Events

Delighted and immensely proud to welcome European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection Michael McGrath, who spoke at our STEM South West Leaders’ Dialogue event in University College Cork attended by leaders across the tech, pharma, science and engineering sectors together with representatives of higher education institutes, local authorities, government and the Southern Regional Skills Forum.

Led by Mary Good, Managing Director of Advanced Medical Services and Chair of STEM South West, the engaging, open and insightful conversation touched on the Commissioner’s current broad portfolio and offered a unique opportunity to explore how Europe can remain economically competitive and democratically resilient in an increasingly uncertain world.

Some key takeaways from the discussion included the need for Europe to:

Commissioner McGrath said: “A central priority of this Commission is to boost Europe’s global competitiveness and close the innovation gap with other major economies. To this end, we are simplifying EU rules and reducing administrative burdens on businesses. This drive for smarter regulation underpins initiatives such as the proposed 28th regime, which I am leading on, and will encompass a single EU company legal form and the Startup and Scaleup Strategy, which together aim to create a more innovation-friendly business environment.

Our ambition goes beyond making the business environment simpler and more competitive – we want it to be smarter and more creative. That means not only shaping the right regulatory frameworks, but also investing in the right skills. Through initiatives such as the STEM Education Strategic Plan, we are equipping a new generation with the creativity and expertise needed to power Europe’s innovation economy and ensure our place as a global leader.”

Key themes in the STEM South West discussion included: