At the inauguration of the European Economic Congress (EEC) in Katowice Janusz Piechociński, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Economy of the Republic of Poland, Martin Kuba, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Czech Republic, Tomáš Malatinský, Minister of the Economy of the Republic of Slovakia, Mihaly Varga, Hungarian Minister of National Economy and Varujan Vosganian, Romania’s Minister of the Economy emphasized the significance of cooperation as one of the factors of European economic growth.
For the three May days, the capital of the Silesian conurbation will become a center of lively debate regarding the shape of the European and world economy. Hundreds of panellists will attend almost a hundred sessions, at which politicians, businessmen, scientists and representatives of institutions of culture will discuss, dispute and juxtapose their ideas and look for answers. The 5th European Economic Congress – the largest economic event in Central Europe – is underway.
Excerpts from speeches of the participants of the opening celebrations of the 5th European Economic Congress:
Janusz Piechociński, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Economy of the Republic of Poland:
“Today, in 2013, the most important competitive advantage of the Polish economy is its predictability and social stability, which shows that the requirement of a thoughtful dialogue between politics and politicians, politics and society, employers and employees is crucial from the point of view of building the authority of the state, the credibility of the national and business brand, and also of our openness (…). What Poland can truly compete in today, but also I am sure in the future, is human capital. We had 30 thousand programmers, control engineers and telecommunication specialists graduate last year alone.”
Martin Kuba, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic:
“Europe is undergoing a serious crisis. Its competitiveness is fading. Industry is withdrawing to the East. Re-industrialization is a good idea, but is it really possible to realize with the European Union policy towards industry conducted as it is today, especially with regard to the energy sector? As a result of climate policy, the management of the energy sector is no longer based on free market principles. The European Union’s policy is anti-industrial. Meantime, if the economy does not work out the necessary means, there will be no money to spend for climate protection (…). Industry is developing in Ukraine and Russia today. Despite this, we need to ensure the succession of technical personnel in our manufacturing plants. It is also important to focus on innovation. First of all, Europe needs to return to the free market. Its economy is over-regulated.”
Tomáš Malatinský, Minister of the Economy of the Republic of Slovakia
“If we wish to and if we have ambitions to maintain the European Union and the Eurozone we have to take care of the public debt, reduce the debt rate (…). Meeting the criteria is of primary importance, which means savings should be made every step of the way. On the other hand, pro-growth activities are also necessary, based on innovation, research and science (…). We need to have everything under control, on the national and European level, as far as the management of our environmental processes , the management of deficits and other aspects of the economy are concerned.”
Varujan Vosganian, Romania’s Minister of the Economy
“Europe is facing many challenges. There is a need to achieve a balance between regulations, for example in the sphere of environmental protection, so that the issue of competitiveness is not forgotten (…). This needs to be combined with the issues relating to research and innovation. The key term for Europe is still ‘’competitiveness’’. It is important to increase the competitiveness of the European economy. It is important to create a common industrial policy with other countries. Some of our sectors can become increasingly strong on the international markets. We have to look for new markets in Africa and in South-East Asia. It will be like opening a window and letting the fresh air in. I believe in Europe, where we are also encouraged to invest in domestic capital. It is important to maintain a balance between what happens in Brussels and at home. At this time of crisis, we should become open to new markets”.
Jerzy Buzek, Member of the European Parliament, Chairman of the European Parliament in 2009-2012, Poland’s Prime Minister 1997-2001:
“Silesiais a good place for a discussion on the economy; this is where industry is concentrated and where the heart of the national energy sector is. We are anxious for the contact between politics and business to be clear, transparent and at the same time intense. We need to make sure that no single incident prevents such contact. We are very happy for all the entrepreneurs attending the European Economic Congress to be here, whether they represent the largest or smallest companies. Together, we have to create the basis for a well-functioning Silesian, Polish and European economy (…). What matters is competitiveness and growth. There is no growth without competitiveness. We need structural reforms and stability in public finance. There is a need to give priority to production rather than services, which will not solve our problems. Cooperation, on the national level, between various sectors, and cooperation within Europe are important.”
The European Economic Congress in Katowice is the largest business event in Central Europe. It is a three-day cycle of debates, meetings and accompanying events with the participation of some of the most important figures from the spheres of politics, business, science and economy.
Around 6000 guests from Poland and abroad attend almost 100 theme-based sessions, debates and accompanying events.
The European Economic Congress is considered to be a forum for one of the most representative debates about the future of Europe; the arguments presented by some of the most distinguished guests of the Congress are frequently quoted and widely discussed.
The PTWP SA Group has been the organizer of the European Economic Congress since its inception in 2009.
text source: EEC’s press office
