Conference Announcement

When: 5 April 2011 from 09h00 to 16h30

Where: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 

What: The Ministry for National Economy and the National Innovation Office together with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre are organising a conference "Towards an Open and Competitive Economy". 

Opening speeches: Zoltán Cséfalvay, Minister of State for Economic Strategy, Ministry for National Economy, Dominique Ristori, Director General, Joint Research Centre 

Other presentations: European Institute of Innovation and Technology; Presentations from EU Member States: Spain, Belgium, Poland, Denmark 

Conference background: The conference will showcase how research provides integrated socio-economic and policy support in the fields of macroeconomic policies, the structural reform agenda and the employment, education and skills agenda. 

The event will further focus on the trade-offs and frictions between competing objectives, such as the short- versus long-term, while taking into account future constraints and opportunities, such as the impact of economic activities on the environment, the shifting composition and age distribution of Europe's population, and the challenges and opportunities of globalisation. 

Among the topics covered will be: the dynamics of industrial structures and the growth of innovative firms; aspects of the digital economy;  innovation, competitiveness and flexicurity indicators for European Union policies. 

For more information: If you wish to receive more information, invitation and a full programme, please contact Eszter Markus tel: +36 1 484 2889, e-mail: eszter.markus@nih.gov.hu and/or Cynthia Dennis tel: +32 2 2968102, e-mail: cynthia.dennis@ec.europa.eu