking break

Plenary debate 2: Ensuring industrial leadership and rewarding innovation in fast evolving value chains

How to deliver an industrial strategy, digitalisation, sound competition and a truly integrated Single Market to strengthen Europe’s position in global value chains? How to foster impactful investment in innovation and protect intellectual property effectively to be competitive globally?

Moderator: Mr Sean Klein, Media Consultant, SeanKlein Media Ltd

Video message by Mr Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, European Commission

Panellists:
Mr Joachim Lang, Director General and Member of the Presidential Board of the Federation of German Industries, BDI
Mr Jean-Marc Ollagnier, CEO Europe, Accenture
Mr Wolfgang Burtscher, Deputy Director General of DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
Mr Beat Weibel, Head of Corporate Intellectual Property Group, Siemens

Testimony of Mr Carl-Erik Lagercrantz, Chairman and Co-founder of Northvolt

Walking lunch

Plenary debate 3: Implementing the Green Deal in partnership with industry

How to take care of the planet whilst strengthening our economy and ensuring public acceptance?

Moderator: Mrs Jacki Davis, Journalist, Meade Davis Communications

Scene setting remarks by Mrs Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission

Panellists:
Mrs Saori Dubourg, Member of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF SE
Mrs Emma Marcegaglia, President of ENI
Mr Fredrik Persson, President of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, SN
Mr Maciej Witucki, President of the Polish Confederation Lewiatan

Speech by Mr Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for the Economy, European Commission

Two parallel panel debates

Panel debate 1: Meeting skills and social needs on changing labour markets

How to tackle skills gaps and mismatches, equip people for the modern economy, support them in the transition and boost job creation to provide opportunities for all?

Moderator: Mr Dave Keating, journalist

Scene setting remarks by Mr Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, European Commission

Panellists:
Mr Alain Dehaze, CEO of The Adecco Group
Mr Peter Clever, Member of the Executive Board of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, BDA
Mr Per Hilmersson, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, ETUC

Panel debate 2: Delivering the reforms needed to strengthen the Economic and Monetary Union

How to ensure the good functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union, combining national and European reforms to have long-term growth and strengthen the euro’s international role?

Moderator: Mr Sean Klein, Media Consultant, SeanKlein Media Ltd

Panellists:
Mr Klaus Günter Deutsch, President of BusinessEurope Economic and Financial Affairs Committee and Director for Research Industry and Economic Policy, BDI
Mr Danny McCoy, CEO of the Irish Business Organisation, Ibec
Mr José Leandro, Director at the Directorate for Economic and Financial Affairs, European Commission
Mr Boris Kisselevsky, Head of the ECB Representation in Brussels

People regroup in plenary room and moderators do a short debriefing on the parallel panel debates

In conversation Mr Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Mr Markus J. Beyrer, Director General of BusinessEurope

Networking drink