After several years of crisis, the European economy has not fully recovered its strength. Growth prospects in the EU remain moderate. Europe is still convalescing. One year after the launch of an ambitious investment plan to boost growth, the EU still lags behind when it comes to investment and innovation.  Without investment and innovation, there is no recovery.
 
Next Tuesday, the S&D Group in the European Parliament - via its Progressive Economy initiative - is hosting a high level conference to explore into the interaction between investment, innovation and growth, and the role played by the entrepreneurial state in promoting them.

The Forum is also an opportunity for S&D Euro MPs to present their ideas for a new model for growth in the framework of the EU 2020 Strategy; a new model of development for the European economy, which is based on social justice and sustainability, and prepares the EU for the digital revolution.
 
The conference is open to the press and all debates will be web streamed on the S&D Group’s website.

The conference on “Investment and innovation: at the heart of European recovery” will take place on Tuesday 31 May, from 13h00  to 16h00  in room Jan 4Q2  at the European Parliament in Brussels. It will be an opportunity to make a first assessment of the implementation of the Juncker investment plan.

The conference will be opened by S&D Group leader Gianni Pittella.

Among the key speakers are:

Frans Timmermans, First European Commission’s vice-president;
Peter Bofinger, Professor of economics at the University of Würburg;
Paul Magnette, Minister-President of Wallonia;
Maria João Rodrigues, S&D Group vice-president responsible for economic and monetary affairs;
Mariana Mazzucato, a rising star in the area of economics, professor at the Sussex University and author of a book on entrepreneurial state.
 
On the occasion of the conference, Peter Bofinger will award the winners of the 2016 call for papers.
 
The detailed programme of the conference is available here.