This year's Annual EU Budget Conference, co-organised by the European Commission and the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, focuses on the role of the EU budget in making Europe fit for the future.
The last years have been marked by far-reaching geopolitical events, emergencies, crises, that have had an impact on the EU’s economy and society, at a time when it is facing the challenges of the green and digital transitions. This new global environment, as well as the enlargement perspective, will determine the Union’s policies in the coming years. In this context, the EU budget will play a central role in achieving our common EU priorities.
European Commissioner for Budget, Johannes Hahn, and Belgium Minister for European Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, will be joined by a number of high-level speakers to debate on a broad range of topical questions in a lively, open discussion, to which the wider audience will be invited to contribute.
Key questions will cover:
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What should be the main priorities for the next EU budget?
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Are the current structure and financing set up of the budget suitable for the challenges we are facing?
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How can the EU budget support effectively the EU economy and its industry in a more competitive global environment?
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How can the EU budget leverage additional investments in critical technologies?
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How to achieve a simpler, more resilient and flexible EU budget?
Do you want to take part in the discussion?
The event has ended and you are now invited to watch the recorded video. The event programme will help you navigate through the video.
Read more about our policy brief: EU budget policy briefs - Lessons for a future-proof EU budget
- EU budget
- Monday 29 April 2024, 08:45 - 18:00 (CEST)
- Brussels, Belgium
- Live streaming available
Programme
- 29 Apr 2024, 08:45 - 09:45 (CEST)Security checks, registration and welcome coffee
- 09:45 - 09:50 (CEST)Welcome and introduction
- 09:50 - 10:05 (CEST)Keynote address: The EU budget- Looking ahead
Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for Budget and Administration, European Commission
- 10:05 - 10:20 (CEST)Opening remarks
Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions, Belgium
- 10:20 - 10:35 (CEST)Keynote address: The future of the EU budget is the future of the EU
Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister, Croatia
- 10:35 - 12:00 (CEST)Panel 1: A future proof budget – MFF 2.0
Paulo Rangel, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Portugal
Enrico Letta, EU Rapporteur on the future of the Single Market, President of the Jacques Delors Institute, Former Prime Minister of Italy
Jyrki Katainen, Head of Group of Public Affairs, Nordea. Former Prime Minister of Finland, Former Vice-President of the European Commission for Jobs, Growth, Investment & Competitiveness
Fredrik Persson, President, BusinessEurope
Stéphanie Riso, Director General DG BUDG, European Commission
Moderator:
Henry Foy, Brussels Bureau Chief, Financial Times
- 12:00 - 12:15 (CEST)Keynote address: Europe’s path: supporting accession
Maia Sandu, President, Moldova
- 12:15 - 14:00 (CEST)Lunch break
- 14:00 - 15:30 (CEST)Panel 2: An EU budget for competitiveness
Nadia Calviño, President, European Investment Bank. Former Deputy Prime Minister of Spain
Magnus Brunner, Minister of Finance, Austria
Wim Mijs, CEO, European Banking Federation
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director General of DIGITALEUROPE
Moderator:
Silvia Amaro, TV reporter, CNBC
- 15:30 - 15:45 (CEST)Keynote address: An EU budget for a global Europe and global challenges
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund. Former Vice-President of the European Commission for Budget & HR
- 15:45 - 16:00 (CEST)Coffee break
- 16:00 - 16:15 (CEST)Keynote address: Financing strategic EU priorities
Vincent Van Peteghem, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, in charge of the Coordination of the Fight against Fraud and the National Lottery, Belgium
- 16:15 - 16:30 (CEST)Closing fireside chat: A legacy for the future
Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for Budget and Administration, European Commission
in conversation with
Maria Tadeo, European Correspondent
- 16:30 - 18:00 (CEST)Networking drinks
- 18:00 - 20:00 (CEST)Expert-level session organised by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU
Attendance is restricted to 3 representatives per Member State. Please express your interest in the registration form.
Speakers
Practical information
- When
- Monday 29 April 2024, 08:45 - 18:00 (CEST)
- Where
- De Gasperi room (Charlemagne building)Wetstraat 170 Rue de la Loi, 1049 Brussels, Belgium
- Languages
- English
- Organisers
- Directorate-General for Budget
- Social media links
Contacts
General contact
- EC-ANNUAL-BUDG-CONFERENCE
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu
Related events
- Brussels, Belgium
- Live streaming available
- Brussels, Belgium
- Live streaming available