On June 19th, Trade Promotion Europe kicked off the TPE 2024 Spring General Assembly in Brussels, with impactful discussions and networking! Here’s a recap of our first day:

🔹 EEN Workshop: We learnt about the new EEN call and explored the most notable changes compared to the previous call by a tailored-made workshop thanks to Zabala Innovation Consulting. We discussed technical details and the issues that members could potentially face when joining an EEN consortium, including best practice exchanges between members.

🔹 Sustainability Working Group: The afternoon was dedicated to sustainability. We started with an inspiring presentation on Net Zero Carbon Events by Alexander Alles of the JMIC Joint Meetings Industry Council, which was followed by a lively panel discussion moderated by Philippe Vanrie. The panel delved into sustainability as an imperative for exporting, welcoming panelists Marine SIMON (Business France), Anne Spreuwers (Credendo), Ádám Csécsei (EXIM) and Lucas Lenchant (EIB), who spoke about their respective organisations’ activities to promote greener trade. Lastly, TPE members gained valuable insights on EU funds that support TPOs and their clients in their journeys towards sustainability, thanks to Orsolya Kurucz (ATS Advisory).

🔹 Evening Reception: We wrapped up the day with a reception, with Mr. Jakub Boratynski (Director at DG GROW) as Guest of Honour. This get-together provided the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow members, permanent representations of EU Members States in Brussels, and EU Commission representatives.

On June 20th, Trade Promotion Europe hold the TPE 2024 Spring General Assembly in Brussels. It was a productive day discussing governance and engaging in discussions with TPE members. The TPE Secretariat presented the 2023 Activity Report of the Association and members voted on priorities for the upcoming semester, among many other things.

In the afternoon, we were privileged to have two presentations from distinguished external speakers:

🔹 Trade Champions: Maud Labat, Head of Unit, Transparency, Civil Society & Communication, Unit R3, and Johann H. Sollgruber, Unit R3, DG TRADE, shared their insights on trade champions, emphasising transparency and the role of civil society in trade.

🔹 Legacy of the Current Commission and Future EU Economic Policy: Philipp Lausberg, Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre, provided a overview of the legacy of the current Commission on EU economic policy and the anticipated priorities of the next European Commission.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated and contributed at the General Assembly.