Dear all,
As the global great and good gather in Davos this week for the World Economic Forum (WEF), climate change is dominating the agenda. Published just ahead of the meet, the WEF’s Global Risks Report 2020 ranks climate and environmental challenges as five of the top ten risks facing the world in terms of both likelihood and impact. Concerns related to digital and technology follow close behind, with cybersecurity, infrastructure and data issues singled out as critical in a connected future.
As we launch into the 2020s, it is clear that the coming decade will be defined by how we respond to these twin challenges of climate change and digital transformation. And backed by the ambition of the new von der Leyen Commission, the EU is claiming its place to lead the global response. We at Orgalim are convinced that success will require policymakers to put innovation at the heart of the EU agenda in the years ahead - in particular the ‘innovation with a purpose’ needed to deliver on these priorities. From our recent manifesto on industrial AI to our recommendations on the Green Deal, we are urging policy leaders to work in partnership with our industries to fully unlock this potential for Europe.
Seen through this lens, the political conversation on ‘industrial strategy’ takes on a new significance. Rather than a doom-and-gloom narrative fearful for EU industry’s prospects in a competitive world, it’s time to flip the script and focus on what industry can and will contribute to Europe’s future. We explore how a positive vision can shape an enabling framework for innovation and technology leadership in the first edition of our new ‘Connecting the dots’ series. And we have kicked off 2020 actively promoting a forward-looking industrial strategy - engaging, for example, to ensure a new intergroup in the European Parliament helps consistently reflect this agenda across the many Committees involved, and working with Europe’s other major industrial branches within the Alliance for a Competitive European Industry (ACEI) to launch the campaign ‘Europe’s industry united for an inspiring future’. Working closely together with our members, and with the support of our partners in policy and industry, we are certain this decade can see our vision become reality - industrial innovation shaping a future that’s good for Europe.
Best regards,
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