Brussels, February 18, 2025 – The European Center for Workers' Questions (EZA) invites you to the Brussels conference. Under the title “The EU's competitiveness agenda: What is at stake for workers and society?”, the possible social impacts of the European Commission's competitiveness agenda will be discussed. Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, will open the conference. The EZA Brussels Conference 2025 sees itself as a forum for dialogue between trade unions/employee organizations, science, business and politics.

The main topics of the conference:

• To what extent is the proposed vision of a “competitive Europe” compatible with Christian values, particularly the principles of human dignity and solidarity?
• How does the Commission plan to address the EU's major investment needs in order to restore growth? What are the implications of relying on private money instead of public funds to do so?
• What are the implications of the EU's push for deregulation and administrative simplification? How can we make sure the announced measures to “cut red tape” won't lead to a lowering of social and environmental standards?
• Empowering workers: how to tackle the skills gaps in order to boost innovation?

Speakers:

• Roxana Mînzatu (Executive Vice-President, social rights and skills, quality jobs and preparedness)
• Luc Van den Brande (EZA President)
•  Piergiorgio Sciacqua (EZA Co-President)
•  Dennis Radtke (MEP, EPP Group, Coordinator of the Employment Committee)
• Prof. Simona Beretta (Professor of International Economics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan)
• Brigitte Pircher (Associate Professor in Political Science, Södertörn University, Stockholm) • Maxime Cerutti (Director, Social Affairs, BusinessEurope)
• Jan Pieter Daems (Board Member, Dutch Christian National Trade Union Federation Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond(CNV))
• Thierry Philipponnat (Chief Economist, Finance Watch)
•  Andrea Beltramello (Head of Unit Capital Markets Union, DG FISMA, European Commission)
• Irene Wintermayr (Policy Officer, ILO Office for the EU ) and Pedro Moreno da Fonseca (Technical Specialist in Lifelong Learning,ILO)
• Sofie Mols (Director Innovation and Internationalization, Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Antwerp; Executive Director, HEROES Alliance)

Event details: 

• Date: Tuesday, February 18, 2025
• Location: Thon Hotel EU, Room Belgium, Rue de la Loi 75, 1040 Brussels
• Time: 10:00 – 18:00
• Languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian

Media representatives are cordially invited.

Please register at: brueggen@eza.org