How to improve Europe’s competitiveness through transatlantic relations?
This was the guiding question for a discussion we co-organised with the Atlantic Council in Warshaw on 29 May 2024. This was one of the discussions organized as part of the series promoting our recently launched publication Improving Europe’s Competitiveness – Role of Open Markets, Emerging Technologies, and Strategic Alliances.
The topic of increasing the EU’s competitiveness is a hot topic nowadays, especially in the period before the EU elections. At the discussion, the speakers focused on the obstacles and opportunities ahead of the EU Commission’s and parliament’s next mandate for increasing the EU’s competitiveness, especially related to new technologies and transatlantic partnership.
Continued and strong transatlantic cooperation is vital, especially for CEE countries, from two perspectives: geopolitical and practical. Strong transatlantic partnership can help, especially, smaller CEE countries that do not have the capacities for the economies of scale to catch up with the rest of EU countries.
All European countries are small compared to other countries, making the EU single market and its further integration the engine of its competitiveness. But while fragmentation of the European market decelerates scaling up, it does have positive consequences for consumers as it contributes to larger internal competition.
One of the primary missions of the next mandate should be to implement all the newly adopted regulations. This is especially vital for SMEs – the pockets of competitiveness in CEE countries. It should be noted that regulation is not the same as a restriction; regulation is also clarity and stability.
To be able to fully tap into the potential of AI and other new technologies, we need a robust data strategy if we wish to be competitive in the field. Additionally, one of the main issues that can spur competitiveness and growth is mobilisation of public and private investments.
This was discussed by
- Mr. Aleksander Siemaszko, Deputy Director, Department for International Trade and Cooperation, Ministry of Development and Technology of the Republic of Poland
- Amb. Tadej Rupel, National Coordinator for External Aspects of Digitalization, AI & Cyber Security, Republic of Slovenia
- Ms. Eglė Markevičiūtė, Head of Digital & Innovation Policy, Consumer Choice Center of Lithuania
- Mr. Marcin Nowacki, Vice President of the Board, Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP)
The discussion was moderated by Mr. Aaron Korewa, Director, Warsaw Office, Europe Center, Atlantic Council
Many thanks to the Atlantic Council for this fruitful cooperation!