"Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs" Newsletter Issues

Hannover Messe (22/04/2024)

DG GROW is back at the Hannover Messe. 2024 marks the largest EU presence at the leading industrial fair so far:

Full steam to facilitate closer integration of Ukrainian SMEs into the Single Market (19/03/2024)

Business Bridge paves the way for Ukrainian SMEs to access the EU single market. Its launch aligns with two historic decisions taken by the European Council: to open accession negotiations with Ukraine on 14 December 2023, and the political agreement of 1 February 2024 to provide Ukraine with financial support through the €50 billion Ukraine Facility. The project, launched under the ReadyForEU initiative, will provide €3.75 million in assistance to selected Ukrainian businesses. These businesses will be able to apply for financial assistance, supporting their path to the single market. They will be entitled to receive financial assistance of €2,500 covering business services, such as market research, legal, organisational, or financial advice, participation in EU trade fairs, or legal guidance on intellectual property rights. Beyond empowering Ukrainian SMEs, the Business Bridge project seeks to provide new business partnerships for EU companies. In addition, a second project under the ReadyForEU initiative is still ongoing: the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs - Ukraine, which will allow 430 new Ukrainian entrepreneurs to gain business skills and experience abroad. 

Commission recommends actions to combat counterfeiting and better protect intellectual property rights (20/03/2024)

The Commission has adopted a Recommendation to combat counterfeiting, both offline and online, and enhance the enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR). The Recommendation, also known as the EU toolbox against counterfeiting, aims to foster collaboration between rights holders, service providers, and law enforcement, while encouraging best practices and the use of modern tools and technologies. It consists of strategic initiatives to combat counterfeiting and strengthen the enforcement of intellectual property rights, setting out dedicated tools to increase companies' resilience and ability to better protect their intangible assets, including against cyber-theft.

Commission welcomes political agreement to ban products made with forced labour from the Union market (20/03/2024)

The fight against forced labour is a political priority for the Commission. The agreed text follows the Commission's proposal of 14 September 2022. The new rules will provide the EU with a tool to ban products made with forced labour from the single market. It is estimated that around 27.6 million people are in forced labour, in many industries and in every continent across the world. Under the agreement, the Commission will investigate cases and take decisions where the risk of forced labour is outside the territory of the Union, while EU countries will investigate and take decisions in case the forced labour is found inside the EU.

New mobile machinery rules to ease safe circulation on public roads across the EU (20/03/2024)

The new rules will facilitate the use of mobile machinery, including cranes, harvesters, forklifts, or snow cleaners, on public roads. It will consolidate the Single Market by replacing 27 sets of national legislation by a single, harmonised one. This will eliminate existing barriers to the free circulation of mobile machinery on public roads, while ensuring a high level of road safety. Furthermore, the new Regulation will reduce compliance and administrative burden, with cost savings estimated at up to €846 million over a period of 10 years.

The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme celebrates 15 years of fostering entrepreneurship in Europe (20/03/2024)

The Commission is marking the 15th anniversary of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) programme, a landmark initiative designed to shape the future of entrepreneurship across Europe. This milestone underscores EYE's success in fostering international collaboration, enriching entrepreneurial skills, and driving innovation. To date, the programme has created nearly 12,000 business exchanges in over 45 countries. 2023 marked a historic high with over 5,000 applications, demonstrating the programme's resounding success. The EYE programme has a strong approval rating, with 98% of new entrepreneurs recommending it, and 92% of participants maintaining contact after their exchange. Additionally, 20% of host entrepreneurs plan to set up joint business activities with new entrepreneurs.

With the Net-zero Industry Academies, the Commission acts to train Europe’s workforce for the net-zero economy (20/03/2024)

Skills rank as a primary concern for businesses across Europe and are correspondingly high on the EU political agenda. Net Zero Skills Academies form a significant component of the Commission’s strategy to address these demands. However, what does this entail in practice? This Business Planet episode explains the efforts being made to equip our workforce with the skills needed to ensure a net-zero future for Europe!
 

Commission unveils next phase of the Single Digital Gateway and its synergies with permitting under the net-zero industry and critical raw materials acts (20/03/2024)

On 19 March, the Commission organised a high-level conference on the future of the Single Digital Gateway. The event was an opportunity to take stock of the Single Digital Gateway, which four years into its implementation, offers a range of practical information, advice and access to various administrative procedures to help businesses expand abroad and citizens to exercise their rights when living, travelling, working or studying in the EU. The Commission also laid out plans for the next stage in the development of the Single Digital Gateway, with the objective of helping to consolidate the Single Market’s integration and to support Europe’s competitiveness.

3rd Cluster Booster Academy in Sofia empowers managers and employees of cluster organisations with Green Strategies and Digital insight (20/03/2024)

The European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), in collaboration with the Automotive Cluster Bulgaria, successfully concluded the 3^rd Cluster Booster Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 11-12 March. This session aimed to strengthen participants' grasp of cluster management strategies, with a particular focus on addressing future challenges like sustainability and digitalisation.
 

The SHAPE-EU project final event celebrates the project achievements (21/03/2024)

After 24 months of work, the SHAPE-EU project organised their final event held on 21 February to present their results. The event showcased invaluable insights and best practices for promoting social and affordable housing across the EU. The partnership has developed blueprints for a just energy transition with affordability and livability at its heart. Coordinated by Housing Europe and co-funded by the European Union’s Single Market Programme, the goal of the project is to support public, social and cooperative housing providers, public authorities, and SMEs to deliver social and affordable housing district renovations, which include innovative features, such as the use of smart and circular technologies and new approaches created and managed jointly with the local communities. Watch the recording here.

Director General, Kerstin Jorna, led GROW's presence at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada 2024 Convention (21/03/2024)

The annual Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention is a leading event for the world’s mineral exploration, bringing together up to 30,000 attendees from over 130 countries. This year, representatives from GROW, TRADE, RTD, HaDEA and the EU Delegation attended the convention and presented opportunities and achievements in the field of R&I, clean and resilient value chains for raw materials.  

What's stopping Europe from reaching its clean hydrogen goals? (21/03/2024)

Discover what Europe is doing to achieve ambitious decarbonization goals in the latest episode of the Business Planet program, produced in collaboration with Euronews. 

Commission published the transition pathway for a green, digital and resilient EU agri-food industrial ecosystem (21/03/2024)

On 11 March, the Commission published the transition pathway for the agri-food industrial ecosystem, which focuses on the food processing industry. It highlights that the food system's competitiveness and resilience require fair returns for all players in the value chain, smart sustainability investments to limit food inflation, support for the international attractiveness of EU agri-food exports, and implementation of circular business models.

Commission published the transition pathway for a more resilient, digital and green retail ecosystem (21/03/2024)

On 12 March, the Commission published the transition pathway for a more resilient, digital and green retail ecosystem. The pathway points toward a just and fair transition for all ecosystem actors, including workforce, consumers and businesses of all sizes and types. It encourages business stakeholders, social partners as well as national, regional and local authorities to engage in the co-implementation process and contribute to a competitive, sustainable, resilient and fair retail ecosystem.

Launch of the new European Capital and Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025 competitions (21/03/2024)

The Commission has launched two competitions to promote smart and sustainable tourism in the EU. These competitions aim to enhance networking and bolster destinations while facilitating the exchange of best practices. Is your city the next leading example of Smart Tourism in Europe? Apply now to become the 2025 European Capital or Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism.

Save the date: 10 April - EU SUSTAINABLE FINANCE DAYS Madrid (10/04/2024)

The 1^st of a series of 4 EU Sustainable Finance days will take place in Madrid on 10 April. It will be followed by events in Vilnius, Warsaw and The Hague in the course of the year. It is an opportunity to learn about EU Sustainable Finance policies, EU financing instruments (such as InvestEU’s Sustainability Guarantee) support tools (such as the InvestEU-backed Green Gateway and Enterprise Europe Network’s sustainability advisors) and other Commission actions supporting SMEs’ access to sustainable finance. 
 

Save the date: 16 April - Advanced Manufacturing Industry Conference (16/04/2024)

The conference will bring together policymakers, corporate leaders, academics, and institutional representatives to discuss specific challenges facing advanced manufacturing. It will provide insights for the incoming Commission on current bottlenecks and areas of opportunity, to ensure the industry remains competitive and supports the green transition.

Save the date: 22-26 April - Join us at Hannover Messe 2024 (22/04/2024)

GROW is back at the Hannover Messe. 2024 marks the largest EU presence at the leading industrial fair so far:
•    President von der Leyen will speak at the Opening Ceremony (Sunday 21 April)
•    A high-level conference “Investing in EU Industry” will take place on Monday, 22 April (14:00 - 16:30) - Registration or web stream available here.
•    Cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) 
•    Exhibition stand of 500m2 in hall 12 (D-05) 
•    Presentations and panels with European Commission as well as EIB experts and representatives of industry in the on-stand auditorium from Monday to Friday (also web streamed) 
 

Save the date: 24 April - Big Buyers Working Together: Join the Annual Event! (24/04/2024)

The Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) team is organising its first in-person Annual Event 2024. This event will offer a unique opportunity for sharing knowledge, forging connections, exchanging insights, and weaving the fabric of collaboration among public buyers on innovative and sustainable procurement.
 

Save the date: 29-30 April - TED conference "Public Procurement Data Superpowers 2024" (29/04/2024)

This event will help unveil the vast potential of public procurement data and give an opportunity to discuss with all stakeholders on how to tackle the complex landscape of procurement data in the future. Join us for insightful contributions, discussions, and exchanges on topics such as the public procurement data space, the transformative impact of artificial intelligence, and eForms – the exclusive standard for publishing procurement data since October 2023. These topics will be presented by expert speakers from national authorities, EU institutions, NGOs, and procurement specialists.
 

Save the date: 8 May - Matchmaking event at the European Cluster Conference (08/05/2024)

The Commission will host the 9^th edition of the European Cluster Conference, the EU’s flagship event dedicated to industrial clusters, which has been organised every two years since 2008 to highlight the role of clusters in driving regional economic growth, fostering innovation, and deepening the Single Market. This year's edition will focus on the role of clusters in building new and reshaping existing value chains and in creating hotspots to attract investments in Europe.
 

Help us grow our newsletter community by sharing it! (25/01/2024)

Do you know someone who would be interested in getting information or updates on DG GROW’s files and policies? Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter and invite them to sign up by subscribing here or by scanning the QR code!

Commission launches new European Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors (15/02/2024)

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are nuclear reactors that are much smaller than conventional nuclear power plants, and their production can rely on factory-assembled systems and components. By enhancing cooperation at EU level, the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs will accelerate the deployment of the first SMRs in the EU by the early 2030s. This will be done under the highest standards of nuclear safety and security, and environmental sustainability, while promoting industrial competitiveness.

Co-legislators agree on plans to make clean technology manufacturing in the EU resilient and competitive (15/02/2024)

The Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached on 6 February between the European Parliament and the Council on the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). This agreement will help the EU develop clean technologies and make significant strides towards building a strong domestic manufacturing capacity of those technologies in the EU. NZIA will enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the European industry and support the creation of green, quality jobs as the EU seeks to reach climate neutrality by 2050.

Is Europe on track to meet its wind energy targets? (15/02/2024)

In the latest episode of the Business Planet program in collaboration with Euronews we look at how European producers are racing against the clock to build enough wind farms to meet the EU's renewable energy targets by 2030.

Commission monitors strengths and challenges of EU's competitiveness (15/02/2024)

The Commission issued its annual report on the competitive strengths and challenges of Europe's Single Market, tracking developments according to the nine competitiveness drivers identified in the EU's 2023 Long-term competitiveness Communication.

Commission publishes Annual Union Work Programme on European Standardisation for 2024 (15/02/2024)

On 2 February, the Commission published its Annual Union Work Programme on European Standardisation (AUWP) 2024, which sets out its priorities on all activities related to standards. The 2024 AUWP includes 72 actions supporting the EU’s policy ambitions towards a green, digital and resilient Single Market. Amongst these, the Commission highlights 8 particular actions as policy priorities, including standards for activities on quantum, critical raw materials, the data economy, digital identity, heat pumps, cybersecurity, hydrogen and electric vehicles charging infrastructure.

The 2024 edition of the Single Market Tour is hitting the road! Explore the initial segment of the 2024 schedule. (15/02/2024)

The Single Market Tour started in 2023 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Single Market. The traveling exhibition already visited 7 Member States.  In 2024 it continues its journey in 6 additional countries, starting in Thessaloniki, Greece on 1-2 March, and continuing with several stops in Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, and Germany. We eagerly anticipate engaging with people and highlighting the everyday advantages of the single market.

Wrapping Up the European Social Innovation Competition (15/02/2024)

The 2023 edition of The European Social Innovation Competition - EUSIC Academia concluded with a two-day event on 31 January and 1 February. Hosted by EISMEA – the European Innovation Council and SME Executive Agency, the EUSIC Academia featured a series of tailored training modules exclusively for the 15 finalists of the 2023 challenge. These sessions aimed to support the participants' professional growth and enhance the structure of their business and social innovation solutions. The 2024 challenge will be launched this April and will focus on Digital Democracy.

Enterprise Europe Network - EU single market success stories (15/02/2024)

The stories featured in this brochure shed light on how the four fundamental freedoms of movement in the Single Market - goods, people, services, and capital - have simplified daily business operations, fueling growth and prosperity across the European Union. These 70 success stories, from 17 EU Member States and Iceland, are a testimony of the impactful collaboration within the Network, exemplifying its strength and functionality.

Discover how to the SME Fund can help your SME better protect its IPR (16/02/2024)

Building upon the success of its predecessors, this year's fund promises valuable opportunities for SMEs. During the webinar, you'll explore the advantages of the SME Fund; discover the support available for safeguarding intellectual property rights (IPRs) through vouchers and learn how to apply and claim partial reimbursement for trademarks, designs, patents, plant varieties, as well as for IP Scan and IP Scan Enforcement. Tailored for SMEs based in the EU or Ukraine seeking to protect their IPRs, this webinar welcomes previous applicants who are eligible to apply once more this year.

Embracing global markets webinar series - Key Insights for thriving in dynamic markets in Asia, Africa and the Americas (15/02/2024)

The Enterprise Europe Network’s Internationalisation working group launched the webinar series ‘Embracing global markets' to empower SMEs and start-ups to innovate and expand their presence in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This series offers vital market intelligence and regulatory insights, assisting companies in navigating fast-growing markets and targeted sectors. Eager to participate? Explore our 2024 webinar calendar for registration details.

Watch the recordings of the Invest EU Conference (15/02/2024)

On 23 January, the InvestEU: Financing Europe’s Future event highlighted the potential of InvestEU, showcased its beneficiaries, and facilitated interaction with InvestEU partners and stakeholders.

Non-EU cities are now invited to participate as observers in the Intelligent Cities Challenge, enabling them to adopt leading twin transition practices (16/02/2024)

Non-EU cities can now engage with the Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC), an initiative geared towards aiding cities in their green and digital transitions via Local Green Deals. This was announced on 30 January, during a webinar with Ukrainian cities, during which the Ukrainian translation of the ICC Blueprint for Local Green Deals was also presented.

Understanding EU-China exposure (16/02/2024)

De-risking requires understanding exposure. This latest economic brief in the context of GROW’s Single Market Economics Papers looks at three channels of EU exposure to China: trade, investment and technology. It shows that while de-risking from China is a complex task, there are strengths and opportunities that the EU may build on. 

View the recording of the Research Conference on the EU Single Market held on 7 February (16/02/2024)

If you missed it, catch up on the second edition of the Research Conference on the EU Single Market, where leading researchers presented their findings and policy insights related to the EU Single Market.

Initial findings from the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosytems reveal that the EU Industry is committed to fulfil the green and digital transition (19/02/2024)

In a Staff Working Document (SWD) that accompanied the 2024 Annual Single Market and Competitiveness Report, the European Commission has unveiled the first findings of the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems (EMI). These findings suggest a serious commitment by EU industry to invest in the twin transition and to adopt green and digital technologies, whilst also emphasizing the EU’s leadership worldwide in climate change technologies. The report also flags some key areas for improvement, in particular in skills and in digital technologies.

Transition pathway for a green, digital, and resilient EU mobility industrial ecosystem (16/02/2024)

The transition pathway for the EU Mobility Industrial Ecosystem, outlines a comprehensive plan for a green, digital, and resilient future. Developed collaboratively with national and regional authorities, industry stakeholders, NGOs, and others, this actionable plan addresses challenges, opportunities, and necessary actions to drive the transition in line with the updated EU industrial strategy. The publication of the report marks the start of the co-implementation process with stakeholders expected to make pledges in line with the actions identified. The report will also be presented to all interested stakeholders during the Roundtable event taking in Brussels on 29 February.

Commission takes stock of progress towards green and digital tourism (16/02/2024)

The very first stock-taking of the progress and visible results of the transition pathway for tourism since its launch in February 2022 is now available. Two years after the initial release of this transition pathway, the report highlights tangible progress across all action fronts, bolstered by the active involvement of tourism stakeholders from EU Member States and beyond. The report will also be presented to all interested stakeholders during the 'Together for EU Tourism' event taking in Brussels on 15 March.

EU eInvoicing model plays a key role in simplifying electronic invoicing within the EU and beyond (16/02/2024)

Discover the report on the EU electronic invoicing Directive, a milestone in the journey toward a more interconnected, interoperable, and efficient European eInvoicing landscape. This report sheds light on the Directive’s positive implications for businesses, public procurement, and cross-border transactions, fostering efficiency, and reducing costs in the EU and beyond.  The report also addresses how the Directive’s impact extends beyond the public sector, encouraging the adoption of eInvoicing in Business-to-Business (B2B) transactions and the impact of recent policies encompassing the use of the EU eInvoicing standard and model.

Make your event an EU Green Week Partner one (04/03/2024)

The EU Green Week (29-30 May) is an annual opportunity to raise awareness, promote and discuss European environmental policy. Organised by the Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment, this year's edition will be about moving towards a water resilient EU. If you are interested in organising a partner  event to take place between 29 May and 1 September you can apply until the 17 March.

Public consultation on sustainability reporting standards for SMEs (18/01/2024)

The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) announced a public consultation on simplified sustainability reporting standard for listed SMEs and voluntary sustainability reporting standard for non-listed SMEs. As part of its mandate granted by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to provide technical advice to the Commission on European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), EFRAG has been mandated to develop the standard for SMEs that are public-interest entities. Feedback from all interested constituents is welcome.

Apply to the EENergy open call, and potentially benefit from a €10,000 grant to plan your company's energy efficiency (16/02/2024)

The program will support at least 1800 SMEs in developing Action Plans for improving their energy efficiency and will also include an EENergy grant of up to €10,000 for at least 900 SMEs. The EENergy grant is a one-time support mechanism that will be granted to the individual SMEs after the preparation and implementation of a concrete action plan targeting at least a 5% improvement in energy efficiency.

Last call: 29 February - Roundtable event on the mobility transition pathway (29/02/2024)

The event will present and discuss the transition pathway for the mobility ecosystem co-created with the industry and civil society. At the same time, the event will also kick-start the co-implementation process with a call for stakeholders’ pledges to underpin the actions of the transition pathway. Register here.

Last call: 15 March - ‘Together for EU Tourism’ stakeholder event & 2 year-anniversary of the Transition Pathway for Tourism (15/03/2024)

On 15 March, the Transition Pathway for Tourism will be celebrating its two-year anniversary. To mark this milestone, GROW will organise a dedicated stakeholder event, reflecting on past achievements and future developments of the tourism ecosystem. The hybrid event will bring together policymakers and stakeholders, in Brussels and online (livestreaming available here), from 10:00 to 15:30 CET. Register here. 

Save the date: 16 April - Advanced Manufacturing Industry Conference (16/04/2024)

The conference will bring together policymakers, corporate leaders, academics, and institutional representatives to discuss specific challenges facing advanced manufacturing. The conference will provide insights for the incoming Commission on current bottlenecks and areas of opportunity, to ensure the industry remains competitive and supports the green transition. Register here.

Help us grow our newsletter community by sharing it! (25/01/2024)

Do you know someone who would be interested in getting information or updates on DG GROW’s files and policies? Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter and invite them to sign up by subscribing here or by scanning the QR code!

Hannover Messe (22/04/2024)

DG GROW is back at the Hannover Messe. 2024 marks the largest EU presence at the leading industrial fair so far:

GROW welcomes the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (18/01/2024)

Belgium holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months. Strengthening our competitiveness; pursuing a green and just transition; defending rule of law, democracy, and unity; reinforcing our social and health agenda; protecting people and borders and promoting a global Europe are the main priorities of the Presidency. GROW has already established a close cooperation and looks forward to working together to make Europe's Single Market stronger and ensure conditions for EU Industry and businesses to flourish!

Quiz - What is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)? (18/01/2024)

A year and a half after the adoption of the proposal by the Commission and after intense debates between the co-legislators, the worldwide first-of-a-kind Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) has finally been agreed upon! It paves the way for more sustainable products and consumption modes across the European Union by 2028. But do you know all about ESPR? Test your knowledge here.

Quiz - Is a lamp a construction product? Test your knowledge of the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR) (18/01/2024)

The Commission welcomed end of last year the provisional agreement on the construction products regulation, but do you know what it is all about? Which products are covered, and which are not? Would you be able to answer to at least half of this quiz correctly?

Reach for the sky: How clusters are helping Europe's aerospace industry take off (18/01/2024)

In this episode of the Business Planet programme in collaboration with Euronews, you will travel to Poland to discover how the Silesian Aviation Cluster is helping more than 100 European firms extend their international reach by sharing knowledge and innovative solutions.

Commission approves €902 million German State aid measure to support Northvolt in the construction of an electric vehicle battery production plant to foster the transition to a net-zero economy (18/01/2024)

The European Commission has approved a €902 million German measure to support Northvolt in the construction of a plant for the production of batteries for electric vehicles to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy, in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The aid was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 and amended on 20 November 2023, to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies.

Commission approves a €2.9 billion French State aid scheme for supporting investment in green industries to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy (18/01/2024)

The measure will take the form of a tax credit, it will be open to companies which plan projects to invest in the production of solar panels, batteries, wind turbines and heat pumps, as well as key components for producing this equipment and critical materials required for their production.

SAFE Survey continues to find that European businesses are affected by tighter financing conditions and deteriorating access to finance (18/01/2024)

The results provide findings about businesses facing tighter financing conditions in the past year due to the general economic downturn. More specifically, the 2023 Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises (SAFE) shows that nearly eight in ten businesses experienced increased interest rates.  In addition, over a third of businesses with plans to grow in the next two to three years see too high interest rates or prices as the most important limitation to accessing finance in the future.

SME Fund closes with record number of applicants in 2023 (18/01/2024)

The 2023 SME Fund aimed at supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among small and medium-sized businesses. It received 34.801 applications in 2023, and 22.899 SMEs were supported financially which is a significant increase of  55% compared to  2022.  78% of applications came from the SMEs which protected their intellectual property for the first time.  Building on the success of the SME Fund 2023, in January 2024 the Commission will launch  a revamped 2024 SME Fund to provide SMEs with financial support to better manage and protect their intangible assets.

Introducing GROW’s new monitoring tool, the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems (EMI) (18/01/2024)

The European Commission published the first results of the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems (EMI) project to assess the implementation of the green and digital transition within each industrial ecosystem. The project analyses the EU’s industrial sustainable competitiveness by measuring supply and demand of skills, investments and funding, and technology development and adoption. The first industrial ecosystem reports are now available on the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems website.

The EU is delivering aid from the private sector and global partners to Ukraine (18/01/2024)

The European Commission has set up an operational system to channel in-kind donations from third countries and the private sector to Ukraine, Moldova, and neighbouring EU countries. The aim is to help civilians affected by the war in Ukraine. Via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the EU coordinates the overall donation process, from the expression of interest to the timely and safe delivery of donated items to local authorities. The in-kind donations become a part of the rescEU reserve that the EU established to offer an additional layer of protection when disasters strike.

Is the EU providing a regulatory model for other countries? (18/01/2024)

This article examines the EU’s role in providing a regulatory model for product requirements aimed at protecting health, safety, and the environment. It reveals a significant link between the existence of such product requirements in the EU and the subsequent implementation of analogous requirements in other countries. The driving forces behind this phenomenon are attributed to both market-driven elements, such as the importance of the EU as an export market for other countries, and treaty-driven elements, such as the existence of trade agreements between the EU and other countries.

Test the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG)'s forthcoming exposure drafts on sustainability reporting standards for SMEs (18/01/2024)

The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) is calling for SMEs and users to test its forthcoming exposure drafts on simplified sustainability reporting standard for listed SMEs and voluntary sustainability reporting standard for non-listed SMEs. Participation in this field test is a unique opportunity to be part of the standard setting process, help shape future requirements, and gain valuable insights into the new requirements.  The deadline to confirm interest is 31 January 2024.

e-Administration for businesses: tell us what you need to improve your cross-border activities (23/11/2023)

Are you an SME (or do you represent a group of SMEs) doing business in another EU country? Or do you ever think about expanding abroad within the EU? Then this survey is for you! It takes less than 10 minutes and it’s available in all EU languages. Let us know what you think and expect of Your Europe. Your Europe is the EU’s “single digital gateway”, a one-stop shop for all SMEs and citizens with reliable information about rules and procedures in the EU single market, several assistance services and a tool to report obstacles. Last but not least, it supports the Once-Only Technical System. This system makes cross-border paperwork a lot easier when you are doing business in the EU.

Launch of the GROW Fellowship Programme 2024 (18/01/2024)

GROW’s yearly fellowship programme gathers top economists/academics of recognised reputation. Their expert economic advice supports the Directorate-General in its analysis and policy making. After a successful first cycle of the GROW fellowship in 2023, a second group of economic experts will kick off their work in January 2024. 

Save the date: 6 February - Webinar about EU policies on Tourism and skills: opportunities for tourism and hospitality educational organisations (06/02/2024)

In the context of the European Year of Skills, and in view of improving the attractiveness of working and the mobility of workers in the European tourism sector, GROW has invited tourism and hospitality vocational education and training (VET) schools among others to a large-scale webinar to inform them about EU tourism policy in particular on skills, opportunities for apprenticeships and mobility under Erasmus+, as well as to allow them to share their views and concerns. To register to this webinar, please contact grow-g1@ec.europa.eu.

Save the date: 29 February - Roundtable event on the mobility transition pathway (29/02/2024)

The event will present and discuss the transition pathway for the mobility ecosystem co-created with the industry and civil society. At the same time, the event will also kick-start the co-implementation process with a call for stakeholders’ pledges to underpin the actions of the transition pathway. Register here.

Save the date: 7 February - Research Conference on the EU Single Market (07/02/2024)

GROW organises the second edition of the Research Conference on the EU single market, after the first edition organised in December 2022 in Prague. The conference will be held in person in Brussels, and web streamed. The conference will bring together top researchers to present their findings and policy insights related to the EU single market. All papers presented at the conference will be posted on the GROW's website in the Single Market Economy Papers series. Register here.

Save the date: 15 March - ‘Together for EU Tourism’ stakeholder event & 2 year-anniversary of the Transition Pathway for Tourism (15/03/2024)

On 15 March, the Transition Pathway for Tourism will be celebrating its two-year anniversary. To mark this milestone, GROW will organise a dedicated stakeholder event, reflecting on past achievements and future developments of the tourism ecosystem. The hybrid event will bring together policymakers and stakeholders, in Brussels and online (livestreaming available here), from 10:00 to 15:30 CET. Register here. 

Save the date: 19 March - Boosting the EU Single Market: Towards the Single Digital Gateway 2.0 (19/03/2024)

Jointly organised by the Commission and the Belgian Presidency, this high-level event will look at how digital public services can further improve the functioning of the Single Market. Prominent experts and policy makers will exchange their ideas and insights on the achievements, the opportunities and the future of the Single Digital Gateway. If you are a professional responsible for developing, influencing, and managing implementation of IT projects for public, private and academic sectors at local, regional, national, and pan-European institutional levels, please contact us to join the event. This event is by invitation. If you are interested in joining, please send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as possible

Save the Date: 7-8 May - European Cluster Conference 2024 (07/05/2024)

The European Cluster Conference 2024 has been officially announced. Save the date! The event will take place on 7-8 May at the Square in Brussels. The conference will bring together Europe’s cluster community, including industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and innovators from across Europe. The event will focus on the role of clusters in the Single Market, the EU's competitiveness, and expectations for cluster policy and practices for the next 5-year political cycle. Registrations will open on 1 February.

Help us grow our newsletter community by sharing it! (25/01/2024)

Do you know someone who would be interested in getting information or updates on DG GROW’s files and policies? Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter and invite them to sign up by subscribing here or by scanning the QR code!

White smoke for several GROW legislative proposals (13/12/2023)

Provisional agreements were reached between co-legislators at trilogues during the last days of the Spanish Presidency

👍 Classification, labelling and packaging regulation
👍 Regulation and directive on industrial designs
👍 Construction products regulation
👍 Product liability directive
👍 Corporate sustainability due diligence directive

COP28 strikes ‘historic’ deal to transition away from fossil fuels (13/12/2023)

At the end of the COP28 UN Climate Conference in Dubai, European Union negotiators succeeded, with partners from around the world, to keep alive the possibility of delivering on the commitment in the Paris Agreement to limit global average temperature increase to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels. With a particular focus on the energy sector in the talks, Parties agreed to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels this decade, to take action to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030, and set the world on a pathway to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, in line with the best available science.

COP28 EU side event on Local Green Deals: Implementing the Green Deal Industrial Plan at Local level (13/12/2023)

At a side event at COP28 on 6 December EU policy makers, visionary Mayors and “sustainability heroes” from industry discussed the capital role of cities and local industry to deliver on the EU Green Deal Industrial Plan. Valentina Superti, GROW Director for Director for Tourism, Proximity and Digitalisation, depicted the EU policy context and stressed the instrumental role of partnerships between cities and local businesses through Local Green Deals. Local Green Deals seek to accelerate a net-zero industry transition across sectors, notably through sustainable buildings, clean mobility, or decentralised renewable energy systems, while promoting competitiveness and social wellbeing. The EU’s Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC) is instrumental in this journey, supporting cities in the twin transition of their local economies. Watch the replay here.

COP28 side event on the InvestEU programme contribution to EU Net-Zero Industry investments (13/12/2023)

Many InvestEU projects already support the goals of the Green Deal, e.g.  a start-up just founded in 2022 received an InvestEU backed equity investment for its innovative and sustainable technology for Lithium-ion Battery recycling. It allows a true circular economy instead of further depletion. The start-up managed to build up from a scratch a fully operational factory for this  complex recycling process. Eager to visit the website of this start-up, just follow the recording to learn who they are, and yet much more importantly how they make the green transition a reality thanks to EU support!  Last but not least, SMEs across the EU applied already for a dedicated EU financing, including InvestEU backed, at access2finance.eu! And you, have you?

COP28 side event on the science behind the decarbonisation of the built environment (13/12/2023)

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate mitigation in buildings can be advanced at each of the design, construction, retrofit, use and disposal stages of the life cycle. Moreover, sufficiency measures can limit the demand for energy and materials over the lifecycle of buildings. The decarbonisation of buildings and construction is a key aspect of the European Green Deal. The European Commission has proposed several policy initiatives to meet this objective, such as revisions of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). In Europe and other developed economies, renovation of buildings is a significant challenge. Action at the district level can be effective in tackling various barriers at scale. The complexity of the challenges and opportunities faced by the built environment in a climate neutral future call for a multi-disciplinary and holistic approach. In addition, social and environmental goals can be achieved simultaneously in the built environment, using participatory approaches and justice-aware interventions.

Commissioner Breton and Enrico Letta opened the 7th plenary meeting of the Industrial Forum (13/12/2023)

GROW held the 7th plenary meeting of the Industrial Forum in Brussels on Monday, 4 December. Commissioner Breton opened a session on the future of the EU Single Market together with Enrico Letta, former Italian Prime Minister and President of the Delors Institute, who is drafting a high-level report on the future of the Single Market. The Commissioner, Mr Letta and Forum members then exchanged on reporting burden and on single market barriers more broadly. In addition, the meeting had a session dedicated to the Economic Security Strategy, which addressed supply chain resilience, de-risking strategies, and risks related to critical technologies. Other key topics tackled at the forum included the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, the upcoming Annual Single Market and Competitiveness Report 2024, and the Industrial Forum’s workplan.

Commissioner Breton hosted a ministerial meeting on European Solar PV Industry Alliance (13/12/2023)

On 1 December, Commissioner Thierry Breton hosted a ministerial meeting on the European solar photovoltaic (PV) industry under the umbrella of the European Solar PV Industry Alliance. Marking the first anniversary of the Alliance, this virtual meeting gathered Ministers from the European Union and Norway, as well as representatives of the European Investment Bank and the European solar PV sector. The aim of the meeting was to address current challenges and possible solutions for bringing back solar PV manufacturing to Europe. Special focus was put on narrowing the cost gap between imported and European production and leveraging the value of European production. During the meeting, Member States shared best practices on mobilising existing financial tools at national and Union-level. The meeting also covered how to use non-price award criteria, such as social, environmental or diversification considerations, in procurement processes and auctions. Finally, Commissioner Breton announced the launch of a new Solar Academy to tackle the large skills gap in the sector by designing specific learning content, with the aim of training 100,000 workers in the next three years.

The EU and Greenland signed a strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials value chains (13/12/2023)

Greenland's extensive natural riches are a major asset for reaping the benefits of global value chains, as it seeks to diversify its economy in a sustainable way. 25 of the 34 critical raw materials identified by the Commission as strategically important for Europe's industry and the green transition can be found in Greenland. The MoU signed on 30 November, will contribute to the development of sustainable projects along the raw materials value chains, and to the deployment of infrastructure required to develop them.

High-Level Forum on European Standardisation: steering towards a greener, digital and resilient single market (13/12/2023)

The forum, which was held on 30 November, comprises high-level representatives from diverse interest groups. It is a key component of the EU's strategy on standardisation, playing a pivotal role in influencing the trajectory of the European single market. The forum discussed how to ensure European industry leadership in international standards-setting. Members of the forum also presented a pledge to the Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, in which they commit to work on education and skills on standardisation to ensure that Europe has the best experts in the standards-development process.

Single Market Enforcement Taskforce held last meeting of 2023 (13/12/2023)

The taskforce focused on cross-border provision of services and removing barriers to renewable energy permitting. Good progress has been achieved by Member States in these two areas, but further effort is desirable to unleash the potential of the single market and to support the competitiveness of the EU economy.

EU Member States celebrate Go-Live of the Once-Only Technical System (13/12/2023)

This new EU-wide technical system will allow Member States to handle cross-border administrative tasks more efficiently and eliminate persistent transaction costs that remain after the digitisation of public services. Whether it is a citizen changing their address or businesses obtaining essential permits to provide services in another country, this system will enable Member States to get the required evidence directly from the official registries, upon a citizen or business’ request.

Coming up in January, brand-new TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) platform (13/12/2023)

The upcoming enhanced new TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) will be packed with a myriad of improvements, new features and expanded functionalities. It will feature a new look and integrate state-of-the-art IT technologies. You will enjoy intuitive navigation and new options to personalise their accounts. The search function will be supported by a highly performant search engine for fast and easy information retrieval.

Internal Market Information System - 15 years of connecting public administrations across the EU (13/12/2023)

The high-level conference for the 15th anniversary of IMI took place on 30th November in Brussels. It was an inspiring exchange moment between experienced and visionary professionals fully engaged into strengthening the digital single market. Representatives of Member States and from Commission services and bodies, industries and research, and policy centres joined in for this celebration, as an additional testimony that at the core of IMI working successfully on a daily basis lies a widespread network of dedicated experts.

Commission promotes strategic partnership for skills to advance excellence in the health industry (13/12/2023)

On 1 December, with the support of the European Commission, health industry associations, along with their networks and training providers, have established a large scale partnership to enhance skills development across Europe. The partnership’s ambition is to create a shared model for skills development fostering collaboration in pooling knowledge, experiences and resources. It aims to engage in concrete upskilling and reskilling initiatives, promoting learning opportunities and ‘on the job’ training to strengthen the health industry’s resilience and equip its professionals with the skills they need. This initiative is designed to complement already existing large scale partnership focused on the skills of healthcare professionals in care units.

1st EU-South Korea Supply Chains and Industrial Policy Dialogue (13/12/2023)

The first Supply Chains and Industrial Policy Dialogue (SCIPD) between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the EU took place on 5 December. This was the 5th meeting between DG GROW and the Ministry for Trade, Industry and Energy since the establishment of the cooperation mechanism between the two administrations in 2014. Following a long period of inactivity – as the last Industrial Policy Dialogue took place in 2020 – this year’s SCIPD aimed to put the emphasis on restarting cooperation and on promoting closer exchanges on supply chain and resilience matters.

Do you know how much it costs to send a parcel cross-border? (09/12/2022)

To increase tariff transparency, the European Commission publishes the prices of the most used cross-border parcel delivery services on a dedicated webpage. This online tool can be used to send check how much it costs to send parcels from any EU Member State to another and what companies provide the service. Choosing the service that suits them best, they may #SaveOnDelivery.

Zoom on the Blockchain for Industry Conference (13/12/2023)

GROW organised a conference on “Blockchain for Industry” on 9 November, bringing together more than 100 academics, business and government-related experts. The aim of the event was to take a deep dive into how blockchain-based tools and business models can help promote the twin transition of our economy and single market, and what it takes to help industry make use of it.

Europe’s SME Assembly 2023: Big ideas for a sustainable economic climate (14/12/2023)

In this episode of Business Planet, Euronews is at the SME Assembly in Bilbao to see how European businesses are weathering the storm of multiple global crises through innovation.

EU support to SMEs’ green transition at the 2nd annual conference of the OECD Platform on Financing SMEs for Sustainability (14/12/2023)

On 14 December, at the Platform’s 2^nd annual conference, namely in a panel “ From standards to action- fostering a holistic approach to sustainable finance for SMEs”, GROW explained how the Commission supports SMEs in their green transition, notably in context of the SME Relief package. The EU’s green transition cannot take place without SMEs as they represent 99,8% of all non-financial companies, more than 2/3 of all jobs – and also more than 2/3 of Europe’s industrial pollution, and they are important drivers of the innovation needed to achieve the goals of the European Green Deal. The Commission is supporting SMEs through various initiatives to access the necessary finance to play their role in this transition; among others, a sustainability guarantee is available under the InvestEU programme to encourage banks to provide green loans to SMEs. Sustainability advisors under the Enterprise Europe Network provide technical support to SMEs.

And the winners are.... Dublin and Grosseto! (14/12/2023)

On 28 November, all the cities shortlisted in the 2 competition streams (2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism and 2024 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism) presented their cases in front of a European jury. The Jury comprised representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Committee of the Regions and Belgium (the Member State which will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2024). After listening to all the pitches and grilling the candidates a series of questions, the Jury decided upon the winners...
👉 Dublin will be the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism
👉 and Grosseto will be the 2024 European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism

Commission supports EU hotels to measure and communicate about their sustainability (14/12/2023)

The European Commission has launched a project to quantify the overall environmental impacts of hotel accommodation services: The Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) is a comprehensive and transparent Life Cycle Assessment method, promoted by the European Commission, for EU products, goods or - in this case – hotel accommodation services.

Advancing EU-Ukraine Trade Relations: Highlights from the 8th Association Committee Trade Configuration Meeting (14/12/2023)

On 30 November, the 8^th meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Committee in Trade configuration (ACTC) allowed for a comprehensive discussion on bilateral trade issues and provided an overview of the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

Commission seeks views of companies that want to trade or invest in Ghana, Jamaica, Jordan, Laos, Malawi, Nepal, Pakistan and Zimbabwe (01/12/2023)

The European Union, in collaboration with EU Member States, seeks to obtain a better overview of European companies operating or interested in operating in different international markets. The collected anonymous replies will be used to frame the agenda of EU Business Forums, trade negotiations and policy dialogues. They will also help to better target the discussions to the concrete areas that can attract more European investments in a given (third) country. Have a look at the ongoing consultations taking place in Ghana (here), Jamaica (here), Jordan, (here), Laos (here), Malawi (here), Mozambique (here), Nepal (here), Pakistan (here) and Zimbabwe (here).

Save the date: 23 January - InvestEU Conference (23/01/2024)

The InvestEU Financing Europe’s Future event will highlight the opportunities offered by InvestEU, showcase InvestEU beneficiaries, and provide an opportunity for engagement with InvestEU partners and stakeholders. Registrations are open!

Help us grow our newsletter community by sharing it! (01/12/2023)

Do you know someone who would be interested in getting information or updates on DG GROW’s files and policies? Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter and invite them to sign up by subscribing here or by scanning the QR code!

Eurobarometer survey finds that skills shortages are a serious problem for majority of EU SMEs (23/11/2023)

The challenge of skills shortages has grown over the years and now encompasses all EU Member States and all sectors of the economy. The Eurobarometer survey's findings will feed into the Commission's policy making. Among other things, they will inform the implementation of the SME relief package that was adopted in September 2023 and stipulates various actions to improve the skills situation for SMEs in the EU.

Commission proposes new measures to attract talent from third countries to help address critical labour shortages (23/11/2023)

The Commission proposed a series of new initiatives in a Skills and Talent Mobility package to make the EU more attractive to talent from outside the EU, and to facilitate mobility within. The measures include a new EU Talent Pool to match employers in the EU with jobseekers in third countries as well as a recommendation to promote the recognition of qualifications and learners’ mobility.  They come as key deliverables of the European Year of Skills.

Commission welcomes agreement on new short-term rental rules to increase transparency in the sector (23/11/2023)

This new regulation will increase transparency in the sector, with clear rules for hosts and platforms on data collection and sharing. It will provide key information to authorities that wish to address the impact of short-term rentals on local communities. Data sharing obligations for platforms will be adapted to the smallest players. After its entry into force, Member States will have a 24-month period to establish the mechanisms for data exchanges, which are already being prepared with the support of the Commission.

European Tourism Forum and informal ministerial meeting discuss sustainability (23/11/2023)

On 30-31 October, GROW co-organised with the Spanish Presidency the annual European Tourism Forum (ETF) in Palma de Mallorca, followed by an informal Council of Tourism ministers. Social sustainability of tourism was at the centre of discussions of both events, allowing exchanges on indicators, data sharing, skills and employment. The ministerial meeting was an opportunity for the EU tourism ministers to express their interest in sharing further best practices, as well as their support for the work undertaken by the Commission to progress towards the transition of the tourism ecosystem. The Palma declaration unanimously endorsed by the Member States renews their commitment to make tourism greener, more digital, inclusive and resilient.

Investing in the EU’s competitive future – Adoption of the European Semester Autumn Package (23/11/2023)

The European Semester is a yearly exercise that helps identify economic and social challenges in the EU, and policy responses to allow Member States to fulfil their potential – for the benefit of us all. This year, the EU is facing a number of important challenges, such as high inflation and high energy prices, that we need to tackle to improve the EU’s competitiveness.

Commission decides to refer BELGIUM, GREECE and ITALY to the Court of Justice of the European Union for breach of the Late Payments Directive (23/11/2023)

The Late Payment Directive obliges public authorities to pay their invoices within 30 days (or 60 days for public hospitals). Late payments have negative effects on businesses, by reducing liquidity, preventing growth, hampering resilience and potentially impeding their efforts to become greener and more digital. In the current economic context, businesses, and in particular SMEs, rely on regular payments to operate and keep employment.

New regulation on the protection of European craft and industrial products enters into force (23/11/2023)

The Craft and Industrial Geographical Indication (CIGI) Regulation entered into force on 16 November, a significant milestone in the protection of the names of European craft and industrial products that rely on the originality and authenticity of traditional skills from their regions. The Regulation will harmonise the protection of valuable European craft and industrial products, such as Limoges porcelain, Solingen knives, Carrara marble, or Madeira embroidery. Member States, the EUIPO, the Commission and stakeholders will have two years to prepare for the full application of the new system which is foreseen for December 2025.

Who is behind the SOLVIT service and how can it help you or your business? (23/11/2023)

SOLVIT is a free public service for citizens and businesses with the aim of helping solve problems related to the misapplication of EU law by the public administration of an EU Member State (including EEA). The areas of intervention of the SOLVIT network are very diverse. Complaints submitted by citizens and businesses are mainly in the following key areas regarding the EU Single Market (Recognition of professional qualifications,  Cross-border trade in goods, Driving licenses,  VAT refunds ...). The 55th SOLVIT Workshop took place in Brussels on 18-20 October 2023 with more than fifty SOLVITeers attending. The SOLVIT centre staff exchanged best practices and received training from the Commission’s experts.

Zoom on the 2023 edition of the European SME Week (29/11/2023)

This year’s European SME Week featured for the first time the SME Assembly back-to-back with the Enterprise Europe Network Annual Conference.

Meet the winners of the European Social innovation Competition 2023 (23/11/2023)

The 11th edition of the European Social Innovation Competition celebrated its final event within the framework of the Social Economy Conference organised by the Spanish Presidency of the EU. This year, the competition put forward new ideas to fight the pressing societal issue of energy poverty. The competition supports innovators to develop their ideas into working solutions and facilitates a network of radical innovators shaping our society. This prize acknowledges the social innovation as a potent approach for responding to societal challenges. Discover the winners (ECODES, the city of Eeklo and EmpowerMed)   here.

Apply now to host a Clusters meet Regions event in your region in 2024 (23/11/2023)

Since 2022, the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, on behalf of the European Commission, has organised more than  12 Clusters Meet Regions events across the EU and offered local stakeholders the chance to engage in matchmaking and to attend dedicated sessions with business experts, regional authority representatives, and EU policymakers on key industrial priorities. The call for applications to host the events in 2024 is addressed to local and regional authorities, innovation agencies, cluster organisations, business network organisations, and other SME intermediaries, who can seize this opportunity to strengthen synergies between clusters and regional policymakers and put their region under the spotlight.

Launch of the 2nd Call for Expression of Interest for the InvestEU Fund and the InvestEU Advisory Hub (23/11/2023)

The Commission published the 2^nd Call for Expression of Interest for the InvestEU Fund and the InvestEU Advisory Hub to become an implementing partner or an advisory partner. The EU guarantee amount available under this call for the InvestEU Fund is €1.37 billion. The maximum amount of EU contribution available under the 2^nd call for the InvestEU Advisory Hub is €33.1 million with a maximum allocation of €5 million per advisory partner.

New Tender: building a European network of gender-conscious investors (23/11/2023)

Ensuring better access to finance for women entrepreneurs and improving gender diversity in the financial sector are one the Commission and GROW’s priorities. The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) has published a tender to create a network of women and gender-conscious investors, thanks to the support from the European Parliament. The goal of the network is to create space to learn and exchange experience. It will provide networking and matchmaking opportunities, engage with a broad scope of stakeholders on good practice and EU-level actions, and raise awareness of the gender investment gap.

New European Scale-up Action for Risk capital (ESCALAR) Programme (23/11/2023)

The European Investment Fund has launched the call for the renewed European Scale-up Action for Risk capital (ESCALAR) programme under the InvestEU programme. ESCALAR will provide equity investments to, or alongside, funds in the areas of venture capital and private equity whose strategy focus on European scale-ups. The EIF selects financial intermediaries based on applications received in response to this call for expression of interest.

e-Administration for businesses: tell us what you need to improve your cross-border activities (23/11/2023)

Are you an SME (or do you represent a group of SMEs) doing business in another EU country or across the border? Or do you ever think about expanding abroad? Then this survey is for you! It takes less than 10 minutes and it’s available in all EU languages. Let us know what you think and expect of Your Europe. Your Europe is the EU’s “single digital gateway”, a one-stop shop for all SMEs and citizens with reliable information about rules and procedures in the EU single market, several assistance services, a tool to report obstacles and, last but not least, it will soon support the Once-Only Technical System. This system will make cross-border paperwork a lot easier when you are doing business in the EU. Do you also want to meet the policy makers and make your voice heard by actually testing our Once-Only Technical System? Then also come to our SME Forums. Keep an eye on the page, registrations will open soon!

Creatives, designers and SMEs from lifestyle industries: this is your chance to collaborate, innovate, and create across Europe (23/11/2023)

The 3^rd call for proposals of the WORTH Partnership Project II is open until 12 December 2023 17:00 CET. Around 67 innovative projects will be selected and will benefit from WORTH mentoring programme, transnational business collaboration and visibility. Whether you have a ground-breaking tech innovation, a circular game changer solution, a social impact, or a creative business idea in the lifestyle industries (fashion and textile, footwear, fur and leather, furniture/home decoration, interior design/architecture, accessories and jewellery) we want to hear from you. This is your opportunity to make a difference and contribute to meaningful change.

Full report of the EU Industry Days 2023 is now available (29/11/2023)

The full report of the EU’s flagship event, the EU Industry Days 2023, which took place on 4-6 October in Málaga, is now available. The report features summaries of all 17 keynote speeches, fireside chats, and plenary sessions and all 25 parallel sessions. In addition, the report provides an overview of the 16 projects showcased at the event’s exhibition and all the initiatives represented at its Meet the Experts Corner. Industrial stakeholders and policymakers who were not able to attend the event can now access – and be inspired by – all the insights and best practices shared during the event, and they can also visit DG GROW’s Youtube channel to watch the recordings of all the sessions.

The Monitor for Circular Fashion establishes commitments for the Textiles Transition Pathway (23/11/2023)

The Monitor for Circular Fashion disseminates best practices of circular fashion, promoting technical, managerial and scientific skills, contributing to the transition towards circular business models. The community brings together leading companies in the fashion industry and players in its supply chain. In the context of the Textiles Transition Pathway, the 26 companies of the Monitor for Circular Fashion have established 8 commitments, amongst others, to enhance circularity and sustainability in the value chains, implement circular business processes and to promote and implement corporate social responsibility.

Save the date: 4 and 6 December - GROW's events during COP28 (04/12/2023)

The Commission is joining  the 28th edition of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP28. On 4 and 6 December, GROW will host two online side-events and co-host one hybrid side-event as part of COP28. The three side-events will expound on InvestEU funding options in support of net-zero industry, local green deals, and decarbonising the built environment.

Save the date: SM30 event - 6 December - GROW Fellowship 2023 closing event (06/12/2023)

This full-day conference will mark the conclusion of the GROW fellowship 2023. It will bring together GROW's 10 economic advisors to discuss industrial policy and single market economic issues. The programme includes panel discussions on i) visions and perspectives on future single market and Industrial policy; ii) resilience of the single market and relevant metrics. Participants will be able to meet the economic advisors and exchange views on the results of their work.

Save the date: 6-7 December - The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking Stakeholder Forum (06/12/2023)

The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) is organising its first-ever stakeholder forum. ’What next for the European bio-based sector?’ will be the main theme of the event. There will also be an exhibition on bio-based solutions developed by CBE JU-funded projects.

Save the date: 11-12 December - Clusters Meet Regions Kraków (11/12/2023)

The specific aim of the event is to foster wider uptake and development of aerospace technologies in regions, smart city concepts, life sciences clusters and increased use of funding opportunities in Poland.

Help us grow our newsletter community by sharing it! (27/04/2023)

Do you know someone who would be interested in getting information or updates on DG GROW’s files and policies? Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter and invite them to sign up by subscribing here or by scanning the QR code!

Agreement on the Critical Raw Materials Act will increase Europe's resilience and economic security (23/11/2023)

The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached on 13 November between the European Parliament and the Council on the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). The Act sets out a series of comprehensive actions to ensure the EU’s access to a secure, diversified, affordable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. The new rules help to increase domestic capacities for critical raw materials along the supply chain, complementing initiatives to diversify their supply through international partnerships supported by the Global Gateway facility. To strengthen the EU domestic capacities, the Commission will, with Member States, identify Strategic Projects along the value chain that will benefit from more streamlined, faster and more efficient permitting procedures as well as facilitated access to finance.

The EU signed several partnerships for sustainable raw materials and renewable hydrogen (23/11/2023)

At the Global Gateway Forum 2023, 30 new strategic partnerships were forged amongst others on raw materials and on green hydrogen. The EU committed around €3 billion for new partnerships to foster sustainable growth, bolster the industry's resilience and grow clean value chains.

DG GROW’s Kerstin Jorna: 'We need a strong EU clean hydrogen economy, and for that we need a strong EU electrolyser manufacturing capacity' (24/11/2023)

On 21 November, during the 2023 Hydrogen Week, GROW Director-General, Kerstin Jorna participated in a panel about the business case for electrolyser manufacturing in Europe. Read the full post on LinkedIn!

Commission sets out immediate actions to support the European Wind Power industry (23/11/2023)

As announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union speech, the Commission has presented a European Wind Power Action Plan to ensure that the clean energy transition goes hand-in-hand with industrial competitiveness and that wind power continues to be a European success story.

The 2024 Commission Work Programme simplifies rules for citizens and businesses across the EU (18/10/2023)

The Work Programme reflects on the achievements of the past four years, outlines the Commission's new proposals for the months ahead and presents significant initiatives aimed at cutting red tape. Reducing administrative burden is crucial to maintaining the competitiveness of European businesses. That’s why the Commission will rationalise and streamline such requirements, which have a disproportionate impact on businesses, including SMEs and micro-companies, and administrations.

Zoom on the 2023 edition of the EU Industry Days (18/10/2023)

The Commission’s flagship event dedicated to EU industry was held in Málaga, Spain and gathered approximately 1,200 participants both on site and online, including more than 200 speakers. Discussions took place over 3 days and featured industrial leaders, policymakers, SME representatives, start-uppers, researchers, and civil society representatives. The event offered an opportunity for participants to meet with both EU and local experts to discover funding and business advisory programmes and visit an exhibition with 16 EU-funded projects. In addition, the EU Industry Days provided a platform for stakeholders to share their views with EU policymakers. A report of the event with key takeaways from all 40 sessions is available here, and it is also possible to watch the recordings of all the sessions on GROW’s Youtube channel.

Intellectual property experts meet in Madrid (18/10/2023)

During the High-Level Intellectual Property (IP) Conference organised by the Spanish Presidency in Madrid on 11-12 September , Maive Rute, GROW Deputy Director-General, talked about GROW's IP initiatives: Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) and the benefits that the new scheme for geographical indications for crafts and industrial products (CIGIs) will bring.

The Commission is setting up a Joint European Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs) to increase their effectiveness and identify strategic technologies relevant to potential future projects (18/10/2023)

IPCEIs are a key industrial tool to support breakthrough innovations or large-scale infrastructure projects in critical sectors and technologies for the EU. The new forum will be a partnership with Member States to identify areas of strategic EU interest for future IPCEIs and to increase their effectiveness.

New online platform simplifying compliance of Member States with notification obligations (18/10/2023)

On 19 September, the Commission launched a new online platform as part of its efforts to reduce administrative burden and facilitate Member States’ compliance with their notification obligations under EU law. The new Single Notification Window offers a single-entry point to a broad range of notification obligations relevant to the Single Market, without amending the existing notification procedures themselves.

A well-functioning Single Market needs a well-functioning postal market (18/10/2023)

On 27 September, GROW organised the European Regulators Group for Postal Services (ERGP) Stakeholders Forum 2023 and welcomed around 150 representatives of key postal stakeholders to discuss some of the key issues the sector is currently facing.

Protecting environment and health: Commission adopts measures to restrict intentionally added microplastics (18/10/2023)

On 25 September, the Commission took another major step to protect the environment by adopting measures that restrict microplastics intentionally added to products. The new rules will prevent the release to the environment of about half a million tonnes of microplastics. They will prohibit the sale of microplastics as such, and of products to which microplastics have been added on purpose and that release those microplastics when used. When duly justified, derogations and transition periods for the affected parties to adjust to the new rules apply.

Business Planet - Europe's journey to 'infinitely' recyclable textiles (18/10/2023)

Europeans produce a staggering 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste per year. Most is burned, dumped in landfills or exported. Fibre-to-fibre recycling is an alternative option that a new European Commission scheme will push companies to take. The latest Business Planet episode investigates this further.

European Angel Investment Summit 2023 – Fuelling Europe’s Growth (18/10/2023)

The 2023 European Angel Investment Summit allowed 35 start-ups to pitch to investors and enabled over 100 one-to-one meetings between companies, investors and policy makers. During the summit, the European Business Angel Network signed a Memorandum of Understanding with United Nations Women to promote female angel investing.

Invest EU Pilot Facility to support EU SMEs in trade with Ukraine (18/10/2023)

As a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the majority of Export credit agencies in the EU suspended their risk coverage for Ukraine, negatively impacting the ability of EU companies to export to Ukraine. The Commission is working with the European Investment Fund (EIF) to set up a new pilot facility under the InvestEU SME window of roughly €300 million to allow Export Credit Agencies to resume their business with regard to Ukraine. The pilot facility is expected to improve the competitiveness of European SMEs by establishing stronger ties with Ukraine and supporting EU exports.

New report confirms that women are an undervalued asset in European Venture Capital Firms (18/10/2023)

A new report published by the European Women in Venture Capital confirms that gender-diverse companies generate better financial results, more innovation and more successful start-ups. Women-led firms have also higher environmental, social, and governance scores compared to other companies. It highlights also that venture capital firms with 10% points higher representation of women in senior management show higher internal rate of return.  Nonetheless, women in venture capital continue to struggle when raising funds. The Commission's goal is that at least 25% of equity intermediaries supported by InvestEU via the EIF should be gender diverse.

Commission seeks views of companies that want to trade or invest in Africa, Asia and Oceania (18/10/2023)

The European Union, in collaboration with EU Member States, seeks to obtain a better overview of European companies operating or interested in operating in different international markets. The collected anonymous replies will be used to frame the agenda of EU Business Forums, trade negotiations and policy dialogues. They will also help to better target the discussions to the concrete areas that can attract more European investments in a given (third) country. Have a look at the ongoing consultations taking place in Angola (here), Ghana (here), Laos (here), Malawi (here), Mozambique (here), Nepal (here), Pakistan (here), Zimbabwe (here) and Papua New Guinea (here).

EU Cities Championing the Green and Digital Transition (19/10/2023)

The Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC) recently published the ICC City Performance Report: EU Cities Championing the Green and Digital Transition. This report details the vision, methodology, achievements, challenges and opportunities for cities across Europe and beyond over the period of the programme. Some of the key highlights include supporting 42 cities to make significant strides toward launching their own Local Green Deals, leveraging €247 million in public funding from EU, national and regional sources and multiple concrete solutions under five thematic tracks to boost 136 cities in improving economic competitiveness, social resilience, and citizens’ quality of life.

30th Anniversary of the Single Market - The Single Market Tour is travelling around Europe to meet you! (19/10/2023)

The Single Market Tour, one of the main activities of the campaign celebrating the 30^th Anniversary of the Single Market, is travelling across Europe. The next stops of the Single Market Tour will be in France. This will be followed by several other countries in 2024. Discover here the programme and the picture galleries for Trieste - Italy; Szeged – Hungary; Timisoara – Romania; Brasov - Romania; Plovdiv and Sofia - Bulgaria; Malaga, Spain; Evora, Santarem and Castelo Branco, Portugal.

Save the date: 7- 8 November - Empowering Equity II (07/11/2023)

The 2^nd edition of the event dedicated to venture capital of the European Investment Fund for Women Fund Managers and mixed venture capital teams will take place on 7 and 8 November in Luxembourg. InvestEU, the EU’s flagship investment programme, among its other objectives, aims to support investment teams that have a strong representation of women in management positions. GROW's Director-General, Kerstin Jorna, will address the participants. Registrations are open!

Save the date: 9 November - EU Finance Days - Prague (09/11/2023)

The EU FINANCE DAYS are organised by the European Commission and implementing partners to present new financial and support programmes such as InvestEU, the Single Market Programme and the European Innovation Council to businesses and relevant stakeholders. Join us in person or online at the next EU FINANCE DAYS in Prague. Registrations are open!

Save the date: 13-17 November - 2023 European SME Week, SME Assembly and Annual Conference of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) (13/11/2023)

The European SME Week will be held from 13 to 17 November in Bilbao, in cooperation with the Spanish Presidency of the Council, the Basque Government and the Enterprise Europe Network. The week will feature several events highlighting the importance of SMEs for Europe’s economy. The two biggest events in the week are the SME Assembly and the Annual Conference of the Enterprise Europe Network.

Save the date: 14 November - European Small and Mid-Cap Awards 2023 (14/11/2023)

The European Small and Mid-Cap Awards aim to promote best practices and encourage more SMEs to access capital markets via public listing on stock markets. The winners of each of the four categories will be revealed during a ceremony which will take place next 14 November 2023 as part of SME Assembly 2023 in Bilbao, Spain. Registrations are open!

Save the date: 13-17 November - Raw Materials Week 2023 (13/11/2023)

The Raw Materials Week is an annual event organised by the European Commission. It gathers a wide range of stakeholders discussing policies and initiatives in the field of raw material, providing an overview of ongoing EU activities in this sector. This year, the event will centre around the European Critical Raw Materials Act and include the 10^th annual High-Level Conference of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on raw materials, co-organised with Eumicon, on 15 November. Registrations are open!

Save the date: 15 November - SM30 High-level policy panel - Power of the Single Market in a new geopolitical context (15/11/2023)

GROW's Chief Economist team is organising a high-level policy panel during this year's edition of the Annual Research Conference in Brussels. How can we maximise the leverage effect of the Single Market to improve our productivity growth and economic performance? What institutional designs foster the structural transformation of the EU economy to ensure long-term sustainable competitiveness and increase our economic resilience? Registrations are open!

Save the date: 30 November IMI - 15 years of digitally connecting authorities across borders and languages (30/11/2023)

Since its launch in 2008, the Internal Market Information (IMI) system has transformed cross-border communication and cooperation between public administrations. This digital tool has reduced administrative burden for citizens and businesses, streamlined single market rules’ application and paved the way for digital transformation. On 30 November in Brussels, a high-level conference will bring together representatives of the Commission, Member States and stakeholders from across Europe to celebrate the achievements and the people behind the IMI. What is the role of the digital cooperation of public authorities in the EU digital agenda? What are the success stories? How to boost IMI’s potential to support the deepening of the single market? These and many more questions will be addressed by eminent speakers taking part in the panel discussions. Come celebrate with us, the event will be web streamed!

Help us grow our newsletter community by sharing it! (27/04/2023)

Do you know someone who would be interested in getting information or updates on DG GROW’s files and policies? Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter and invite them to sign up by subscribing here or by scanning the QR code!

The Single Market Economy and DG GROW policies at the heart of the President's 'State of the Union' speech (22/09/2023)

On 13 September, President Ursula von der Leyen delivered the final State of the Union address of this mandate. She highlighted several achievements of her Commission while underlining the major challenges the EU is facing today. She stressed the importance of the competitiveness of our industry and SMEs by supporting their green and digital transition, facilitating the business cases, and ensuring fair competition with third countries. The President explicitly mentioned some of DG GROW's latest actions, such as the Net Zero Industry Act, the Raw Materials Act and the Industrial Strategy built around thriving industrial ecosystems. In terms of upcoming projects, the President highlighted a series of Clean Transition Dialogues that will be held with industry and a European Wind Power package that the Commission will put forward. This will fast-track permitting further, improve auction systems across the EU, and focus on skills, access to finance and stable supply chains. Finally, the President announced that she has asked Mario Draghi to prepare a report on the future of European competitiveness.

Championing Europe's SMEs: Commission provides new relief to boost the competitiveness and resilience of SMEs (22/09/2023)

The SME Relief package, put forward on 12 September, brings new measures that will provide short-term relief, boost SMEs' long-term competitiveness, and strengthen fairness in the business environment across the Single Market. As part of these measures, the Commission also published new proposals for a Regulation on late payments in commercial transactions and a Directive establishing a Head Office Tax System for SMEs. Additional initiatives aim at further boosting SMEs' access to finance, improving the business environment and supporting SMEs' growth into mid-caps to unleash their full economic potential.

Read the first implementation report on the Single Digital Gateway (SDG) (22/09/2023)

The Single Digital Gateway (SDG) is an ambitious EU eGovernment initiative launched in 2020. The purpose of the SDG is to help Member States digitalise their public administrations, while helping businesses and citizens to better understand and use their rights and the opportunities offered by the Single Market. The report provides an assessment of how the SDG functions today and describes its next phases. It highlights a very promising start and what will be done to deepen its impact, including the activation of fully-online administrative procedures in 21 key areas that will speed up, among others, cross-border business operations, such as starting, running and closing a business. With 100 million overall visits in 2021 and 2022 as well as 1.2 million business cases taken on, Your Europe simplifies daily operations and contributes to the success of your business. 

Business Planet - Quarter of European bankruptcies blamed on late payments. The Commission is taking action (22/09/2023)

In this latest episode of Business Planet, we hear what late payments can mean for businesses, and ask how the EU can help protect vulnerable entrepreneurs.

30th Anniversary of the Single Market - The Single Market Tour is travelling around Europe ! (22/09/2023)

The Single Market Tour, one of the main activities of the campaign celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Single Market, kicked off on 1-2 September in Italy and continued its journey in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. The next stops of the Single Market Tour will be in Spain, Portugal and France. This will be followed by many other stops in 2024. Discover here the programme and the picture gallery for Trieste - Italy; Szeged – Hungary; Timisoara – Romania; Brasov - Romania; Plovdiv and Sofia - Bulgaria.

Foreign Subsidies Regulation has entered into force (22/09/2023)

The Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) allows the EU to remain open to trade and investment, while ensuring a level playing field for all companies operating in the Single Market. The Implementing Regulation provides detailed rules on the procedures for notifications to the European Commission of concentrations in public procurement procedures.

Commission facilitates the activities of cross-border associations in the EU (22/09/2023)

On 5 September, the Commission adopted a proposal to facilitate the activities of cross-border associations in the EU. The proposal introduces an additional legal form of a European cross-border association (ECBA) in Member States’ national legal systems, which is specifically designed for cross-border purposes. It will improve the functioning of the Single Market by removing legal and administrative barriers for non-profit associations that wish to operate across border in the EU, thus promoting the role non-profit associations play in generating economic and societal value. An estimated 3.8 million of non-profit associations are active in the EU and they contribute 2.9% to the EU GDP. The new proposal will bring cost savings of up to EUR 770 million per year for the over 300,000 non-profit associations currently active cross-border.

Training for national authorities on free movement of goods (22/09/2023)

To improve the free movement of goods within the European Union, Product Contact Points (PCPs) have been set up in the Member States. The purpose of these Product Contact Points is to facilitate access to the national market for economic operators of other Member States. PCPs just concluded successfully a 2-year programme, initiated at the beginning of 2022 at the request of the European Union Product Compliance Network (EUPCN), aiming to strengthen their expertise and address the growing need for product-specific market surveillance information in several sectors.

Dive into the world of eInvoicing with updated Country Factsheets! (22/09/2023)

Since the implementation of the eInvoicing Directive in April 2020, all public administrations across the EU comply with the European Standard on eInvoicing. The eInvocing Directive was adopted to reduce trade barriers arising from different national legal requirements and technical standards for electronic invoicing. Discover the 2023 eInvoicing Country Factsheets providing information about eInvoicing policies, digital reporting requirements, and much more in each  Member State.

Commission report concludes on improved transparency and higher SME participation after first years of application of the concessions directive (22/09/2023)

Concession markets in the EU are worth an average of €60 billion per year, representing around 12% of overall public procurement in Europe. The total number of concessions awarded in the EU has roughly doubled since the transposition deadline of the Concessions Directive and the number of concessions awarded to SMEs increased from 22.4% in 2016 to 31.6% in 2021. Four EU countries account for up to 85% of the total increase of concession awards. The sectors with the largest number of concession awards since 2016 are: hotel, restaurant and retail trade services, recreational, cultural and sporting services, and construction works. The report is accompanied by a Commission staff working document containing detailed legal and data analysis, based on in-house analysis and on an external study on the implementation of the concessions directive.

Price pressure is mostly due to supply shortages (22/09/2023)

'Decomposition of produce price inflation in the euro area' is an indicator that provides a measure of the relative importance of supply and demand factors in determining the inflationary pressure in the euro area. It refers to producer prices in industry, and is updated each quarter. Based on the methodology developed by DG GROW's Chief Economist team (2022), it combines data extracted by the Joint Harmonised EU Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys and Eurostat.

Last call - 4-6 October - EU Industry Days - Malaga (04/10/2023)

Registrations for the EU Industry Days are still open, and we’re happy to announce that the event will also be web-streamed! The EU Industry Days, organised with the support of the Spanish Presidency and taking place at the Trade Fairs and Congress Centre of Málaga, are Europe’s flagship annual event focusing on key industrial policy discussions, connecting industrial frontrunners, and boosting the knowledge base of European industry. Seize this opportunity to discuss the future of EU industry and connect with hundreds of other industry representatives.

Last call - 5 October - EU Finance Days - Helsinki (05/10/2023)

The EU FINANCE DAYS are organised by the European Commission and implementing partners to present new financial and support programmes such as InvestEU, the Single Market Programme and the European Innovation Council to businesses and relevant stakeholders. Join us in person or online at the next EU FINANCE DAYS in Helsinki. Registrations are open !

Save the date - 10 October - SM30 Webinar - The unitary patent: opportunities and advantages for companies (10/10/2023)

Webinar organised by FAST ( Federazione delle associazioni scientifiche e tecniche) on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Single Market and the 15th Anniversary of the Enterprise Europe Network. On June 1, the Unitary Patent came into force, providing unitary protection to the 17 countries that have ratified it. What's new and benefits for businesses? What are the potential risks? Together with experts from European institutions and professionals, the webinar aims to offer an in-depth analysis on these issues. Registrations are open !

Save the date - 12-13 October - Clusters meet Regions - Lyon (12/10/2023)

Discover future industry trends, learn from EU manufacturing experts & see the latest cutting-edge tech at Pollutec. Registrations are open !

Save the date - 15 November - SM30 High-level policy panel - Power of the Single Market in a new geopolitical context (15/11/2023)

DG GROW's Chief Economist team is organising a high-level policy panel during this year's edition of the Annual Research Conference in Brussels. How can we maximise the leverage effect of the SM to improve our productivity growth and economic performance? What Institutional designs foster the structural transformation of the EU economy to ensure long-term sustainable competitiveness and increase our economic resilience? Registrations are open !

Help us grow our newsletter community by sharing it! (27/04/2023)

Do you know someone who would be interested in getting information or updates on DG GROW’s files and policies? Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter and invite them to sign up by subscribing here or by scanning the QR code!

Register now to participate in the EU Industry Days 2023 in Málaga, Spain! (04/10/2023)

Registrations for the EU Industry Days are still open!