This year’s TCS European Policy Summit (TEPS 2024) organised by Friends of Europe in collaboration with TCS, will explore how Europe can lead the next industrial revolution and how it can capitalise on its strengths while embracing the potential for digital transformation and innovation. This summit brings together leaders from the public and private sectors in a strategic dialogue through a working dinner and a two-session conference. 

While the EU has been at the forefront of previous industrial revolutions, it now faces record-high public debt and challenges stemming from recent crises, including COVID-19, conflict and energy instability. The Draghi report warns that without a speedy rethink of its industrial and competitiveness policies, Europe is falling behind the US and China. In today’s environment, where innovation in digitalisation and AI outpace policymaking, it is high time for Europe to reflect on its ambitions, current gaps, strengths and establish a new modus operandi for governments and private sector to address these ambitions jointly. The foundation of this new industrial revolution lies primarily in a digital transformation that, if harnessed effectively, can drive resilience and competitiveness by transforming public and private sectors alike. It must be focused on meeting both the economic and environmental demands of tomorrow. 

• What lessons can be learnt from the last mandate and  how are they reflected in the upcoming Commission’s priorities for boosting EU competitiveness? 
• What mechanisms of enhanced collaboration should be put in place to foster sustainable economic growth and competitiveness? 
• In which ways can digitalisation reshape industry and government services to address the current record public-debt? 

If the past four years are anything to go by, we know that crises are what we will need to manage effectively and ahead of time whilst achieving sustainable economic growth and competitiveness. A practical debate on the path to reaching these ambitious goals is the purpose of this summit.