Round Table (Dinner Debate): “Digitizing European Industries and Related Services: an SME Perspective”
EPP has organized, in cooperation with Microsoft Corporation a Working Dinner on “Digitizing European Industries and Related Services: an SME Perspective”, on November 13th in the Radisson Blu Hotel.
The event was moderated by Per WERNGREN, President of The International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) and CEO.
The debate was opened by Nadezhda NEYNSKY MEP, EP Committee on Budgets and SME Europe President, who mentioned in her welcome speech that nowadays, SMEs with a global strategy can quickly take advantage of cross-border activities and seize numerous opportunities, such as rapid revenue growth, exchange of know-how, the enhancement of capabilities. There is a direct and positive correlation between internationalization and increased SME performance, which ultimately leads to long-term competitiveness.
Michael RUESSMANN, Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Germany and co-author of the study Global Economic Impact Study of IT-Enabled SMEs mentioned in his speech the very important impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). He stated that adopting ICT facilities are highly expensive and this issue has to be solved in favor of the SMEs. They should be able to adopt Information and Communication Technologies in the most cost-efficient way.
The debate followed with the intervention of Jonathan ZUCK, President of the Association for Competitive Technology, presenting the study “The European APP Economy”. According to Mr. Zuck, as a consequence of the adoption of the ICT facilities for the SMEs in all over Europe, the market opportunity for the SMEs will rise up. Since the public data will be available and they will be able to innovate and develop in a continuous way.
Pablo Zalba BIDEGAIN MEP, EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs stated two considerable key elements for digitizing the industries. First of all, SMEs should recognize their responsibility in clustering in one single digital market and secondly, the industrialization process has to be done in the most effective form.
The debate followed with an intervention by Pablo ARIAS ECHEVERRIA MEP, EP Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection mentioned in his speech that 63% of SMEs around all over the Europe are not connected and the main undesirable result of this is the less competitive market. But, on the other hand, if this massive disconnection will be avoided and solved in a proper way, then the products of the SMEs will be not only available in Europe, but also they will be reachable all over the world. Therefore, it is quite clear that one single digital market will bring more and more opportunities.
The Working Dinner finished with a questions and answers session.
Gallery “Digitizing European Industries and Related Services: an SME Perspective “