1. A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E 7 T H E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S
20-22 APRIL 2015
KATOWICE
conclusions
FOR EUROPE
INVESTMENTS
INNOVATIONS
ENERGY
2. 2
M A I N S U B J E C T A R E A S
W n i o s k i d l a E u r o p 2 0 1 5
More freedom in the economy
and in the market,more
courage while investing,
as well as in innovations
and during expansion,but
also common security and
deepening of integration in
order to make the most of
common strengths: The 7th
European Economic Congress
has indicated the ways of
thinking about the future of
Europe.
A
n innovative leap that Europe should take so as not
to lose in the global race for competitiveness. More
free market and harmonisation of law, and fewer in-
dividual interests. Attractiveness for investors, ener-
gy security, expansion and partnership cooperation in new mar-
kets. Conclusions of this year’s 7th European Economic Congress
do not bring ready-made recipes because this is not what open
debates are supposed to bring. However, a synthesis of the three
days of debates brings a message for Europe which is contend-
ing with internal problems and searching for a new develop-
ment formula in an unstable and dynamically changing world.
The new post-crisis reality, which is not at all easier, makes us
verify clichés or euro-delusions. The hand of no country, nor any
move on the part of the administration in Brussels, could solve
economic problems in a miraculously simple way and push Europe
outofstagnation.Publicinvestmentswillnotpropelthewheelsof
the European economic machinery which turn too slowly.
It is necessary to convince private investors that Europe is
an attractive place to invest in – these are the fundamental
observations that even the very first debates of the Congress
have brought. High-ranking representatives of the EU admin-
istration called upon the representatives of business to pro-
vide the EU institutions with information on how they should
modify and regulate the EU market in order to support invest-
ments. The voice of business, investors and practitioners in
the economy is so important because “Brussels does not al-
ways know what the situation really looks like”.
Too low level of innovation is a common problem for the
entire Europe. There will be no breakthrough without the
The most important part of the
Juncker’s Plan includes deepening
and harmonisation of the EU
internal market.
4. 4
C o n c l u s i o n s f o r E u r o p e 2 0 1 5
M A I N S U B J E C T A R E A S
regulatory barriers being removed, without tax incentives,
without an efficient system of supporting novelty, creative and
effective elements of the economy.
By using its traditional strengths and investing in trust and
partnership, Europe has to look for its new opportunities be-
yond its borders, that is in the new, dynamic markets, such as
Africa and Asia.
Investments in Europe. Finance, regulations and growth
Three hundred billion euro is supposed to revive investments
which are so much needed in Europe and drive the growth. Until
recently, this was just an idea arousing unhidden controversy,
but now it has begun to take a tangible form. As it was reserved
with caution during the Congress, it is a whole another matter
whether the mechanism being constructed will work in the way
we would like it to…
The European Fund for Strategic Investments will have a
capital base of EUR 21 billion at its disposal, which is to provoke
EUR 315 billion worth of investments between 2015 and 2017.
It is expected that outlays of the value of EUR 240 billion
as part of this amount will be allocated to strategic sectors
(transport, energy and information and telecommunications
infrastructure, as well as research and development) and EUR
75 billion will be given the sector of small and medium-sized
enterprises.
But it is not the money that constitutes the major problem
and challenge for European politicians and investors.
Too much emphasis is put on the amount of funds as part of
the Juncker’s Plan and too little attention is paid to the qual-
ity of particular proposals. Not only do the projects for the
Juncker’s Plan need to be good from the point of view of the
European Union as a whole instead of only from the perspective
of the interest of particular Member States, but also they have
to trigger the interest of private equity. Participants in the Con-
gress were sceptical about the quality of projects which have
been submitted so far (that is until April 2015).
The key mechanism and tool of the Plan is to be effective
improvement of the regulatory environment, which will be
noticeable for entrepreneurs and will create better conditions
for investments in the European Union. The point is elimina-
tion of barriers that undermine the achievement of investment
undertakings.
The plan provides for legislative actions that cover reforms
in the energy sector, creation of the Digital Single Market, a re-
form of the services and products market, the building of a capi-
tal market union, changes in the area of transport or support for
scientific research and innovations.
The subject area related to the dynamic investments in Eu-
rope comes into close relations with such topics of the Congress
as the changes in the EU which serve to increase the level of
integration and cohesion of the Community, an increase in in-
novation of the European economy, or reindustrialisation.
Energy, climate and industry. Three-in-one
None of these topics can be discussed separately – in isolation
from other contexts – such a thesis proposed to the partici-
pants in the debates on the energy industry, climate policy and
the idea of industrialisation has been clearly confirmed during
the Congress.
Not only does the cooperation between the countries of the
European Union in the field of the energy industry increase the
energy security of the Community, but it is also an important
step in the struggle for climate protection. The common energy
market is an obvious impetus to the development of a modern
energy industry – more environmentally friendly and better
satisfying the demand for safe and available energy.
Achieving the goals of the climate policy will not be possible
without the use of new technologies; moreover, the climate pol-
icy may become a stimulus for innovation in the energy industry.
The EU energy policy cannot be reduced only to the dimen-
sion related to CO2 emissions and their impact on industrial
production. The new energy industry, modern industry in gen-
eral and climate protection should strengthen one another.
Reindustrialisation – an idea, the implementation of which
does not go the way it was assumed to go, should be low-car-
bon and competitive. This direction has been confirmed by the
EU Heads of State (recently in March 2015).
However, there is a threat to the restoration of industry and,
speaking in broader terms, to the competitiveness of Europe, due
to the high energy prices resulting, to a large extent, from the cli-
mate and fiscal policies. As the representatives of the large-scale
industrial business argued during the Congress, it is the politicians
who will decide whether the products of particular industries will
be manufactured in Europe or in other parts of the world.
There is too much extortion and too few incentives in the
energy policy pursued by Brussels; it should take into better
account the specific character of the economies of various
countries, their resources and geographical conditions. Due to a
different starting point than it was the case with the countries
of the “old European Union”, the objectives of the energy and
climate policy in the new Member States of the EU should be
accompanied by effective compensation mechanisms.
Another key issue to the energy security of the
EU is the construction of cross-border gas and
electricity interconnections.
5. 5
The EU energy policy should also take into consideration the
events taking place beyond its borders, such as the conflict in
Ukraine. In this context, it is extremely important to build inter-
national electricity and gas interconnections.
The development of cross-border interconnections is usually
associated with such keywords as the integration of national
energy markets in the EU and the creation of a common energy
market. However, the emergence of the common market still
remains very far due to various reasons, including national reg-
ulations still being very diverse – there is a lack of harmonised
rules of support for renewable sources and the use of broadly
defined public aid.
The European Union will remain a world leader in the fight
against climate change, which does not change the fact that it is
only responsible for approx. 11 per cent of the global CO2 emis-
sions. What is important is to conduct the fight with climate
change, which is global, after all, on a global scale – by consen-
sus. If, however, these actions would lead in practice to a loss of
competitiveness and economic stagnation, it will be extremely
hard to win the societies and decision-makers over to them.
Europe, being exposed to the risks related to political insta-
bility, is aiming at energy security which, just as it is the case
with climate protection and reindustrialisation, is has to learn
to speak about with one voice of the Community. An example of
such European cooperation and communication will be the new
legal framework concerning the gas market in the EU, which are
to strengthen the solidarity of the Member States, especially in
emergency situations.
Innovation in the economy. A time of taking actions
The lack of innovation is a pan-European problem, regardless
of the actual level of innovation in the economies of particular
Member States. In spite of the fact that many European enter-
prises are ranked among the best in terms of innovation, Eu-
rope has no reasons for being satisfied – many undertakings are
being moved to a more innovation-friendly business environ-
ment, such as the United States. As a result, the Old Continent
loses its importance on the global economic map.
The main reasons for this are problems with the financing
of innovative activity, over-regulation of the economy and an
aversion to taking risks among the entrepreneurs, which is
closely related to these two factors.
During several debates on various aspects of innovation,
doubt was cast on the thesis that entrepreneurs are more in-
clined to take risks when they operate in countries deemed as
more innovative. If some innovative projects are not imple-
mented in Europe, this simply means that entrepreneurs do not
have suitable conditions for the implementation of their goals.
This is why it is necessary to eliminate all barriers to innovation
in the Member States.
Innovative undertakings generate multi-billion profits, but
they are and will remain considerably more risky than stand-
ard business activity. Acceptance for risk in this field is a key
challenge not only for the entrepreneurs, but also for state ad-
ministration which has to take this risk into consideration, for
instance when clearing EU funds, as well as in the actions taken
by tax and customs officials.
Rejection motivated by reluctance to take risks is a common
response to innovative proposals and projects that are sup-
posed to utilise public funds. Paradoxically, the very same re-
jecting entities are the source of complaints about the low level
of innovation in Europe. Including calculated and mitigated risk
in the actions taken by the administration appears to be a par-
ticularly tough challenge.
It is crucial to allocate the funds to research
and development via industry. This increases
the chances of their profitable implementation.
6. 6
M A I N S U B J E C T A R E A S E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S 2 0 1 5
C o n c l u s i o n s f o r E u r o p e 2 0 1 5
In the context of pro-innovative changes in the law, the Pol-
ish bill on support for innovation, containing such initiatives as
tax allowances for research and development, has received rec-
ognition. It was emphasised that such mechanisms work well
in the USA.
Changes in the financing of research and development in-
troduced in the new EU financial framework that has just be-
gan raise hopes that innovative technologies will flourish. It is
crucial to allocate the funds to research and development pro-
jects via industry, as it increases the chances of their profitable
implementation.
The stage of a European debate on the general assumptions
of the European pro-innovative policy is now behind us. The
time has now come to take actions and apply specific solutions,
which will prove difficult if Europe (scientists, business and ad-
ministration) fails to understand that innovations are more than
just research and development and new inventions. First of all,
it is their commercialisation – their implementation to mass
production, delivery to the market and, finally, profit which is
the goal of every single business activity.
Poland, which ranks poorly against other European countries
in terms of innovation, is an example of a country at the stage
of transformations – in the process of maturing to innovation.
The success the Polish economy has had so far has taken place
without a considerable contribution on the part of innovations
and entrepreneurs deemed such activity burdened with exces-
sive risk. However, without innovations further development is
impossible.
Nevertheless, there is and there will be no recipe for creating
an innovative enterprise – the debates of the Congress have
also been unable to come up with a universal recipe in this re-
gard. The cases presented during the debates have proved that
the likelihood of success depends on the particular industry,
market environment and size of the entity. However, innova-
tion has to be somehow “built into the DNA of an enterprise”; it
is not enough to implement an idea or complete a single pro-
gramme – the entirety of an enterprise’s activity, management
philosophy and mentality of the staff has to be subordinate to
innovation.
The state and the economy
In times of crisis and as a result of painful experiences, acqui-
escence or even expectation for the state’s intervention in the
economy appears. On the other hand, it is known that it is eco-
nomic freedom that brings wealth to nations. The current or
expected role of the state in the economy, as well as in creat-
ing the growth or stabilising the situation in Europe threatened
with stagnation, was one of the main subject areas of this year’s
Congress.
The elementary experience of the significance of economic
freedom and private ownership for development is shared be-
tween the European countries that have undergone political
transformation. However, their attitudes as to the role of the
state in the economy vary.
The example of Poland proves that the countries that were
more consistent in heading towards economic freedom and the
rule of law have achieved better results in terms of economic
growth. However, it is not so that past success guarantees fu-
ture achievements. Without a higher dose of reforms, Poland
and other Central European countries will permanently slow
down their economic growth.
Both the state and the enterprises stand (or should be stand-
ing) “on the same side of the barricade” in terms of economic
growth. Here, however, the experiences differ as well. In many
European countries, business considers the state as more of a
threat than an entity to cooperate with.
As a leader in the economy, the state hampers its operation,
which can be illustrated with the example of a private enter-
prise competing with a state-owned enterprise that operates
based on different criteria and has different objectives. The
state can be detrimental to the economy not only in playing
the role of an economic actor – privileged on the one hand, and
burdened and encumbered with political duties on the other
– but also in regulating the economy too vigorously without
being able to foresee the economic consequences of the legal
solutions and norms being introduced.
During the Congress, a general recommendation was being
formulated (rightful in theory inasmuch as difficult in its day-
to-day application), namely that we should have as much mar-
ket and as much freedom as possible and only as much state
intervention as needed. An agreement of this type constitutes
the basis for a policy that works well in Germany, for instance.
The problem the highly developed European economies are
experiencing is too high a level and scope of subsidies for the
private sector. The actions of the state should be aimed to a
greater extent at combining entrepreneurship and educa-
tion in order to stimulate creativity and not to kill the spirit of
entrepreneurship.
Social expectations as to the role of the state in the post-cri-
sis economic landscape of Europe, which must not be neglected
in the current situation, should take into consideration not only
the objectives of the economic policy, but its tools as well.
Temporary intervention in particular industries, protectionism
onerous to the European market and economic exchanges, or
acting as an owner in enterprises are certainly more “invasive”
methods than transparent actions of an active regulator subject
to stricter control.
However, it must not be forgotten that in times of instability
the state faces challenges related to the socialisation of eco-
nomic and investment risk – it is sometimes the condition for
growth in the case of fields that are particularly exposed to risks
and political risk.
Integration, cohesion and infrastructure
Without a coherent electricity and gas transmission system,
as well as without road and rail transport, the European Union
loses its competitiveness. The new framework of the EU budget
creates possibilities for further integration of the European
infrastructure. Investing in spatial and functional cohesion of
Europe is a reachable and practical dimension of integration, as
well as a potential source of advantages and the driving force
behind prosperity.
However, we will not manage to achieve a higher degree of
integration and cohesion, nor better quality of the common
market in Europe, without new cross-border interconnections
in the fields of energy, road and rail network, and telecommuni-
cations. Without cross-border infrastructure interconnections,
the countries of the European Union will not be able to make
A debate on the balance between the private
sector and market freedom will always remain
a political debate.
7. 7
best use of the advantages that the Community has to offer.
Consolidation of the internal market is a huge challenge for the
European Union as a whole.
There is so much work left to be done in the field of aligning
the transport in Europe. In the case of roads, this concerns such
aspects as the introduction of a uniform toll collection system,
whereas in the case of railways it involves smoothing out the
differences related to different track gauge, as well as with the
safety and traction systems.
The potential importance of the so-called North-South Cor-
ridor grows in the context of the current unstable international
situation related to the conflict in the east of Europe, for in-
stance. The corridor would thus become a catalyst for economic
growth. It would create permanent links between Central Eu-
rope and Western Europe as well as increase the level of energy
security in the region. New and more efficient transport and
telecommunications interconnections would increase the com-
petitiveness of the entire EU.
Both implemented and planned investments in the European
gas transmission network should gradually translate into more
and more market prices of the blue fuel for the countries of Cen-
tral Europe and the Baltic States.
The idea of the Energy Union and a common European ener-
gy market has been present during the debates of the Congress
for years; in fact, the Congress has anticipated the European
interest in this topic.
This year, particular attention has been paid to the fact that
without practical implementation of the technical and infra-
structure-oriented dimension of the Energy Union, there will be
no possibility of exchanging energy resources. As it has been
advocated by the representatives of the Baltic States, an ideal
solution would be an energy link between all countries of the
EU, spanning from Helsinki to Lisbon.
However, it is not only security that determines the excep-
tional importance of cross-system interconnections. Owing to
interconnectors, it is possible to create uniform national energy
markets and avoid disturbances – uncontrolled and undesirable
phenomena from the point of view of the operation of energy
systems.
As it was advocated during one of the debates, the EU should
be an energy market for all and not for just some selected ones.
This is to be supported by a coherent regulatory environment
for all enterprises. It is not enough to build interconnectors –
we need to know how to put them to the right use.
Europe in the global economy Expansion
and cooperation
Export is not enough. Entering foreign markets – which in-
volves investments and mergers – is what increasingly be-
comes a prerequisite to further development of an enterprise.
Europe in the post-crisis difficulty forms a too narrow market
for many ambitious, but not necessarily huge enterprises. More
often than not, entering the expansion to foreign markets into
an enterprise’s strategy, even if it involves distant markets at
times, becomes a business necessity.
Nevertheless, many enterprises do not take internationali-
sation into account in their development plans. Stereotypical
thinking, closing itself in one’s own surroundings and a lack of
faith in one’s own competence constitute barriers to entering
global markets. This has to be changed.
Europe has maintained many of its advantages that prove
attractive in the economic relations with other regions of
the world, including African countries. Apart from high-qual-
ity technology and products, Europe quite frequently offers
Without cross-border infrastructure
interconnections, the countries of the European
Union will not be able to make best use of the
advantages that the Community has to offer.
8. 8
M A I N S U B J E C T A R E A S E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S 2 0 1 5
C o n c l u s i o n s f o r E u r o p e 2 0 1 5
partnership cooperation. It is possible to build long-lasting re-
lations on this foundation.
The African continent, being located relatively close and ap-
pearing incredibly promising in terms of the pace of its develop-
ment and the resultant possibilities of economic engagement
on the part of European business, has remained in the field of
interest of the participants of several editions of the European
Economic Congress to date.
Africa and Europe will remain neighbours. Both continents
share common history and they should also have common future.
Africa is a billion-people market and an abundance of natural
resources. More than half of the most rapidly developing econo-
mies of the world are located on this continent. In recent years,
Africa has developed at an average yearly pace of over 5 per
cent and consumption expenditure has been increasing there
at a pace of 4 per cent a year – everything seems to indicate
that this trend is likely to continue in the future. The forecasts
are indicating that owing to such a dynamic development Africa
will become a continent with 300 million middle-class consum-
ers over the next 10 years.
The potential for cooperation between African countries and
Central Europe is great, but there is still a lack of breakthrough.
What is most important for African economies is invest-
ments, especially direct investments. From this point of view,
it should be noted that the level of foreign investments made
by European entities, particularly when we take the financial
crisis into account, has undergone a positive evolution. It is
worth remembering that the time of simple trade is ending.
Soon those who will not be able to invest will also be unable
to buy and sell.
The involvement of larger European entities in Africa is on
the rise –they are showing the way for smaller enterprises. Mu-
tual support in new markets is equally important as reliable
information and communication.
The stage of blazing the trails in the relations between
Central European countries is now definitely over. A stage of
common projects and investments in the human capital and
entrepreneurship has come. The African countries are open to
inheriting all experience and know-how from the European
countries. As it has been emphasised, the experience gained
by the countries of Central and Eastern Europe may prove
especially valuable because they have undergone deep po-
litical and economic transformation and are able to share their
unique knowledge with the African countries which are on the
threshold or in the middle of equally dynamic transformations.
Investors wishing to enter the African markets look for se-
curity and stabilisation in the countries they wish to invest in.
Relying on popular media reports may give a distorted picture
of the African continent. The space and practice of communica-
tion between Europe and Africa still leave a lot to be desired.
The living memory of the stereotypes related to the colonial
past on both sides is a stumbling block to agreement which is
necessary to begin cooperation.
The countries of Central and Eastern Europe may enjoy an
obvious advantage in this regard because they do not have a
similarly negative connotation in Africa. On the contrary, it is
nothing unusual that members of the establishment of African
countries were educated in the countries of this region in Eu-
rope in the past – their good relations with such countries as
Poland is a capital worth paying attention to.
Before making any investment decision concerning Africa,
it is essential to conduct a precise analysis – the diversity of
the continent which is being wrongly treated as a homogene-
ous whole in Europe is huge and easily discernible, for instance
with the case of the domination of the Republic of South Africa
and Nigeria in the overall structure of expenses in the Sub-
Saharan Africa. Investors counting on the economies of scale
and mass customer should observe these very national mar-
kets with particular attention.
By actively and effectively participating in the economic
growth of Africa, China offers a simple trade: infrastructure
and access to cheap goods in exchange for raw materials. How-
ever, America and Europe send a different message to Africa:
“restructure and put an end to corruption – then we will help
you”. What can be noticed in this context is how significant the
differences between value systems are for economic coopera-
tion. It has been reminded on the forum of the Congress that
the inhabitants of Africa do not absolutise profits in their fi-
nancial form; for them, it is religion, family and interpersonal
relations that count and social development is understood as
the interest of the community or even the joy of life or… music.
Among the values that Europe could give to the African coun-
tries without imposing anything or any sense of superiority in-
clude the approach to business partners which is in line with the
European culture that highly appreciates such issues as morality
and respect for other human being and the results of their work.
China and the relations between Europe and this huge econ-
omy have been the subject of debates not only in the context
of Africa, but also in the face of a new chapter in the economic
relations between China and the world. This is to be served by
such initiatives as the creation of the so-called New Silk Road.
Logistics is increasingly becoming an element that determines
entering into cooperation between such distant regions of the
world as Europe and China.
The European Union remains China’s main trading partner,
but Central and Eastern Europe has begun to pop into the Chi-
nese consciousness as a separate and important investment di-
rection. China opens up to cooperation with this region, while
paying more and more attention to internal development at
the same time. Cooperation and mutual support of European
enterprises may be a precondition for success in the Chinese
market. It is also important to have innovative products to
which the Chinese market is particularly open at present.
As part of the Congress, a meeting of the China – Countries
of Central and Eastern Europe Business Council took place. The
aim of this initiative is to stimulate economic cooperation in
the field of mutual investments, trade and technological co-
operation, as well as to strive to balance economic exchanges
between the members of the council.
Europe – USA. Transatlantic hopes and concerns
It is not necessary to persuade anyone of the challenges and
potential benefits that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) agreement may bring for our continent and
for Poland.
This significance of this agreement reaches much further
than just economic issues. This is a treaty with a geopolitical
Logistics is increasingly becoming an element
that determines entering into cooperation
between such distant regions of the world as
Europe and China
9. 9
dimension which makes it possible to drop anchor for trans-
atlantic cooperation for good. However, both Europe and the
United States have a limited opening time for the negotiation
“window”. Both parties are threatened either by signing an
agreement limited to trade liberalisation exclusively, which
would distort its original assumptions and which certain indus-
trial groups (e.g. the automotive sector) do not agree with, or by
postponing further negotiations for indefinite time.
There are quite a number of risks for the treaty – this also
the case because the most difficult issues have not been raised
yet. Paradoxically, however, the consequences of failing to sign
the treaty may result in more potentially painful consequences
for the economy than signing it.
The subject matter of the transatlantic agreement speaks
volumes about Europe and the European economy. It is all too
clear that a reform of Community regulations is necessary,
along with their adjustment to the market requirements of the
global economy. In order for the TTIP to prove beneficial to the
European Union, the EU not only needs hardball negotiations
with the Americans, but also a change in the way of thinking
about regulations that block the competitiveness of the Euro-
pean industry.
An analysis by the European Council on Foreign Relations
(ECFR) indicates that positive results of the treaty will not in
fact be equally positive for both parties; moreover, they may
also involve different European countries at different scales.
This is why the EU should also consider taking special protec-
tion measures for certain sectors so that they have the time to
become competitive with regard to American goods.
The energy sector and the energy-intensive industries in
Central Europe have to accurately calculate the pros and cons
of this agreement. Nevertheless, the problem of energy price
differences between the EU and the USA has an impact on the
overriding objective outlined by the European Union, namely
reindustrialisation and the increase of the share of industry in
the EU GDP by an average of 20 per cent.
One of the sectors most vulnerable to the competition from
American products is the chemical industry. The process of pro-
duction lines escaping to the Unites States can be prevented
owing to such initiatives as introducing an additional item to
the negotiations, which would ensure the export of American
gas to Europe.
The successful completion of the negotiations would also be
significant for keeping the attention of American business on
Europe – this is so because there is a “competitor” to the TTIP in
the form of a free trade agreement involving 11 countries in the
Pacific region, which is being negotiated in parallel.
Young Europeans. The unused energy
Not only is the unemployment among the young people a po-
litical problem throughout Europe, but it is also a situation in
which maintaining Europe’s unity is at stake. In the case of the
economies of the south of Europe, which are going through se-
rious problems, there is a growing frustration among the young
people who are unable to find a job in spite of having comple-
ted their education, which translates into anti-European atti-
tudes and putting the sense of the existence of the European
Community as a whole into question.
This year’s European Economic Congress has attempted to
confront these problems through a new project styled “EEC –
Leaders of Tomorrow”. The project is aimed at creating a spa-
ce that would integrate the future leaders of economic and
political life into the European debate, intensify the participa-
tion of young people in public life and promote active citizen-
ship. One of the elements of the project were meetings of the
young people with politicians and experts, as well as lectures
given by business practitioners; moreover, there was also a pos-
sibility for the students of European institutions of higher edu-
cation of taking part in the debates as panellists. Another part
of the project were also sessions on young people’s views on
the future of Europe, the development of start-ups and young
entrepreneurship, and the European labour market.
The EU is striving to reduce youth unemployment through
such initiatives as “Youth Guarantees” – a programme that sup-
ports young people in the labour market (which forms part of
the Youth Employment Pact developed by the European Com-
mission). However, not all countries have decided to participate
in the programme due to such issues as the fear of not being
able to meet the difficult requirements set by the European
Commission; other countries doubt that the investments re-
lated to the subsidies to create jobs could take effect. In the
case of some states, it takes very long to prepare for their par-
ticipation in the programme, whereas for other countries the
amounts in question are too small to make a change of the cur-
rent system worthwhile.
It has been stressed during the debates that too little em-
phasis is put on the employers’ expectations in the actions tak-
en by the EU administration. Employment support programmes
should “go through enterprises” because it is them that create
jobs. On the other hand, entrepreneurs should formulate their
current and future expectations clearly (even with a reservation
that the market may verify them afterwards) and they also need
to communicate with the labour market, as well as cooperate
with the system of education. However, positive scenarios of
this type are still less frequent than manifestation of dissatis-
faction with insufficient or inadequate qualifications of young
people.
Nowadays, it is important to be open to changes. A contem-
porary businessman is a navigator who sails on rough seas, but
flexibility, energy and willingness to confront new challenges
should also be required from young employees, politicians and
labour market officials.
The expectations of young people and the requirements of
business must go hand in hand. Spain breaks all the records
in terms of unemployment, but this is not because young peo-
ple in Spain have stopped learning or are unwilling to work.
Spanish enterprises are being closed and those that manage
to stay on the market do not invest. This phenomenon shapes
the labour markets in many countries of the EU – without pro-
investment stimuli there will be no new jobs.
It is necessary to launch a package of actions that will un-
leash the unused energy of young people. Young entrepre-
neurs need appropriate institutions and efficient tools that
would offer them support. Such global giants as Google or
Facebook also benefited from such help at the beginning of
their activity.
Another step to make with the future of young Europeans in
mind is to provide a closer link and cooperation between the in-
stitutions of higher education and the industry. The presence of
entrepreneurship in education and science that recognises the
importance of living relations with business would provide a
real opportunity to integrate well-educated young people who
think in terms of innovation into the increasingly demanding
labour market.
10. 10
V I E W S A N D C O M M E N T S E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S 2 0 1 5
W n i o s k i d l a E u r o p y 2 0 1 5
Bronisław Komorowski
President of the Republic of Poland
‘Not only is the Polish economy formal-
ly part of the economy of the European
Union, but it also constitutes its incre-
asingly significant component – the
economic development of our country
is essential to overcoming the crisis in
Europe.
Here, in Europe, we need to keep
transforming the traditional economy
into the knowledge-based economy. For
Poland, it means utilising the powers of
the best ever educated generation of
young Poles. It is our great development
potential.
Reindustrialisation based on innova-
tions is an opportunity to accelerate the
development of Europe as a whole. In-
deed, it is impossible to compete solely
on low labour costs, and compete we
must. It should also be noted that there
are too many barriers to the develop-
ment of innovation in our reality. No
allowances have appeared in the Polish
tax system so far which would encour-
age people to pursue innovation.
Although we are not starting from
scratch, there is still much for us to do.
Polish institutions of higher education
need to open to scientists from abroad
– they need to become centres of crea-
tivity, thus benchmarking against the
best practice.’
Jyrki Katainen
Vice-President of the EC, European
Commissioner for Jobs, Growth, In-
vestment and Competitiveness
‘The European Commission is aiming
at an increase in private investments,
which is to be helped by such initiatives
as the Juncker’s Plan. We look at invest-
ments in Europe in the long term – we
talk here about the amount of EUR 300
billion. The plan comprises three main
parts, among which the most important
one includes deepening and harmonisa-
tion of the EU internal market. This year,
Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska is
to present the strategy for the develop-
ment of the EU free market.
Another objective is energy security
in the EU and the Energy Union. Europe
needs more interconnections, especially
with regard to gas, because many coun-
tries still have to depend on just one
supplier. The last objective is to conduct
a capital market reform so as to improve
access to financing. This goal is to be
served by the European Fund for Strate-
gic Investments, which will focus on the
support for both private investments
and other types of investments that will
be implemented as part of the public-
private partnership formula.
The European Commission focuses
on structural funds that will harmonise
the market and help the private sector
to invest in Europe. Moreover, they will
also help to finance risky projects. We
need to remember that it is the entre-
preneurs who change the market.’
Elżbieta Bieńkowska
European Commissioner for Internal
Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship
and SMEs
‘We all focus on money and every coun-
try of the European Union believes to
have the best projects to be financed.
However, we often forget that these
projects need to be good not only from
the point of view of particular EU Mem-
ber States, but also from the point of
view of the European Union as a whole.
Moreover, they also need to trigger the
interest of private equity.
Every country has regulations that
protect its internal market, but we need
to realise that such practices weaken
the European Union as a whole because
it is the common market that consti-
tutes the core European value. Europe!
If you fail to understand that the com-
mon 500-million market is our greatest
asset, you will enter the road to defeat
and lose your competitiveness. [ . . . ]
Neither administration nor bureaucra-
cy create jobs. It is the entrepreneurs who
should show us the direction in which the
regulations need to be changed in order
to make the free market more open and
let investments develop. It is not true that
Brussels always knows better.’
11. 11
Jerzy Buzek
Member of the European Parliament,
Chairman of the Programme Board of
the European Economic Congress
‘During the previous editions of the
Congress, we discussed the energy in-
dustry, innovations and the need for
opening up Europe to China and Africa,
and now to India as well. We talked
about the need to give the European
economy a new impetus to develop-
ment and, ultimately, we also discussed
the issue of reindustrialisation which is
required for Europe. Recently, we have
debated the trade agreement between
Europe and the USA. This is a situation
we should be well prepared for if all the
parties involved are to benefit from it.
These topics are just as relevant today
as they were before, but one new ele-
ment has been added, namely if we wish
to move the economy forward, we have
to increase investments. It is a common
European challenge to leave behind the
stagnation which can be more danger-
ous than the crisis at times because it
can last for a decade or even longer. We
strive to achieve a growth of 3–5 per
cent instead of one and a half or even
just half a per cent, as it is currently the
case in Europe.
There are two roads. The first one is
increasing the amount of money in the
European financial system and the sec-
ond one is increasing the level of invest-
ments because today they are at a level
lower by 20 per cent than that of the time
before the crisis. This is a huge difference
and the situation needs to be improved.
In the opinion of economists, the amount
of money in circulation in Europe is suf-
ficient, but it is the lack of optimism that
constitutes a problem. The task ahead of
European institutions is to increase the
level of economic confidence.’
Carlos Moedas
European Commissioner for Research,
Science and Innovation
‘The European Fund for Strategic Inve-
stments will increase our possibilities
of financing innovative projects and can
be a key tool for supporting innovation
after 2020. The fund will help us remove
one of the barriers that impede invest-
ments in innovations today, namely the
aversion to taking risks.
At present, Europe suffers from the
lack of investments. It is a result of
uncertainty concerning economic pros-
pects, which is otherwise a perfectly
understandable phenomenon, taking
into account the worst economic crisis
for years we have emerged from recent-
ly. Therefore, it can hardly be expected
that investments in innovative solu-
tions, which are more risky by their very
nature, will become popular. Uncertain-
ty is only one factor. Another one is the
significantly worse financial situation of
many European enterprises. The finan-
cial crisis entailed cutting of research
and development budgets, which com-
plicated the situation even more.
If we do not do something in Europe,
if some projects are not implemented,
this simply means that entrepreneurs do
not have suitable conditions for the im-
plementation of their goals. We simply
have to reduce the barriers to innova-
tion in EU Member States and it is the
duty of the European Commission to
persuade them to do so.
I am saddened to look at young Eu-
ropeans who say they have had to leave
Europe in order to implement their in-
novative projects. We have to deal with
both regulatory barriers and barriers to
financing, which currently prevent us
from achieving our goals.
Janusz Piechociński
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Economy, Poland
‘The European Union is still divided by
borders and split into particular indus-
tries, and protectionist tendencies have
surfaced in many countries of the Euro-
pean Community, especially in the face
of the economic crisis. As of today, the
areas of crucial importance include pub-
lic procurement and further refining of
its criteria. Moreover, particular priority
should be given to releasing the poten-
tial of young entrepreneurs.’
Vitali Klitschko
Mayor of Kiev
‘Poland’s success in the implementation
of reforms is the best motivation for
the citizens of Ukraine. As a country, we
wish to follow the same path, striving
for economic development and stabili-
sation in order to become, like Poland, a
rightful member of the European family.’
12. 12
V I E W S A N D C O M M E N T S E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S 2 0 1 5
W n i o s k i d l a E u r o p y 2 0 1 5
Janusz Lewandowski
former European Commissioner,
Chairman of the Polish Prime
Minister’s Economic Council
‘There is too little investment in Europe
today to ensure an appropriate rate of
economic growth and revive the labour
market – despite the fact that the capi-
tal necessary for these investments is
available. The problem is that although
there is money, there seems to be an
aversion to taking risks.’
Markku Markkula
President of the European Committee
of Regions (CoR)
‘We need investments that would be
implemented using cutting-edge tech-
nologies which take on the risk of pio-
neering a given field. It is necessary to
motivate European regions in order to
ensure “bottom-up” support for these
initiatives.
The aim of doing so is to ensure that the
planned investments work to the best
effect for particular regions. The invest-
ment potential must translate into the
everyday lives of EU citizens. In order
to achieve this, it is necessary to utilise
local resources, include small projects
and project clusters in the investment
scheme, and innovatively combine vari-
ous elements, such as modern start-ups,
and more traditional ones, such as infra-
structure projects.’
Wojciech Dąbrowski
Chairman of the Board, Polska Grupa
Zbrojeniowa SA
‘In Poland – just as it is the case in many
other countries – it is the arms industry
that may play the role of one of the
innovation leaders. We have assumed
close cooperation between the army,
science and industry. We have professio-
nalised army, changes such as commer-
cialisation have taken place in science
and the defence industry has also been
consolidated, which makes it possible
to allocate funds to the most important
undertakings instead of duplicating cer-
tain actions.
We invited approx. 200 private-
owned enterprises to cooperate with us
and we are discussing the ways in which
we could help one another. We acquire
technologies from these enterprises,
while simultaneously giving them ac-
cess to the market on our part.’
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz
Minister of Labour and Social Policy,
Poland
‘Unemployment among young people is
not only a problem related to a particular
workplace or to starting a family. It is a
political problem for Europe as a whole,
which concerns the issue of maintaining
its unity. In Spain and Italy, there is a
growing frustration towards the entire
European Community. In spite of having
completed their education, young people
are unable to find employment, which
translates into anti-European attitudes.’
Klaus Dieter Rennert
Chief Executive for EMEA and CIS,
Hitachi Ltd
‘We, as Europe, do not tolerate mistakes
and this is why our attitude towards in-
novations is less positive. It is true that
little is happening in Europe in terms of
combining high-risk capital and start-
-ups. We have to examine the challen-
ges that particular societies are facing.
In developing countries, such as China,
there are different challenges than that
of Japan, for instance. [ . . . ]
Apart from a road to innovation
which is specific to a given country, it is
also worth thinking about the broader
context of this process. Germany fo-
cuses not only on innovation, but also
on health care. If a given programme
is to be successful, it is important that
the society understands what we are
planning to do. However, regardless of
the model of innovation a given coun-
try chooses, it cannot keep itself aloof
in this race. Innovation is not just one
of many strategic options. It is a global
imperative.’
13. 13
Leszek Balcerowicz
Polish economist, co-creator of Polish
economic transformation, Chairman
of the Council of the Civil Develop-
ment Forum Foundation (FOR)
‘The countries that were more con-
sistent in heading towards economic
freedom and the rule of law have achie-
ved better results in terms of economic
growth, and this growth is strictly ne-
cessary for poor societies.
Poland has more than doubled the
size of its economy. However, it is never
so that past success guarantees fu-
ture success. The thing is that without
a higher dose of reforms, Poland will
permanently slow down its economic
growth. Most importantly, we did not
waste our time and we managed to in-
troduce economic freedom and compe-
tition on a broad front. There is no com-
petition in a small and medium-sized
country without foreign competition.
In every political system, state own-
ership means that entrepreneurs are
controlled by politicians, which is de-
structive to economic freedom. Nothing
can take the place of competition in the
economy.’
Jan Kulczyk
Chairman of the Supervisory Board,
Kulczyk Investments; Founder, CEED
Institute
‘Entrepreneurs are being accused of wi-
shing to havepolitical influence. Theysho-
uld not have it. However, more often than
not it is the state that crosses the border in
economic areas, while frequently not ha-
ving sufficient competence to do so. [ . . . ]
The objective of a private entrepre-
neur is not only profit, but also long-
standing development, sometimes over
many generations. By contrast, in the
case of state enterprises, just as in poli-
tics, there are terms of office and the de-
velopment horizon is shortened to the
period of four years.’
Adam Purwin
Chairman of the Board, PKP Cargo SA
‘Operators and logisticians need to follow
the needs of their customers, many of
whom operate on a regional scale, but part
of whom also operate on a global scale. In
such cases, it is essential to operate in the
categories of transport corridors.
New transport corridors have emerged
in the form of both sea routes (such as the
one between the Baltic Sea and the Adri-
atic Sea) and land routes, and they still
continue to do so. Freight trains from cen-
tral China have already begun to reach
Poland within 14 days; it will not be long
before we construct the largest dry land
port for operating such trains.’
Josef Janning
Senior Policy Fellow, ECFR
‘It is the European countries offering
competitive goods marketable in the
United States (and currently being una-
ble to achieve the competitive level
due to such issues as customs duties
or costly market entry procedures) that
are likely to gain the most benefit (from
the TTIP agreement – editor’s note). By
contrast, the countries which offer the
same goods as the United States are
exporting may lose because there will
be competition for the market.
This is why the EU should also con-
sider taking special protection measures
for certain sectors so that they have the
time to become competitive with regard
to American goods.’ [ . . . ]
If the agreement is signed, the Chi-
nese will not necessarily take the pro-
posed trade standards into account.
However, if no agreement is reached,
the Chinese will fastidiously take ad-
vantage of such reality.’
14. 14
V I E W S A N D C O M M E N T S E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S 2 0 1 5
C o n c l u s i o n s f o r E u r o p e 2 0 1 5
Ivan Hodač
Chairman of the Board, Member
of the Board of Directors, Aspen
Institute Prague, former Secretary-
-General of the European Automobile
Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA)
between 2001–2013
‘The automotive industry calls for such
initiatives as comprehensive and ambi-
tious negotiations on the cooperation
in matters related to setting standards.
If there are no standards, the American
business will head towards Asia.
Our industry wants a comprehensive
agreement, that is one that includes the
main issues we call for and not just trade
liberalisation and elimination of customs
duties. Not only will it distort the mean-
ing of the document and the provisions
we agree on, but it will also postpone
the completion of other regulations for
indefinite time. Thus, we should sign the
comprehensive TTIP agreement right
now; otherwise, we will fail.
Horst Köhler
President of the Federal Republic of
Germany between 2004–2010, Ger-
man economist
‘There is no ideal model for all coun-
tries. Every country has to find its own
balance between economic freedom,
private ownership and state’s interven-
tion. However, it is important to stick to
a clear rule which says that in case we
have any doubts as to the presence of
the state in the economy, we should al-
ways take the side of market freedom.’
Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma
Chairperson, African Union Com-
mission
‘Until recently, Africa was referred to
as a continent of despair. For over ten
years, however, it has become one of the
most dynamically developing regions of
the world. It is a place of great opportu-
nities and a continent of the future due
to its young population and the emer-
ging middle class.
Forecasts indicate that such a dy-
namic development fosters an increase
in demand and that, over the course of
the next decade, Africa will become a
continent with 300 million middle-class
consumers, which means it will be on the
same footing as Europe today.
However, we do not wish to be just
an output market for various goods or
a place from where natural resources
are acquired. We wish to be a place of a
high level of industrialisation and well-
developed services. We wish to diversify
the economy and shift towards industries
that are able to derive higher added value
from the use of those natural resources.
Among many needs of Africa, it is
worth noting the necessity of developing
the potential for energy production in
order to address the needs of the coun-
tries where energy demand is growing in
relation to the development of industry.
However, it should be an energy mix
based on renewable sources to a greater
extent, which requires investments and
technologies. Africa also needs to build
energy corridors modelled after the one
organised by the countries of the eastern
and southern regions of the continent.
Herbert Wirth
Chairman of the Board, KGHM Polska
Miedź
‘Trust is the foundation of long-term
business, regardless of which part of the
world we examine, because it is trust
that determines whether a business will
be long-term and stable. [ . . . ]
At the same time, we are on the thresh-
old of a certain breakthrough. Much is
being said about innovation which is
necessary in order to stay ahead of the
competition, but let us examine whether
we cause erosion of typical jobs by pur-
suing innovation. I have my doubts about
that because in many cases innovation is
a one-sided game – a rush that does not
take the social dimension into account.’
Mark Cliffe
Chief Economist, ING Group
‘A growing dynamics of export that exce-
eds the amount of the GDP can be seen in
several European countries. This is due to
the fact that they expand both the range
of products they offer and their output
markets. This group of countries includes
Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and
Hungary. [ . . . ] While planning foreign
expansion, one should not do so with
only distant markets in mind. The point
is also doing well in close markets. For
Poland, the major market is and will be
Germany, but Polish enterprises can also
focus on cooperation and development of
the supply chain within the region.
15. 15
Mankeur Ndiaye
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senegal
‘Today, Africa needs something more
from Europe than just goods. We all have
to admit that what is most important for
the economy is investments, especially
direct investments. From this point of
view, it should be noted that the level of
foreign investments, particularly when
we take the financial crisis into account,
has undergone a positive evolution. We
are satisfied that it is possible to notice
such a dramatic increase in the invest-
ments made by European enterprises.’
Charles M. Kitwanga
Deputy Minister of Energy
and Minerals, Tanzania
‘Tanzania has a whole range of natural re-
sources and minerals and our experience
and knowledge in this field make it possi-
ble for us to extract them. However, if 30
per cent of all minerals come from Africa,
just as it is the case with 60 per cent of
gold extracted globally, a question arises
why it does not contribute to a faster eco-
nomic growth of African countries. [ . . . ]
We are experienced in the extraction
of minerals and the majority of enter-
prises are competent to do so, but we lack
commercial experience, such as the one
related to the issue of financing or law
and trade issues. We lack the people with
whom we could discuss the development
possibilities present in our country.’
Marek Woszczyk
Chairman of the Board, PGE Polska
Grupa Energetyczna SA
‘The starting point in which the imple-
mentation of the objectives of the ener-
gy and climate policy began was diffe-
rent in the 15 countries of the “old” EU
compared to that of the new EU Member
States. This is why it is important for the
new Member States, including Poland,
to have compensation mechanisms so
as to allow us to adapt to the costs and
transformations at an appropriate pace.
It is necessary to take into consideration
the specific character of the individual
countries of the EU, as well as their reso-
urces and geographical conditions. [ . . . ]
Eighty per cent of the power that the
renewable energy industry has at its
disposal has been built by power engi-
neering corporations. If, then, we would
like to view them as a whole instead of
looking through the lens of the conven-
tional energy industry alone, it becomes
evident that they strive to adapt to the
reality created by regulations.
The energy market does not so much
undergo a transformation on its own
as it does so as a result of the obvious
technological advancement; although
this change is being stimulated by regu-
lations, it shows that energy companies
are adapting in this regard as well, with-
out any prejudices against one technol-
ogy or another, and they can also opti-
mise their investment portfolios with
profitability in mind.
.
Bohdana Horáčková
Chairman of the Board, CEO, CEZ Polska
‘Since 2010, the amount of approx. CZK
150 billion has already been spent on
the support for renewable energy sour-
ces in the Czech Republic. In 15 years,
large part of these installations will be
technologically obsolete. As a matter of
comparison, the cost of a single nuclear
unit amounts to approx. CZK 100 billion,
but its lifespan is approx. 60 years.’
16. 16
V I E W S A N D C O M M E N T S E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S 2 0 1 5
C o n c l u s i o n s f o r E u r o p e 2 0 1 5
revolution.’
Surojit Ghosh
Member of the Board, ArcelorMittal
Poland
‘The steel sector is an important ele-
ment of industry – steel is needed eve-
rywhere. However, the steel industry in
the EU is experiencing trouble because
electricity prices in Europe are nearly 50
per cent higher than it is the case in the
United States, whereas gas prices are hi-
gher by approx. 33 per cent. Our clients
do not want to pay more only because
energy is more expensive in the EU than
elsewhere. If someone is able to ma-
nufacture steel cheaper than they do it
in Europe, the clients will buy it there.
It is the politicians who are to decide
whether steel will be manufactured in
Europe or somewhere else in the world.
We often hear that reindustrialisation
is very important for the EU, but we also
have the impression that these are just
empty words and no action. We can see
the contradiction between those decla-
rations and the EU climate policy.
Both EU and national decision-mak-
ers should listen more to the voice of
business. European industry needs safe,
available and affordable energy, just as
the rest of the world does.’
Rokas Masiulis
Minister of Energy, Lithuania
‘The EU does much to increase the sha-
re of renewable energy and reduce CO2
emissions. A fresh and modern approach
to the energy industry – yes, but first we
should take care of its foundations.
We hear so much about emission costs,
for instance, but here, in Lithuania, the
first question that crosses our minds is
this: Is energy available at all? It comes as
no surprise that the most expensive en-
ergy is the one you lack when consumers
need it. Lithuania is perhaps one of the
countries most vulnerable to energy risk.’
Włodzimierz Karpiński,
Minister of Treasury, 04.2013-06.2015,
Poland
‘Polish energy companies in which the
Treasury has shares plan to implement
EUR 25 billion worth of investments by
2020 (in the case of electrical power en-
gineering, the majority of them remain
at the level of corporate approvals). We
are fortunate in being unaffected by the
fashion of shifting the area of economic
activity from industry towards services.
Today, investments in industry in
general and in the energy industry in
particular in Poland are being imple-
mented in accordance with the highest
technological standards, albeit under
pressure of high risk related to the EU
climate policy. Over the past 25 years,
Poland and Lithuania have reoriented
their industries. Today, taking the en-
ergy industry as an example, one could
say there is an ongoing technological
Marcin Korolec
Secretary of State, Ministry of the
Environment, Polish Government
Plenipotentiary for Climate Policy
‘According to the forecasts, by 2030,
almost three times more money will be
spent globally on investments in rene-
wable energy sources than on invest-
ments based on fossil fuels. [ . . . ]
Around 2025, we will have more an-
swers concerning the sources of energy
that the energy industry will be based
on. Today, the market says it will be RES,
but the problem is that these are unsta-
ble and subsidised sources. It is technol-
ogy that will determine the future.’
Heinz Schernikau
CEO, HMS Bergbau AG
‘We believe that the global coal market
will grow. The European views on coal
production are highly controversial. [ . . .
] In Germany, we pursue a failed coal po-
licy. Energy production is subsidised in
an inappropriate manner and the socie-
ty has to participate in these subsidies.
We invest in Poland, where the con-
ditions for investments are good. The
production costs will be the determin-
ing factor. The Silesia coal mine oper-
ates seven days a week, which gives it
an advantage over the competitors that
operate five days a week. The Orzesze
area will enable efficient and cheap ex-
traction of coal. If it proved unprofitable,
we would not invest in it.
17. Miguel Arias Cañete
European Commissioner for Climate
Action and Energy
‘From the point of view of the Energy
Union, the most important task is to
modernise the energy market in the Eu-
ropean Union because we are still overly
reliant on supplies of energy resources
from outside the EU.
We have to look for new ways to mod-
ernisetheEuropeanenergyindustrywhich
will become depleted to a considerable
extent over the next twenty years. We es-
timate that investment in the order of at
least EUR 1 trillion will be needed for the
modernisation of this industry in Europe.
The role of a closer cross-border coop-
eration and construction of interconnec-
tors that would enable energy transmis-
sion between individual countries of the
EU is also extremely important. We have
to overcome the physical fragmentation
of national energy markets in the EU.
If we manage to succeed in integrating
our markets efficiently, it should con-
tribute to lowering energy prices in the
EU; high energy prices compared to oth-
er regions of the world are undoubtedly
the most serious problem of that sector
in the countries of the EU today.’
17
Dominique Ristori
Director-General of Directorate-Ge-
neral Energy, European Commission
‘The EU energy policy cannot be redu-
ced to the sole dimension of industry
and CO2 emissions. Reindustrialisation
should be low-carbon and competitive,
whereas energy, industry and climate
should strengthen one another. It is
possible to pursue the energy policy, ta-
king into account all the above aspects,
for they drive one another. However, we
should also pursue it with the energy
consumers in mind.’
Dariusz Lubera
Chairman of the Board, Tauron
Polska Energia SA
‘The energy and climate package incre-
ases the cost of functioning of the eco-
nomy through the rising prices of CO2
and their growing volume, which re-
sults in an increase in electricity prices.
Apart from that, the increase in energy
prices is also influenced by the support
systems intended for various energy
sources.’
Paweł Olechnowicz
Chairman of the Board, CEO, Grupa
Lotos S.A. (Lotos Group)
‘Until 2014, the main objective of the
EU energy policy was striving towards
reduction in CO2 emissions. Then, some
important events having an influence
on the energy policy took place, as a
result of which we perceive Russia in a
different manner today and the Europe-
an Union has adopted the assumptions
of the Energy Union. [ . . . ]
An important element that integrates
the European Union and increases its
energy security is the development of
infrastructure, such as cross-border
oil and gas pipelines, power lines and
railways.’
László Szabó
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, Hungary
‘We need to see the issue from a broader
perspective, thus including the countries
outside the EU in the picture, in order to
ensure that the European Community
is connected with the outside world in
an appropriate manner. We need infra-
structure and energy interconnectors
because the energy price in the EU is
twice the US price and something has to
be done with it if the European economy
is to stand a chance of competing in the
global market in the future.’
18. C o n c l u s i o n s f o r E u r o p e 2 0 1 5
P H O T O C O V E R A G E E U R O P E A N E C O N O M I C C O N G R E S S 2 0 1 5
18
An agenda commensurate with the challenges and efficient
organisation would not suffice to attract the most prominent
politicians and representatives of the big business to Silesia,
were it not for their willingness to talk openly, confront the-
ir views, learn the opinions of others and, as a result, jointly
agree on the direction in which we should be heading and
from where turbulent winds blow.
Together with our Guests, we can be proud that we support
the idea of European dialogue.
This dialogue has a face of its own – which often tells more
than carefully selected words do. The publication presen-
ting a selection of the most important conclusions, opinions
and recommendations that appeared in the course of over a
hundred debates would not be complete without a part that
illustrates the process. On the following pages, photojourna-
lists will show you the atmosphere and environment in which
the intellectual achievements of this year’s edition of the EEC
were made possible.
This year, during the 7th edition, there was a particularly lar-
ge number of interactions – in the form of lobby talks and
exchanges of opinions, as well as new and renewed contacts
or just handshakes and exchanges of business cards. This was
all possible because the Congress took place under one, spa-
cious roof for the first time in its history – at the modern In-
ternational Conference Centre in Katowice. This time, it was
possible for the Congress life to flourish without hindrance
in between the debates and in the evenings, when it was the
time for cultural and social events – by using the advantage
of the new location.
Let us see and recall the course of the Congress…
(off)
The Congress means people and meetings
– nothing could be more obvious.
A picture of
the dialogue
