Europe needs a reboot and a change of course: SEV’s event ahead of the European elections 2024
European elections 2024: The world is changing. Can Europe also change?
Ahead of the upcoming European elections, SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises organised on the 23rd May 2024, an event on the present and future of the European Union: Mr. Dimitris Papalexopoulos, Chairman of Board of Directors of SEV and Vice President of ERT and Mr. Evangelos Mytilineos, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEV and President of Eurometaux discussed the positions and priorities for Europe in 2030 and outlined the conditions for a European reboot. The discussion was coordinated by Mr. Alexis Papahelas, Executive Editor, “KATHIMERINI” newspaper. Given that crucial decisions on how to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and social prosperity must be taken, at a time of intense geopolitical, developmental, social and climate challenges, discussions must focus on how to strengthen the Union competitiveness and international standing.
In this direction, a European reboot is needed so that significant changes in growth, industrial policy, skills, investments in cutting-edge technologies and sustainability, as well as investing in a social Europe, can form the basis for Europe in 2030.
SEV has identified five main pillars for strengthening the European edifice:
- A better and more efficient Single Market,
- A shock of regulatory simplification and structurally less bureaucracy,
- A strong industry leading the way for resilience, jobs, and international trade,
- A strengthening of the labour market with state-of-the-art skills and flexibility for the changing work environment,
- An accelerated and successful transition to sustainable entrepreneurship, as an integral element of our legacy for future generations.
In his statement, Mr. Papalexopoulos stressed: “Europe is our home. But the truth is that in a fast-changing world, it is struggling to find its way. In today’s reality, it is steadily losing competitiveness, growing too slowly, has no technological advantage in the world, and has weakened geopolitically. We need a European reboot, with much greater emphasis on competitiveness and growth. It is a prerequisite for having a strong and independent Europe, for being able to invest what is needed in the welfare state, in the environment and in the European way of life. It’s important that this message is not lost in this election year when we will choose the European leadership for the rest of this crucial decade. This is the meaning of today’s SEV event, entitled “The world is changing. Can Europe also change?”
Mr. Mytilineos noted that: “These European elections are among the most important we have ever experienced. The stakes are high. The cohesion of the European Union is being shaken by the rise of anti-systemic political parties and groups. The geopolitical backdrop is as threatening as it has ever been in the last decades. The European Union’s economic problems are intensified due to the lack of competitiveness that SEV Chairman Dimitri Papalexopoulos spoke about. Because the stakes are so high, SEV decided to hold this event to discuss the real problems and to give another tone, of substance, to this electoral battle, which is not only European but also national, in the sense that many interests of our country are at stake along with the interests of Europe.”
Watch the event here
