Towards a competitive, sustainable and secure European economy
Event type
Half day event in NBS premises
Date
19. March 2025
14:00 – 20:00
Venue
Národná banka Slovenska
Imricha Karvaša 1
813 25 Bratislava
Congress centre, ground floor
Language
English
Partners
About
The half-day special event, co-organized with the European Investment Bank and the European Commission, will bring together business leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to explore strategies for bolstering economic growth and competitiveness in the context of Mario Draghi’s report on the future of European competitiveness and related interlinkages with Slovakia. The focus will be on addressing Europe’s innovation gap, decarbonization challenges, and strategic autonomy in key sectors. Participants will explore actionable strategies to reduce dependencies, foster technological leadership, and enhance the Single Market and capital markets. The event aims to provide a platform for exchanging ideas, fostering collaboration, and shaping a sustainable and competitive economic future for the European Union and Slovakia.
Draft Agenda
14:00 – 14:30
Registration
14:30 – 14:50
Welcome remarks „Towards a more productive, sustainable and resilient European economy“
Michal Horvath Executive Director, Chief Economist, NBS
Debora Revoltella, Chief Economist, European Investment Bank
Julia Brockhoff, Head of Unit, Reform and Investment Task Force (SG REFORM), European Commission
14:50 – 15:20
Keynote speech „The EU’s competitiveness agenda„
Lukas Vogel, Deputy Head of Unit, DG ECFIN, European Commission
Keynote Speech „Innovation, Integration, and Simplification in Europe – The EIB Investment Report 2024/25„
Debora Revoltella, Chief Economist, European Investment Bank
15:20 – 16:05
„Closing the Innovation Gap: Europe’s Productivity Challenge“
This panel will discuss insights from the Draghi Report on Europe’s persistent productivity gap with the United States, focusing on innovation as a critical driver. Key discussion points will include structural differences in research and development (R&D), the role of education and digital infrastructure, and policy frameworks supporting entrepreneurship. Panelists will evaluate policy options to achieve a more dynamic and productive European and Slovak economies. Additionally, the discussion will address barriers to investment and improving financial integration to support economic growth.
Eva Mihočková, Moderator
Jochen Schanz, Senior Economist, European Investment Bank
Michaela Kršková, Board Member, European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
Silvia Gavornikova – Head of Export Credits and Competition Division, OECD
Andrew Green – Labour and Social Affairs of the OECD
16:05 – 16:35
Coffee break
16:35 – 17:20
“Balancing Climate Ambitions and Economic Strength: A Path to Sustainable growth”
The panel will focus on aligning the EU’s and Slovak’s decarbonization goals with industrial competitiveness. Discussions will address the agenda of reducing energy costs, scaling up clean energy infrastructure, and accelerating the energy grid enhancements to deliver renewable energy benefits more quickly. It will explore how Europe can maintain its leadership in clean technologies while managing global competition, particularly in strategic sectors like batteries, and how Slovakia can contribute to this effort. We will highlight a pragmatic, trade-compliant approach to support fair competition and drive sustainable industrial growth.
Eva Mihočková, Moderator
Debora Revoltella, Chief Economist, European Investment Bank
Michaela Hletková Ploszeková, Head of the Environment Department, Volkswagen Slovakia a.s.
Ali Alsamawi, International Energy Forum
17:20 – 18:05
„Competitiveness in the Age of Economic resilience and Deglobalization“
The panel will explore emerging trends and risks of deglobalization and its impact on economic resilience. Professionals from diverse disciplines will debate how firms and governments can navigate this evolving landscape of international relations while securing the strategic autonomy and maintaining the balance between free trade and national economic interests. The discussion will include strategies to enhance competitive edge, ensure resilience of key supply chains, increase production in critical areas, including innovative goods and frontier technologies, address supply chain vulnerabilities, and secure essential raw materials in the EU and Slovakia. Panelists will also examine the challenges of economic fragmentation and the inherent tension between the desire for greater self-sufficiency and the reality of an increasingly interconnected and interdependent global economy.
Eva Mihočková, Moderator
Harald Fadinger, Professor of the Economics at the University of Vienna
Zuzana Gentner Vavrova, European Commission, DG GROW, Strategy and Regulation: Single Market and Industrial Policy, European Commission
Emilija Timmis, Senior Economist, World Bank
18:05 – 18:15
Reflection of the day
Michal Horvath Executive Director, Chief Economist, NBS
18:15 – 20:00
Evening reception
Registration
Registration is closed.