Competitiveness of Slovakia and the European Union

SPONSORED BY:

From the societal and economic perspective, Slovakia has recorded a steady decline in all relevant global indicators and indexes over the past few years, including reports from the European Commission, OECD statistics, the Global Competitiveness Index by the World Economic Forum, and the Rule of Law Index. It is important to us that Slovakia remains competitive and can successfully face new global as well as local challenges and continue to reflect the core values of the European Union.

At the same time, the attractiveness of Europe is under threat. A heavy regulatory agenda, protectionist trends and sluggish growth have created a difficult environment for business in a context of global uncertainty. But the future does not have to be bleak. With decisive action, the EU can reset the agenda and strengthen its competitiveness in the global economy. In the upcoming EP pre-election debate, we will be asking the electoral leaders of relevant democratic political parties in Slovakia about their view on Europe’s attractiveness - for investment and for the people who make and benefit from those investments – as we all depend on fair and resilient institutions and societies. Framing the discussion about the future role of the European Parliament in boosting the EU competitiveness, the election priorities are organized into seven key delivery themes: i) democracy, ii) economic and social recovery, iii) green deal, iv) health and consumer protection, v) external relations, vi) migration and asylum, as well as vii) digital agenda.

The invited representatives of political parties will present their vision on critically important topics for the future of Slovakia and the EU, including Rule of Law, Global Fight for Talent, and Innovations. While regulation can encourage fairness and innovation in Europe, it can also create unnecessary administrative burden and hinder the private sector’s capacity to grow. For the EU to remain competitive on the global stage, it must create frameworks that incentivize investments in research and development, including scaling of new technologies. Both legislative development and funding mechanisms have a role to play.

AGENDA

08:30 – Registration and Refreshments

09:00 – Introductory Remarks

Matej Stuška, AmCham Slovakia member of the Board of Directors

09:10 – Briefing on the 2024 EU elections: projections, possible scenarios and impact on Slovakia

Doru P. Frantescu, CEO & founder of EUmatrix.eu

09:45 – Pre-election debate with representatives of invited political parties*

Miriam Lexmann, Kresťanskodemokratické hnutie
Martin Hojsík, Progresívne Slovensko
Katarína Roth Neveďalová, SMER - sociálna demokracia
Paula Puškárová, Hlas-SD
Richard Sulík, Sloboda a Solidarita
Michal Kovačič, MODERATOR

11:00 – Networking and Refreshments

Introductory presentation will be delivered in English language, however the discussion part with political leaders will be held in Slovak language without translation.

*AmCham Slovakia invited representatives of all parliamentary political parties in Slovakia. Complete list of speakers will be updated regularly on AmCham webpage.