BELGIUM – Unlocking the Future: How can new technologies drive productivity and economic growth for everyone?

Our “2024 Voices – Citizens Speak Up!” study, which captures the opinions of over 2,000 citizens across Europe, including Belgium, reveals a concern: how to support and incentivise SMEs to remain in Europe and sustain the continent’s competitiveness.

To address this issue, we hosted a panel discussion to explore:

• Closing the Tech Gap: How can Europe modernise its infrastructure to attract and retain competitive businesses?

• Supporting SMEs: What strategies and incentives are needed to prevent SMEs from relocating overseas and to boost their role in driving Europe’s economy?

• Harnessing AI: How do we leverage AI to fuel growth while addressing concerns around job displacement and workforce reskilling?

Moderated by Merle Becker, the panel featured:

• Bruno Tobback, MEP, Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament

• Joëlle Jouret, Government Affairs & Public Policy Manager, Google

• Jan Feyaerts, Head of Secretariat, ISPA Belgium

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.