28 October 2024
James Wilson and the other speakers during the meeting | ©️ Eurobasque
- James Wilson took part in the EuroBasque and Europe Direct conference on the challenges facing the EU's next legislative term, to reflect on how to address Europe's main competitiveness challenges at the local and regional levels.
- According to Orkestra’s Research Director, innovation in governance is key to achieving a more resilient and sustainable Europe.
Last Tuesday, James Wilson, Research Director at Orkestra, took part in a conference organized by EuroBasque and Europe Direct Bizkaia, focusing on the European Union’s strategic priorities for the 2024-2029 legislative term. The event, held at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao, brought together over 40 experts and professionals to discuss the political and industrial challenges the EU will face in the coming years.
During his presentation, Wilson offered a key perspective on how to tackle Europe’s main competitiveness challenges from a local and regional perspective. He highlighted that the primary goal for the upcoming legislative term will be to strengthen competitiveness in a sustainable and inclusive way, emphasizing three essential pillars:
- Consolidating a new sustainable competitiveness paradigm that acknowledges its complexities
- Employing a clear strategic approach that aligns strategies from top to bottom and vice versa
- Innovating in governance through multi-level, multi-actor collaboration
The conference also featured prominent speakers such as Mikel Landabaso, Director of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, who shared insights on the recently published Draghi report on EU industrial policy, and Raquel Carretero from Repsol, who focused on overregulation and reporting as barriers to policy implementation. The event was opened by Irune Zuluaga, President of EuroBasque; Itziar Fernández, Director of Europe Direct Bizkaia; and Ander Caballero, Secretary General of the European Union and Foreign Affairs for the Basque Government.
Inclusive competitiveness for wellbeing
For several years, Orkestra has been analyzing how to strengthen the Basque Country’s competitiveness in a sustainable and inclusive way. The 2023 Basque Country Competitiveness Report examined the levers that local actors can use to drive structural changes toward a low environmental footprint economy and society, generating improved outcomes both in economic-business terms and in wellbeing.
This year, the analysis focuses on the importance of inclusion as a central pillar for territorial development and wellbeing. In a context of demographic and social changes, the report delves into how the participation of diverse groups can enhance the Basque Country’s competitiveness and help address challenges such as talent shortages and generational turnover.
Together, both reports offer insights that can help strengthen European competitiveness from a local and regional perspective.
