The European Year of Skills: Summit on Entrepreneurship, One-Person Companies, Self-Employment and Future of Work

On July 12-13, 2023, SME Europe, in collaboration with SME Connect, organized a two-day study trip to Strasbourg bringing together One-Person Company (OPC) owners, policymakers and industry experts. Our delegation, led by SME Europe’s Vice-President, Angelika Winzig MEP, and Maria Grapini MEP, was also welcomed by Lukas Mandl MEP, Suncana Glavak MEP, and Monika Vana MEP. The primary objective was to delve into the landscape of entrepreneurship in Europe, particularly for OPCs and self-employed in light of the European Year of Skills. Additionally, we engaged in lively discussions on strategies to address skills shortages within the EU.

Throughout our discussions, we delved into the concept of lifelong learning in entrepreneurship and explored the potential contributions of businesses, policymakers, and society to foster a culture of continuous learning. We scrutinized entrepreneurial upskilling, examining the evolving skill sets necessary for entrepreneurs, and forecasting future trends in technology, products, services, and changing consumer behaviors. Our focus remained steadfast on the practicalities of entrepreneurship in Europe, considering the impacts of regulations, technological advancements, access to finance, and taxation on the daily operations of monopreneurs. We collectively pondered on strategies to ensure that entrepreneurship in Europe remains a fulfilling pursuit, devoid of excessive burdens.

For a more detailed report on this event please visit sme connect website.

The publication of this document received financial support from the European Parliament. Sole liability rests with the author. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.