Presidency event (conference) in Belgium: Industrial Technologies 2024

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Events of a major strategic nature, which are focused and attract a broad spectrum of stakeholders are important in assessing past activities, identifying policy options and priorities, and planning future actions.

The European Commission will support the organisation of an event (conference) in Brussels in the first half of 2024, in cooperation with the Belgian government, holding the EU Presidency of the European Union at the time.

The conference should cover in particular the twin green and digital transformation of European industry. It should focus on how breakthrough technologies and scale up of industrial innovations could influence such twin transition.

It should enhance synergies between research and innovation initiatives launched by the Commission and by the Member States. The proposed content should be balanced, encompassing policy, technological, economic and social elements and points of view. The conference should be open to participants outside the EU. Outreach activities may be included, such as a press programme; activities dedicated to the wider public or schools are particularly encouraged.

To ensure impact, the focus and content of the conference should be well defined and clearly aligned with other Presidency events already undertaken, while reflecting specific regional strengths and needs.

The commitment of the national authorities to support the event, politically as well as financially, is a pre-requisite to submitting a proposal. Proposals should be supported by the competent Minister, evidenced in a letter included in the proposal. In order to ensure high political and strategic relevance, the active involvement of the competent national authorities will be assessed in the evaluation.

In agreement with the Commission services, projects should ensure appropriate flexibility, so as to respond to rapidly changing policy scenarios.

The event is expected to result in: improved visibility of industrial technologies; identification of policy options and priorities via review and assessment of developments, and sharing of information and comparison of points of views; and efficient networking of various stakeholders and support to their activities, e.g. industry, small and medium sized enterprises, businesses, investors, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, trade unions, etc..

This event is co-funded and co-organised by the European Commission and the rotating Presidency of the Council, the latter of which is the named beneficiary of the grant in question (usually via a Member State Ministry).

The evaluation committee will be composed fully by representatives of EU institutions.