Program 2023
Archive & Review

Review “Europe: heading towards new horizons”
19th Salzburg Europe Summit, September 24th to 26th, 2023

SPECIAL – art exhibition

Opening of “European Regional Culture”

Sunday, September 24, 2023
10.30 a.m


Salzburg Congress, Mozart Hall

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


Art exhibition by artists from European regions. 2023 with a 20th century artist from Gornij Milanovac (Serbia) and with a 21st century artist from Ukraine. The Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE) is presenting regional European art and culture, the connection between history and modernity and the regional cultural diversity of Europe for the first time as part of the “Salzburg Europe Summit”. Zoran Šijakovic, IRE special advisor for regional culture, curated the exhibition. Opened in the presence of diplomatic representatives from Serbia and Ukraine as well as the artist and the director of the Gornij Milanovac Museum.


GREETING

Franz Schausberger

Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE)


OPENING

Stefan Schnöll

Deputy Governor of Salzburg


ARTIST

Zivorad Nastasijević

1893–1966, Serbia

Olha Bosak

*1981, Ukraine


OPENING

Opening of the 19th Salzburg Europe Summit

Sunday, September 24, 2023

01.00 p.m


Salzburg Congress, Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg




GREETING

Franz Schausberger

Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE)


OPENING SPEECH

Martin Kocher

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Labor, Austria


DIALOG I

Western Balkans as a region of the future

Sunday, September 24, 2023

01.15 p.m


Salzburg Congress, Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg



Not least due to the terrible war events in Ukraine and the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, there appears to have been more movement again in the accession process of the Western Balkan states. Bosnia-Herzegovina became a candidate country, Serbia has decided on reforms in the field of justice and has also taken a position against the war against Ukraine. Kosovo will receive the long-awaited visa liberalization from the EU from 2024. It is hoped that accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania can finally begin. The global political situation has also shown the skeptical EU member states that the Western Balkans are indispensable for Europe in both geopolitical and economic terms and should not be left to non-European powers. That's why people are increasingly willing to find pragmatic solutions.


There are many opportunities for companies in the EU states to invest in the Western Balkans, especially in the areas of water, energy, infrastructure and transport structures. The great interest of domestic companies in these future markets in the immediate vicinity is manifested in the constantly increasing number of direct investments. The EU is helping to implement the necessary, far-reaching political and economic reforms through a variety of funding programs. The European Union supports the Western Balkan countries in building a modern, climate-neutral and resource-efficient economy. In this panel, representatives from the various Western Balkan countries will discuss the opportunities for the Western Balkans to become an important economic region of the future.


KEYNOTE

Branimir Jovanovic

Economist, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies wiiw, North Macedonia


PODIUM

Gerd Bommer

Regional Manager Southeastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Austrian Chamber of Commerce

Delina Ibrahimaj

Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Business Climate, Albania

Martin Kocher

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Labor, Austria

Getoar Mjeku

Vice Minister for Economy, Kosovo

Obrad Tadic

CEO Smart Energy Investment, Serbia

Zijad Nišić

Mayor of Brčko District, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Nikola Jovanovic

Director Center for Local Government (CLS – Centar za Lokalnu Samoupravu) Belgrade


MODERATION

Franz Schausberger

Chairman of the IRE


IMPULSREDE

Chancellor Karl Nehammer

Sunday, September 24, 2023

03.00 p.m to 03.30 p.m


Salzburg Congress, Europasaal

Auerspergstraße 6, 5020 Salzburg


Speech by Karl Nehammer, Chancellor of the Republic of Austria


DIALOG II

Reconstruction of Ukraine – when and how?

Sunday, September 24, 2023

03.30 p.m


Salzburg Congress, Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


The terrible war of aggression against Ukraine is causing unimaginable destruction and damage in all areas and at all levels in this country. It will take a major, global effort to rebuild Ukraine whenever the war is over. Reconstruction is taking place in a context of great uncertainty. Many countries around the world, but especially the European Union, are helping to strengthen Ukraine's resilience. Since the start of the war, the EU and its member states and European financial institutions have provided around 53 billion euros in financial, humanitarian, emergency, budgetary and military assistance. Reconstruction is already underway in Ukraine. Particularly in the areas of rebuilding housing, healthcare, transport infrastructure, energy supply, etc. in order to make the destroyed areas habitable again.


By accepting Ukraine as a candidate country, the European Union has also made reconstruction one of its tasks. The Ukrainian government's priorities for reconstruction are largely in line with the European Union's goal of making Ukraine fit for EU accession and driving forward the country's green and digital transformation. In all of this, consideration must also be given to the EU's other enlargement process - particularly as it relates to the Western Balkans - so that there are not two classes of accession candidates. In order to counteract the danger in such cases that corruption and patronage networks emerge in the context of massive reconstruction support, clear accountability and sanctions are necessary in the event of abuse. Essential reconstruction services must be provided by the private sector. To achieve this, it is necessary to create effective incentives, for example through investment guarantees.


KEYNOTE

Karoline Edtstadler

Federal Minister for EU and Constitution, Austria


SPEECH

Oleksandra Azarkhina- live from Kyiv 

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Ukraine


PODIUM

Serhii Bostan

City councilor and head of the economic development department of the city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Jean Erik De Zagon

Representative of the European Investment Bank EIB in Ukraine

Erika Kuročkina

Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation, responsible for reconstruction of Ukraine, Lithuania

Mariin Ratnik

Coordinator for Reconstruction Ukraine, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia

Harald Riener

Member of the Board of Directors, responsible for Ukraine, Vienna Insurance Group (VIG), Austria


MODERATION

Ivo Mijnssen

Correspondent Ukraine, Neue Zürcher Zeitung NZZ

 

EVENING EVENT

Festive Reception

Sunday, September 24, 2023

07.30 p.m


Salzburg Residence, Carabinieri Hall

Residenzplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg


Reception by the Governor of Salzburg, Wilfried Haslauer, and the Mayor of the City of Salzburg, Harald Preuner, in the old prince-archbishop's residence.

GREETING WORDS

Franz Schausberger

Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE)


MUSICAL INTERMEZZO

Elijah Keller

pianist - eliaskeller.net


OPENING DIALOGUE

Europe: heading towards new horizons

Monday, September 25, 2023

08.30 a.m


Salzburg Congress, Europe Hall

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


Despite the multiple crises currently affecting Europe and attacking its foundations, it is necessary to look beyond the immediate challenges to new horizons. Where is the European Union heading, how can Europe manage to remain a geopolitically, economically, culturally, scientifically and technologically important player and partner worldwide, how can Europe contribute to peaceful solutions to the numerous military conflicts?


Solutions that open up new horizons are urgently needed. It must be taken into account that we are in the midst of a tremendous upheaval. In some cases, this requires completely new approaches to solutions in order to be able to meet our continental and global obligations. What is needed is a departure towards new horizons. Experts from a wide range of areas will discuss this and try to find new solutions.


MUSICAL OPENING

BORG Gastein

European anthem


OPENING AND WELCOME

Franz Schausberger

Founder and Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe

Wilfried Haslauer

Governor of Salzburg


PODIUM

Dita Charanzova

Vice-President of the European Parliament, Czech Republic

Caroline de Gruyter

Journalist and European political correspondent, Netherlands

Tanja Miščević

Minister for EU Integration of the Republic of Serbia

Ralph Ossa

Chief Economist of the World Trade Organization WTO, Switzerland

Christian Schmidt

High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina


MODERATION

Michael Martens

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung FAZ, Germany


DIALOG III

Debt in Europe: Do we need a new Maastricht?

Monday, September 25, 2023

10.30 a.m


Salzburg Congress, Europe Hall

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


Europe currently has a high level of public debt, which has worsened in recent years due to the effects of the financial crisis, the corona pandemic and Russia's war against Ukraine. In 2020, the average national debt of the EU-27 was around 91.5 percent in relation to GDP. However, some countries, such as Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Portugal, have a debt ratio that is sometimes well over 100 percent of GDP. Forecasts predict that the national debt of the EU-27 will fall to around 84 percent by 2024.


The EU and its member states have taken various measures to deal with the debt. During the financial crisis, bailouts were provided to countries such as Greece, Portugal and Ireland to prevent the collapse of their economies. During the corona pandemic, extensive aid packages were also launched at national and European levels to mitigate the negative economic effects.


Through the so-called Maastricht criteria, the EU member states committed themselves to certain convergence criteria in the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. According to this, the inflation rate must not be more than 1.5 percentage points higher than that of the three member states with the most stable prices, the state debt must not be more than 60 percent of the gross domestic product and the annual budget deficit must not be more than three percent of the gross domestic product. Many EU states are currently not meeting these requirements because they have financed the massive financial aid for their citizens through debt in the fight against the corona pandemic and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. For this reason, the Maastricht criteria have been suspended until 2024. The important question is therefore increasingly arising as to when the Maastricht criteria or other regulations must come into force. Experts are concerned about the impact of high levels of debt on Europe's long-term economic stability. High levels of debt can lead to higher interest payments, which can put a strain on public budgets and lead to a decline in investment and economic growth. European governments must therefore carefully consider how to deal with debt and how to ensure that their public budgets are sustainable. The risk of a European debt crisis affects the budgets of the European Union, the member states, the regions and the municipalities. The crucial question is how to respond to this at all levels of government in the next few years.


KEYNOTE

John Hahn

European Commissioner for Budget of the European Union


PODIUM

Magnus Brunner

Minister of Finance of the Republic of Austria

Veronica Grimm

Economist, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany

Deborah Revoltella

Chief Economist at the European Investment Bank EIB, Italy

Alexandra Habeler-Drabek

Member of the Board of Directors and Chief Risk Officer of the ERSTE Group


MODERATION

Waltraud Langer

Journalist and regional director of ORF Salzburg


DIALOG IV

Reindustrialization of Europe and climate protection

Monday, September 25, 2023

11.45 a.m


Salzburg Congress, Europe Hall

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


In Europe, the topic of climate protection is omnipresent, not only because of the debates about radical activism by some groups, but also because awareness of climate change has, in principle, increased significantly. The question is how Europe should respond to these challenges.


With the European Green Deal, European politicians have launched a program that is intended to transform the entire European economy. Critics say it goes too far, as they see European industry at risk. For others, it can't go far enough. It is undisputed that for Europe's future industrial strength and importance, we need a strategy to renew industry for a sustainable Europe. The so-called re-industrialization of Europe requires technological, entrepreneurial, financial, ecological and social innovation. The fact is: Through innovation, domestic industry is one of the most important pillars of our prosperity and technology is part of the solution in the fight against the consequences of climate change. And a migration of industry from Europe to other regions of the world with lower requirements to protect the environment cannot and must not be the result.


The question is therefore: How can the re-industrialization of Europe and thus the preservation of prosperity be reconciled with effective measures against climate change? High-ranking experts from politics, industry and science will discuss this.


KEYNOTE

Andreas Klauser

Chairman of the Board of PALFINGER AG


PODIUM

Heinz Freunschlag

Member of the board of ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG, Austria

Salome Kurasbediani

Member of Parliament, Georgia

Gernot Haas

Head of the EU office of the Federation of Industrialists in Brussels

Katharina Swoboda

Siemens AG, Austria

Barbara Thaler

Member of the European Parliament (ÖVP), Austria

Sylvia Vana

Head of the Settlement and Corporate Services Department, Industrial Policy, Federal Ministry of Economics and Labor, Austria


MODERATION

Bernhard Gaul

Journalist, courier


SPECIAL – Youth Forum

One year before the European elections

Monday, September 25, 2023

01.30 p.m to 02.40 p.m


Salzburg Congress

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


Schoolchildren and students discuss their wishes for Europe and the situation one year before the European Parliament elections.


DISCUSSION

Barbara Thaler

Member of the European Parliament (ÖVP), Austria


MODERATION

Stephan Schweighofer

University Assistant, University of Salzburg, Austria


DIALOG V

Energy and raw materials: What's behind the high prices?

Monday, September 25, 2023

02.45 p.m


Salzburg Congress, Europe Hall

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


Europe is facing an unprecedented energy crisis. The EU member states are trying together to secure energy supplies and ensure affordable prices for consumers. The issue of energy and raw material supplies has not only been present since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The years of the Corona pandemic have already shown the vulnerability of global supply chains and thus also the supply of raw materials. The war against Ukraine has shown how risky one-sided energy dependence can be. The EU's dependence on Russian fuel imports must be reduced in order to strengthen the EU's energy resilience and autonomy.


Energy prices have risen noticeably since 2021. The unprecedented rise in gas prices on the world markets played a key role in this. Since gas is still essential for electricity production, this has naturally had an impact on electricity prices in Europe. Ultimately, inflation contributes to high energy prices. Although energy prices are currently still at an exceptionally high level, they have generally fallen slightly and are below inflation. Electricity prices in Europe depend on a number of factors, such as the geopolitical situation, taxation, network costs or environmental protection costs. How do factors such as war, inflation and transformation specifically affect energy and raw material prices? Are renewable energies cheaper in the long term, or does the transformation within the framework of the European Green Deal go too far? Is a complete switch to renewable energy possible or will it lead to the next level of dependency?


KEYNOTE

Alparslan Bayraktar

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Türkiye


PODIUM

Gerhard Christiner

Board of Directors of the Austrian Power Grid APG

Barbara Schmidt

Secretary General of Austria's Energy - Austria's energy industry

Jürgen Schneider

Head of section in the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Austria

Arnold Weiss

Head EU Public & Regulatory Affairs EPEX SPOT European Power Exchange SE


MODERATION

Gundula Geiginger

Puls4


WORKSHOP (only for IRE members)

The municipalities of Slovenia and the EU

Monday, September 25, 2023

04.30 p.m to 06.30 p.m


Salzburg Congress

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


EVENING EVENT
Salzburg evening

Monday, September 25, 2023

07.00 p.m


Augustiner Bräu Kloster Mülln

Lindhofstrasse 7, 5020 Salzburg


The “Bräustübl”, the largest beer restaurant in Austria, has been around since 1621 – 400 years ago. The beer comes from wooden barrels and is served in stone mugs, accompanied by traditional dishes. Participants of the Salzburg Europe Summit have the opportunity to have interesting, informal conversations and network in a friendly atmosphere. The Bräustübl is a place of encounter, of tradition - a piece of living history in the center of Salzburg's world cultural heritage.


MUSIC

Music ensemble Danica, lead Zoran Šijaković


DIALOGUE VI

Regionality and Globalization: A Contradiction?

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

09.00 a.m


Salzburg Congress, Europe Hall

Auerspergstraße 6, 5020 Salzburg


Our world is characterized by globalization, which means increasing world trade, exports and travel to all continents. At the same time, there is the counter-trend of regionality, which means the wealth of a region and includes the regional cultural heritage, tradition, diversity, specialties and peculiarities. The regions have been experiencing an enormous upswing since the Corona crisis at the latest. But even before that, it could be seen that the ever-increasing globalization was causing people increasing discomfort, e.g. T. even scared me. The question therefore arises as to whether regionality and globalization exclude or include each other or depend on each other. Can't one exist without the other?


It's not just about regional products, more transparency in food, shorter transport routes and the like. This is what is primarily being discussed today. It's more about concrete life plans. The enormous acceleration and high mobility of globalization brings more disorientation and loss of identity for people. Does more regionality make it easier for people to find their way in the complex modern world? One thing seems clear: increasing globalization brings with it increasing regionalization. Of course, globalization and its many positive developments cannot simply be reversed, but side effects of globalization have emerged in the past that need to be questioned in terms of sustainability.


OPENING and WELCOME

Josef Schöchl

Chairman of the European Committee of the Salzburg State Parliament, member of the IRE Board (Austria)


KEYNOTE

Dalia Marin

Professor of Global Economic Relations, Technical University of Munich, Germany


PODIUM

Ivan Jakovcic

President of the Committee for International Affairs, Regional Parliament of Istria, Croatia

Radim Sršeň

Vice Minister for Regional Development, Member of the European Committee of the Regions, Czech Republic

Zaza Shavadze

Minister of Agriculture of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Georgia

Kurt Weinberger

General Director Hagelversicherung AG, Austria


MODERATION

Michael Kretz

Managing Director Regional Media Salzburg


IRE-Forum

Sustainable and innovative building culture
New European Bauhaus

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

11.00 a.m


Salzburg Congress, Europe Hall

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg


With the New European Bauhaus (NEB), the European Green Deal is translated into concrete changes on the ground. The aim is to improve everyday life - in buildings, in public spaces, but also in the form of fashion or furniture. The aim of the IRE Forum is to make selected ideas and concepts accessible to a wider audience, not only within one's own country but beyond. It is the fundamental goal of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE) to network practitioners from different countries, regions and municipalities and to exchange their knowledge about the best available methods, solutions and prototypes. The forum aims to give innovators the opportunity to replicate their experiences in cities, rural areas and towns and inspire a new generation of architects and designers. It is intended to help create new ways of living in buildings that are in harmony with the environment in the form of pilot markets.


The New European Bauhaus (NEB) brings together citizens, experts, companies and institutions to rethink sustainable living in Europe and beyond. In addition to creating a platform for experimentation and connection, the initiative also supports positive change through access to EU funding for beautiful, sustainable and inclusive projects. The IRE Forum is part of an event on methods and projects that are intended to make the “Green Deal” effective in regions and cities.


KEYNOTE

Ruth Reichstein- Live broadcast from Brussels

Special Advisor New European Bauhaus, Office of the President of the EU Commission


PODIUM

David Brasfield

Board and Secretary General World Green Infrastructure Network, member Norsk Forening for Grønn Infrastructure, Norway

Anne Graupner

Architect and urban designer, ETH Zurich

Marcos Ros Sempere

Member of the European Parliament, founder of "Friendshipgroup New European Bauhaus in the European Parliament", Spain

Maria Sisternas Tusell

Director d'INCASÒL, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

Theodore Zillner

Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Austria


MODERATION

Werner Sejka

Puls4


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