Programme

This page is also available in

Challenges and opportunities of SMEs in the context of future of work and digitalisation

Agenda

09:30 - 10:00 | Registration of participants & Welcome coffee

10:00 - 10:15 | Introduction by Krzysztof PATER (Poland, Diversity Europe Group), President of the Labour Market Observatory (LMO)

10:15 - 11:20 | Session 1 – The situation of SMEs in the current context

Moderator: Vladimíra DRBALOVÁ ( Czech Republic, Employers' Group), Vice-President of the Labour Market Observatory (LMO)

Speakers:

  • Claude ROLIN (Belgium, EPP), Vice-Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL Committee), European Parliament (tbc)
  • Birgit WEIDEL, Head of Unit, EU programme for the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME), Entrepreneurship, SME Envoys and Relations with the executive agency for small and medium-sized enterprises, DG GROW (Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs), European Commission  (tbc)
  • Carola BOUTON, Policy Coordinator, Employment Strategy Unit, DG EMPL (Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), European Commission
  • Franca SALIS-MADINIER (France, Workers' Group), Vice-President of the Single Market Observatory (SMO) of the EESC and rapporteur for opinions on "Transition management in a digitalised world of work" (2018), "Artificial intelligence/impact on work" (2018), "The role of social partners and CSOs in new forms of work" (2017)

Q & A and open floor discussion

11:20 - 12:30 | Session 2 – From challenges to opportunities: overall policies needed to support SMEs

Moderator: Vladimíra DRBALOVÁ (Czech Republic, Employers' Group), Vice-President of the Labour Market Observatory (LMO)

Speakers:

  • Liliane VOLOZINSKIS, Director of Social Policy and Vocational Training, SMEunited
  • Ignacio DORESTE, Advisor, ETUC (European Trade Union Confederation)
  • Pietro de LOTTO (Italy, Employers' Group), EESC Member and Member of the Study Groups of the opinion "Effectiveness of policies for SMEs" (2017), "Digital Single Market/Mid-term review" (2017), "For a European Industrial Renaissance" (2014), "Review of the Small Business Act" (2011)

Q & A and Open floor discussion

12:30 – 14:00 | Light lunch

14:00 – 15:00 | Session 3 – From challenges to opportunities: examples of specific policies that are needed to adapt to a digitalised world of work - education and training and funding

Moderator: Krzysztof PATER (Poland, Diversity Europe Group), President of the Labour Market Observatory (LMO)

Speakers:

  • Julie FIONDA, Deputy Head of Unit, Skills and Qualifications, DG EMPL (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), European Commission
  • Lucie SUSOVA, Education and Lifelong Learning Coordination, Solidar Foundation
  • Bogdan ROGIN, Policy advisor, ALDE group, European Parliament

Q & A and Open floor discussion

15:00 – 16:10 | Session 4 – Examples of good practices

Moderator: Carlos Manuel TRINDADE (Portugal, Workers' Group), Member of the Labour Market Observatory (LMO) and President of the Group on Immigration and Integration of the EESC

Speakers:

  • Alexander RIEDL, Deputy Head of Unit, “Digital Economy and Skills”, DG CONNECT (Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology) - Digitising European Industry Initiative & European Platform of National Initiatives On Digitising Industry
  • Jose Luis PANCORBO, Vice-President, European DIGITAL SME Alliance
  • Anu KULL, Senior Officer, Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
  • Panagiotis GKOFAS (Greece, Diversity Europe Group), EESC Member  and Co-rapporteur of the opinion SME "think small first" (2018)

Q & A and Open floor discussion

16:10 – 16:15 | Conclusions and closing of the event by Krzysztof PATER (Poland, Diversity Europe Group), President of the Labour Market Observatory (LMO)

Participants can speak English, German, French, Italian, Bulgarian, Polish, Hungarian, Czech and Spanish and listen to English, Italian, French, Czech and Polish