Pubaffairs news & debates

Thank you for attending our debate “Digitalisation of SMEs: How to make it possible? “

Posted 2 days ago
PubAffairs Bruxelles was delighted to host on the 16th of October 2019 the debate “Digitalisation of SMEs: How to make it possible?”,organised by METRO in cooperation with EuroCommerce, between our distinguished speakers Mr Ivan Štefanec, Member of the European Parliament and President of SME Europe, Ms Jasmin Battista, DG CNECT, European Commission, Ms Katerina Borunska, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission, Ms Birgit Winn, Head of Digital Projects, Hospitality.Digital, METRO AG, Mr Alexandre Nilo Fonseca, President of ACEPI (Portuguese Digital Economy Association), Ms Mira-Maria Kontkanen, Advisor, Federation of Finnish Enterprises, and Mr Marta Mikliszanska, Head of Public Affairs, Allegro.
A special thank goes to Mr Petri Peltonen, Finnish SME Envoy, Mr Neil McMillan, EuroCommerce Director Political Affairs and Trade, and to Mr Henrik Reimer, Head of Office, SME Connect for their respective speeches.

We would also like to thank our distinguished guests and our moderator, Michael Acton, MLex Market Insights.

A selection of pictures is available here.

We hope that all the contributors, attendees, as well as our present and future members will join us for our next debate.

Photo Album | DEBATE | Digitalisation of SMEs: How to make it possible?

Posted 2 days ago

INVITATION | Digitalisation of SMEs: How to make it possible? (October 16)

Posted 3 days ago

DATE & TIME
Date:   16 October 2019
Welcome drink:  18h00
Event:    18h30-20h00
Cocktail reception:  20h00-21h00

WHERE
The Office, Rue d’Arlon 80, 1040, Brussels

PROGRAMME

WELCOME

Patricia Hoogstraaten, Vice President, EuroCommerce and General Manager, Vakcentrum, responsible for SMEs

KEYNOTE SPEECH

Petri Peltonen, Finnish SME Envoy

 

PANEL DISCUSSION

Ivan Štefanec, Member of the European Parliament and President of SME Europe

Jasmin Battista, DG CNECT, European Commission

Katerina Borunska, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

Birgit Winn, Head of Digital Projects, Hospitality.Digital, METRO AG

Alexandre Nilo Fonseca, President of ACEPI (Portuguese Digital Economy Association)

Mira-Maria Kontkanen, Advisor, Federation of Finnish Enterprises

Marta Mikliszanska, Head of Public Affairs, Allegro

Moderation

Michael Acton, MLex Market Insights

 

CLOSING REMARKS

Henrik Reimer, Head of Office, SME Connect

#SMEsgodigital

This event was organised by

In cooperation with

About the debate

The digital transformation of the economy is underway, offering new market opportunities in Europe and all over the world. This technological shift is fostering both innovation and exchanges across EU borders, as well as the opportunity to secure a share in the emerging markets for current and future products and services.

Within this context, micro as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are of strategic importance as they create two thirds of jobs in the private sector and contribute to more than half of the total added value generated by businesses in the EU. As the latest Annual Report on European SMEs states, the re-emergence of SMEs has continued over recent years, as this sector made a significant contribution to the recovery and subsequent expansion of the EU economy by accounting for 47% of the value added generated by the non-financial business sector between 2008 and 2017, and for 52% of the cumulative increase in employment in the sector.

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[FR] Album photos | Débat | Nouvelles initiatives de l’UE en matière de sécurité et de défense : quelles perspectives pour l’avenir ?

Posted 3 days ago

[FR] INVITATION | Nouvelles initiatives de l’UE en matière de sécurité et de défense : quelles perspectives pour l’avenir ? (15 octobre)

Posted 1 week ago

Nous sommes heureux de vous inviter au débat organisé par PubAffairs Bruxelles et la Répresentation Permanente de l’Organisation Internationale de la  Francophonie (OIF) auprès de l’UE sur les perspectives pour l’avenir des nouvelles initiatives de l’UE en matière de sécurité et défense avec nos orateurs SEM François Cornet d’Elzius, Ambassadeur, Représentant Permanent belge auprès du COPS, M. Arnaud Migoux, Chef de secteur, Sécurité et Défense, Service européen pour l’action extérieure (SEAE/EEAS), M. Mihnea Motoc, Chef adjoint, Centre européen de stratégie politique (CESP/EPSC) et M. Federico Santopinto, Chargé de recherche, Groupe de Recherche et d’information sur la Paix et la Sécurité (GRIP).

M. Stéphane Lopez, Ambassadeur, Représentant de l’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie auprès de l’UE, tiendra un discours d’introduction.

Le débat sera modéré par Chris Burns, journaliste, Burnstorm Communications.

 

À propos du débat

La publication d’une Stratégie globale de l’UE pour la politique étrangère et de sécurité en 2016 par la Haute Représentante de l’Union, ainsi que la prise de conscience par les institutions européennes de la nécessité d’établir une nouvelle vision du rôle mondial de l’UE ont précédé les initiatives communautaires visant à développer une coopération structurée permanente en matière de défense (CSP) et à favoriser la constitution du fonds européen de défense (FED). La CSP, à laquelle tous les pays de l‘UE participent sauf le Danemark, Malte et le Royaume-Uni, a comme objectif principal d’aider l’Europe à approfondir la coopération en matière de défense, alors que le FED constitue un premier programme cadre pour cofinancer des projets industriels et de recherche de défense pour la période 2019-2020. À partir de 2021, cette phase expérimentale devrait aboutir à la création d’un fond permanent pour faciliter la constitution d’une véritable base industrielle et de recherche pour une défense commune innovante et compétitive.

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Photo Album | DEBATE | Towards global consensus on cybersecurity requirements

Posted 2 weeks ago

INVITATION | Towards global consensus on cybersecurity requirements (October 8)

Posted 2 weeks ago

We are most pleased to invite you to participate in an evening of discussion on the prospect of a global consensus on cybersecurity requirements with our distinguished speakers Ms Maija Rönkä, Counsellor, Telecommunications, Permanent Representation of Finland – Finnish Presidency of the EU, Mr Karel Lanoo, Chief Executive Officer, CEPS,   Dr. Bart Preneel, Professor, KU Leuven and Dr. Thomas Voland, Partner, Clifford Chance.

The event will be moderated by Magnus Franklin, Director, Teneo cabinet DN and former Chief Correspondent at MLex.

This event was organised within the framework of the

European Cyber Security Month

About the debate

Cyber security of network and information systems is a global concern and is crucial for ensuring the smooth running of the economy, the efficiency of the public administration, and the well-being of citizens. These questions have been highlighted in Europe, with the European Union Institutions acknowledging the importance of network technologies as essential infrastructure. Within this context, the issue of cybersecurity gained the global spotlight again during the G20 meetings in June 2019, when the “Osaka Track” framework for free cross-border data flow was launched.

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[FR] Album photos | Débat | Quels défis pour le multilinguisme dans l’Union européenne d’aujourd’hui?

Posted 3 weeks ago

[FR] INVITATION | Quels défis pour le multilinguisme dans l’Union européenne d’aujourd’hui? (26 septembre)

Posted on September 18, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

Nous sommes heureux de vous inviter au débat organisé par PubAffairs Bruxelles et la Représentation Permanente de l’Organisation Internationale de la  Francophonie (OIF) auprès de l’UE sur les défis pour le multilinguisme dans l’Union européenne d’aujourd’hui avec nos orateurs M.me Anna-Maria Stan, Chargée politique, Ecoles et Multilinguisme, Commission européenne – DG EAC, M.me Monica Semedo, Députée européenne (Renew Europe/FR), Commission de l’emploi et des affaires sociales – EMPL, Prof. Jacques De Decker, Secrétaire perpétuel de l’Académie royale de langue et de littérature françaises de Belgique et M.me Anna Sole-Mena, Auteur de « Multilingues dès le berceau.  Éduquer les enfants en plusieurs langues ».

M. Stephane Lopez, Ambassadeur, Représentant de l’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie auprès de l’UE, tiendra un discours d’introduction.

Le débat sera modéré par M. Renaud Denuit, écrivain et éditorialiste pour Agence Europe

 

À propos du débat

La diversité linguistique est une des caractéristiques intrinsèques de l’identité et de l’histoire européenne et représente simultanément une richesse et un paradoxe. En effet, s’il existe bien une culture européenne, il n’existe pas une langue européenne, mais des langues européennes. Dans l’Europe d’aujourd’hui, outre les 24 langues officielles, on compte plusieurs langues régionales, sans compter les langues parlées par les citoyens originaires d’autres continents.Le Conseil de l’Europe a institué une journée européenne du multilinguisme en 2001 afin de mettre en avant la diversité linguistique de l’Europe, de promouvoir l’apprentissage des langues quelle que soit l’étendue de leur usage, et de favoriser la participation à la citoyenneté démocratique à travers les langues.

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SAVE THE DATE | Towards global consensus on cybersecurity requirements (October 8)

Posted on September 13, 2019

We are delighted to invite you to a debate organised by PubAffairs Bruxelles which will be held on Tuesday, 8th of October 2019 at 19.00 at the premises of The Office, rue d’Arlon, 80, Brussels.

The event will consist of a debate on the prospect of a global consensus on cybersecurity requirements.

Although speakers and event details will be announced in the coming days, we are sending you this e-mail now to make sure you save the date.

This event is organised within the framework of the

European Cyber Security Month

About the debate

Cyber security of network and information systems is a global concern and is crucial for ensuring the smooth running of the economy, the efficiency of the public administration, and the well-being of citizens. These questions have been highlighted in Europe, with the European Union Institutions acknowledging the importance of network technologies as essential infrastructure. Within this context, the issue of cybersecurity gained the global spotlight again during the G20 meetings in June 2019, when the “Osaka Track” framework for free cross-border data flow was launched.

Already introduced at this year’s World Economic Forum by the Japanese President, Sinzo Abe, the “Osaka Track” aims at the standardisation of rules in order to facilitate data flows across the world, while ensuring better protection in cybersecurity and privacy. However, views on cyber security and privacy protection vary across the globe. Several countries and trading blocs, such as the EU, are concerned about data sharing and how best to ensure resilience and security of network and information systems.

Although issues raised over 4G mobile networks were essentially commercial, ongoing discussions on 5G technologies have been highly politicised in Europe and at the global level as underlined by several commentators. This significantly diverts attention from raising the overall level of cyber security in the EU. The European Parliament Think Tank stated: “it is vital for the EU to preserve its strategic autonomy against the backdrop of geopolitical pressure”, while confirming that “security risks have arisen from a combination of technical and political concerns”. How do we drive towards global consensus on cybersecurity requirements?

 

The event will commence with a welcome drink at 19.00, followed by a panel debate at 19.30. After the panel debate there will be an opportunity for questions and discussions.


We look forward to seeing you at 19.00 on Wednesday, the 8th of October at the premises of The Office, rue d’Arlon, 80, Brussels.

The debate will be followed by a drink in a convivial atmosphere.