As the EU launches its new 2024-2029 legislature, it faces major economic challenges. Economic growth is sluggish and lags behind that of the US. The search for higher growth, coupled with the risk of global trade fragmentation, has rekindled European ambitions to further rely on deepening its internal market for services and capital - a strategy advocated by former Italian prime-ministers Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi. Since joining the EU in 2004, Central and Eastern European regions have emerged as goods trade hubs thanks to cheaper labour and land. However, this convergence engine for manufacturing will eventually run out of steam. Meanwhile, rapidly growing trade in high-value services like tech, finance and consulting provide a new opportunity for European economic dynamism. But unlike goods trade, these activities tend to concentrate heavily in already large and prosperous ;

As the EU contemplates deepening the single market, how can it boost economic growth from service trade integration while spreading out the gains? Should the EU re-orient its regional policy to invest in cities that show promise in services exports, from peripheral EU capitals like Athens and Lisbon to smaller knowledge hubs such as Krakow or Leipzig? And what should it do for regions that can neither climb the manufacturing value ladder nor tap into services trade?

Lucas Resende Carvalho, Project Manager of the Europe's Future Programme at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, and John Springford, Associate Fellow at the CER, will begin the event by presenting the main findings and recommendations of the policy paper, after which our panellists will respond. This will be followed by a Q&A discussion moderated by John. The whole event will be held under the Chatham House Rule.

This is a hybrid event, and in-person spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis; once we have reached in-person capacity then attendees will be asked to join remotely via Zoom. Tea and coffee will be served for in-person attendees from 14:30 and the event will begin at 15:00 Brussels time. The discussion will be followed by a reception until 17:30.

Please contact the Centre for European Reform using the 'Contact' button above for further information, including how to register.