#EUIndustryDays rundown: day three

25 February 2021

18:03

The third day of the EU Industry days focused primarily on digitalisation and its effects as well as innovation and a few segments on data.

Margaret Vestager

Photo: European Commission

First on the agenda for day three was some opening insight by the master of ceremony Jennifer Baker followed by a speech by Roberto Viola, the director-general for communications networks, content & technology for the European Commission.

The minister laid out some of the items for today and highlighted the EU's push for digitalisation as part of its Covid recovery.

"Digitalisation efforts that otherwise may have taken a decade are already underway," he said. "Digitalisation has become a part of the way we live and offer services - and, of course, it's here to stay."

Following this speech and a short panel on taxes and digital distribution, four concurrent panels dealing with the issue of sustainability and the European Green Deal.

The first dealt with the role of European businesses in helping meet the climate goals set out by the Paris Climate Agreement and the EU Green Deal. The second involved how digitalisation could aid in establishing a sustainable economy recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and the third went into detail as to how this could involve less-developed nations on the continent, such as eastern Europe.

The fourth panel illustrated how technological and industrial innovation was essential in delivering the EU Green Deal and meeting the Commission's climate goals.

These panels were followed by three more "meet the expert" panels which delved into EC policies, particularly regarding the digital transformation.

The first panel explained the crucial role of European Digital Innovation Hubs for Europe’s economic recovery and resilience. The second panel went into detail as to how the IP Helpdesks can help manage, disseminate and valorise technologies and other IP rights and assets at the EU level and the third panel explains IPCEIs - short for Important Projects of Common European Interest - as a state-aid instrument in regarding battery value chains, highlighting the importance of pan-European cooperation and public financing.

A further plenary panel looked to allay the uncertainty towards the digital transformation with EU officials and private sector players giving their input on how the digital transformation should be carried out.

This panel was split into two parts, with different speakers and moderators for each segment.

Answering the question he had laid out in his opening comments, regarding ways in which EU leadership on industrial data can be strengthened, Očko highlighted the difficulty in striking the right balance as legislators between regulating new industry and allowing room for innovation. He suggested the creation of a European digital ecosystem and regulatory fragmentation.

Schibsted CEO, Lund described the transition of her company, from “pure media company with newspapers, magazines and books” as it adapted to the new internet paradigm.

“We’ve carried our media values with us,” she said.

“We want to lay the ground for new innovations to make our lives easier, to protect the right to privacy and data control. We want the same rules to apply in the digital world as in the world outside and we want the internet to be safer place.”

She added: “There are many dilemmas to solve on our way to the digital future.”

Part two of the session looked saw Siada El Ramsy, Director General of DoT Europe moderate as the discussion continued, this time with a number of big players in the tech industry.

The panel discussed the slow rollout of some digital technologies in Europe, using 5G as an example. It was claimed that 26% of people in Europe are covered by 5g compared to 76% in the US.

There was also a call for a unified policy, rather than a collection of 27.

Amazon’s James Waterworth focused on synergies; between physical and digital, large and small companies, European and international policy whereas Spotify’s Olivia Regnier called for fair and open access to digital markets.

The day finished off with a speech from Margaret Vestager, European Commission’s Executive Vice President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age.

Ms Vestager spoke of the many challenges and opportunities presented by this technological wave, and continue on the wave of optimism that has so far run through the event, showing the face a Europe that is confident that it can be at the front of this wave, having faltered so often in the recent past when compared to the US and many East Asian economies.

The day's digital focus was the theme of the speech, which was concluded with a big nod to industry and the role that it had played in forming the foundations on which the European project was built.

For additional information regarding each panel, please consult our live blog of the event.

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