Conference: 'Making the EU services market an engine for growth'
Related topics
Single market and standardsdate: 02/07/2015 - 02/07/2015
venue: Silken Berlaymont Hotel
Organiser: European Commission DG GROWTH - Bertelsmann Stiftung
Contact: GROW SERVICES CONFERENCE 2015
The internal market is the core economic driver of the European Union. It is amongst our most effective means to improve the conditions for greater growth and investment in Europe. The services sector plays a central part in our economy, accounting for over 70 percent of EU GDP. Two out of three current jobs, as well as nine out of ten newly created jobs are in services.
However, several service sectors are showing low productivity growth and an inefficient allocation of resources. Service providers wanting to establish or provide their services in another EU country also continue to face important barriers.
At the same time, automation and digitalisation are changing the way services are offered and used. Manufacturing firms are increasingly incorporating a range of associated services and solutions, and the collaborative economy is moving the exchange of services into the digital marketplace.
These developments have driven the Commission to assess the current state of the EU services market and remaining barriers.
As part of the forthcoming Internal Market Strategy - one of the Juncker Commission’s key initiatives during 2015 - the Commission will present ideas on how to improve the internal market for services and ensure that it remains a key sector for innovation, job creation and economic growth.
In the preparation of this Strategy, the Commission, together with the Bertelsmann Stiftung organised this conference so that stakeholders could share experiences relating to the functioning of European services markets. The conference brought together representatives from international and European institutions, think thanks, academia, industry, NGOs, and labour and consumer organisations.
Documents
Speeches and Presentations
- Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs;
- Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President, Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, European Commission;
- Aart De Geus, Chairman and CEO, Bertelsmann Stiftung;
- Philippe Aghion, Professor of Economics at Harvard University
- Luigi Perissich, Director General, Confindustria Innovative and Technological Services;
Photos and Video
Contact
For any questions please contact: GROW-E1@ec.europa.eu