Kutse

Børge Brende President and CEO

H.E. Ms Liisa-Ly Pakosta Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs of Estonia Suur-Ameerika 1 Tallinn 10122 Estonia

22 April 2025

Dear Minister,

I am pleased to invite you to join the World Economic Forum Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness community, as well as its inaugural meeting, beginning with an opening dinner on 30 June 2025, followed by high-level sessions on 1 July 2025 at the Berlaymont in Brussels, Belgium.

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness is a high-level, multistakeholder initiative that brings together select leaders from EU institutions, national governments, business and expert organizations to advance Europe’s growth agenda. The community will focus on four key enablers of competitiveness: promoting clean and competitive energy and industry; leveraging financial markets; enabling strategic alliances; and shaping the Intelligent Age.

Amid intensifying geo-economic competition, Europe’s long-term competitiveness depends on a bold realignment of strategic priorities. This includes securing reliable, clean and affordable energy, accelerating innovation and transformative technologies, deepening capital markets and building new partnerships.

Addressing the structural challenges to growth demands coordinated leadership from both public and private sector leaders. Your leadership and engagement will be crucial to this shared effort.

I look forward to personally welcoming you in Brussels.

Yours sincerely,

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness

Background and mission In the face of growing geo-economic competition, European leaders are mobilizing to address structural challenges affecting productivity and growth. This requires a robust focus on competitiveness across clean industry infrastructure, energy markets, research and development, emerging technologies, and capital markets, while strengthening external alliances.

This community operates within the Centre for Regions, Trade and Geopolitics, which acts as the World Economic

Forum’s point of contact for key stakeholders – governments, international organizations and civil society organizations – and convenes them with the Forum’s business partners to advance cooperative solutions to critical global and regional challenges.

The World Economic Forum’s Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness aims to play a pivotal role in driving progress on this agenda starting in 2025 in close collaboration with the European Commission, national governments, business leaders, experts and other key stakeholders. This initiative will guide four impact-driven Pillars to accelerate the implementation of competitiveness-enhancing reforms.

How to join

Private sector Public sector

The Forum will invite relevant CEOs to join the Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness. Expressions of interest can also be sent directly to [email protected].

The organization will propose a vice-president-level executive with subject matter expertise to join the work of at least one thematic Pillar.

Where organizations would like to be part of more than one Pillar, several senior representatives can be proposed to ensure relevant thematic expertise.

The Forum will invite relevant stakeholders to join the Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness. Expressions of interest can also be sent directly to European. [email protected]. In some cases, more than one minister from the same country may be invited to ensure coverage of political and thematic priorities.

The government/ministry will propose a deputy minister- level official to join the work of at least one thematic Pillar.

Where organizations would like to be part of more than one Pillar, several senior representatives can be nominated to ensure relevant thematic expertise.

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness will be made up of leaders of organizations and institutions representing public, private, civil society and experts at the highest level.

The Leaders Group is composed of representatives at the highest level (CEOs, European Commissioners, ministers). This body will define strategic for the community and ensure alignment with Europe’s competitiveness agenda.

Four pillars

Through the work of four Pillars, senior representatives (vice-president level for private sector, deputy minister/state secretary level for public sector) will drive targeted initiatives within their areas of expertise. Each Pillar is chaired by at

least two members of the Leaders Group and as part of the steering committee, these co-chairs will be responsible for driving the work forward within their thematic Pillar and provide updates to the Leaders Group twice a year.

Clean and Competitive Energy and Industry

– Accelerating the deployment of clean, secure and affordable energy solutions.

– Increasing energy efficiency and other demand-side measures.

– Investing in the required energy market infrastructure.

1 Leveraging Financial Markets

2 Enabling Strategic Alliances

3 Shaping the Intelligent Age4

In collaboration with the Centre for Energy and Materials and the First Movers Coalition

In collaboration with the Centre for Financial and Monetary Services

In collaboration with the Forum's Trade and Investment team

In collaboration with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Forum's innovator communities

Deepening capital markets and investment ecosystem to unlock private investment and enhance economic productivity.

– –

Diversifying funding sources and developing EU-wide savings and pension products

–

Harmonising banking regulation and establishing standardised requirements to make doing business in Europe more efficient

–

–

–

Strengthening external alliances to enhance public-private cooperation in economic and strategic affairs

Enhancing trade partnerships to expand Europe's trade resilience

Scaling the Global Gateway initiative to reinforce Europe's role as a reliable partner

– Improving the framework conditions for start-ups and innovative businesses to scale across the European economy.

– Increasing investment and R&D in critical technologies to strengthen Europe’s innovative and competitive edge.

– Accelerating the development and adoption of key emerging technologies such as AI.

Governance and structure

Private sector Public sector

Be based in Europe or have a substantial portion of their operations based in Europe.

Have an active partnership with the World Economic Forum. In cases where the partnership does not include Annual Meeting participation, companies are welcome to engage in the community’s year-round work programme. Please note that membership in the group does not guarantee an invitation to the Annual Meeting 2026.

Attend an onboarding consultation with the World Economic Forum to understand and align priorities and expectations for engagement.

Contribute to written work, including the annual survey, review written materials and provide feedback on key reports ahead of publication.

Act as ambassadors for European competitiveness, growth and investment externally.

Attend an onboarding consultation with the World Economic Forum to understand and align priorities and expectations for engagement.

Contribute to written work, including the annual survey, review written materials and provide feedback on key reports ahead of publication.

Please note that membership in the group does not guarantee an invitation to the Annual Meeting 2026.

Membership requirements

For more information, please contact [email protected]

Meetings Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness convenes twice a year, once at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos and once in a European capital.

At the Annual Meeting, a report will be presented on European growth and competitiveness to support an in- depth discussion on recent data and trends. The Leaders Group will use this meeting to approve the workplan for the coming year. The second meeting provides an opportunity

for leaders to meet in a European capital to deep dive into the work of the four pillars and to provide guidance on the direction and impact of the work.

Separately, members of the four pillars will convene at least once a year, either in-person or virtually to allow for cross-pillar programming as well as cross-sector networking For details, see the full community calendar below.

Leaders Group

CEO/ministerial level

Pillars VP/deputy minister level

Other events

1 Clean and Competitive Energy and Industry

2 Leveraging Financial Markets

3 Enabling Strategic Alliances

4 Europe in the Intelligent Age

20 25

May

TBC April/May: 28th Regime workshop in Brussels

13-15 May: ISM - London

Jun

TBC June: Leaders Group preparatory meeting ahead of launch - virtual

5-6 June: EU Industry Days - CENMAT event on leveraging industrial clusters for Europe’s Clean Industrial Deal

TBC June: Meeting on the Savings and Investment Union - virtual

3-6 June: GTR + AIGA Meeting - SF

23-26 June: AMNC - Tianjin

26-27 June: European Council - Brussels

June TBC: Launch of C4IR France

Jul

1 July: Leaders Group launch meeting - Brussels

TBC July: 2nd iteration of 28 regime workshop

Aug

Sept

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: SDIM - NYC

Oct 29/30 Oct or 5/6 Nov: In-person, cross-pillar workshop

17-19 Oct: 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

23-24 Oct: European Council - Brussels

TBC Oct: First Movers Coalition in-country workshop - Brussels

Nov 10-21 Nov: COP30 - Belém

Dec

TBC Dec: Leaders Group preparatory meeting ahead of Annual Meeting 2026 - virtual

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

18-19 Dec: European Council - Brussels

Calendar 2025-2026 This calendar is subject to change. A final calendar will be shared ahead of the launch meeting on 30 June.

20 26

Jan 19-23 Jan: Annual Meeting 2026 - Davos

Feb

Mar TBC March: Virtual meeting

Apr

May TBC May: Leaders Group meeting - Brussels

Leaders Group Pillars Other events

1 Clean and Competitive Energy and Industry

2 Leveraging Financial Markets

3 Enabling Strategic Alliances

4 Europe in the Intelligent Age

Børge Brende President and CEO

H.E. Ms Liisa-Ly Pakosta Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs of Estonia Suur-Ameerika 1 Tallinn 10122 Estonia

22 April 2025

Dear Minister,

I am pleased to invite you to join the World Economic Forum Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness community, as well as its inaugural meeting, beginning with an opening dinner on 30 June 2025, followed by high-level sessions on 1 July 2025 at the Berlaymont in Brussels, Belgium.

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness is a high-level, multistakeholder initiative that brings together select leaders from EU institutions, national governments, business and expert organizations to advance Europe’s growth agenda. The community will focus on four key enablers of competitiveness: promoting clean and competitive energy and industry; leveraging financial markets; enabling strategic alliances; and shaping the Intelligent Age.

Amid intensifying geo-economic competition, Europe’s long-term competitiveness depends on a bold realignment of strategic priorities. This includes securing reliable, clean and affordable energy, accelerating innovation and transformative technologies, deepening capital markets and building new partnerships.

Addressing the structural challenges to growth demands coordinated leadership from both public and private sector leaders. Your leadership and engagement will be crucial to this shared effort.

I look forward to personally welcoming you in Brussels.

Yours sincerely,

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness

Background and mission In the face of growing geo-economic competition, European leaders are mobilizing to address structural challenges affecting productivity and growth. This requires a robust focus on competitiveness across clean industry infrastructure, energy markets, research and development, emerging technologies, and capital markets, while strengthening external alliances.

This community operates within the Centre for Regions, Trade and Geopolitics, which acts as the World Economic

Forum’s point of contact for key stakeholders – governments, international organizations and civil society organizations – and convenes them with the Forum’s business partners to advance cooperative solutions to critical global and regional challenges.

The World Economic Forum’s Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness aims to play a pivotal role in driving progress on this agenda starting in 2025 in close collaboration with the European Commission, national governments, business leaders, experts and other key stakeholders. This initiative will guide four impact-driven Pillars to accelerate the implementation of competitiveness-enhancing reforms.

How to join

Private sector Public sector

The Forum will invite relevant CEOs to join the Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness. Expressions of interest can also be sent directly to [email protected].

The organization will propose a vice-president-level executive with subject matter expertise to join the work of at least one thematic Pillar.

Where organizations would like to be part of more than one Pillar, several senior representatives can be proposed to ensure relevant thematic expertise.

The Forum will invite relevant stakeholders to join the Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness. Expressions of interest can also be sent directly to European. [email protected]. In some cases, more than one minister from the same country may be invited to ensure coverage of political and thematic priorities.

The government/ministry will propose a deputy minister- level official to join the work of at least one thematic Pillar.

Where organizations would like to be part of more than one Pillar, several senior representatives can be nominated to ensure relevant thematic expertise.

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness

Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness will be made up of leaders of organizations and institutions representing public, private, civil society and experts at the highest level.

The Leaders Group is composed of representatives at the highest level (CEOs, European Commissioners, ministers). This body will define strategic for the community and ensure alignment with Europe’s competitiveness agenda.

Four pillars

Through the work of four Pillars, senior representatives (vice-president level for private sector, deputy minister/state secretary level for public sector) will drive targeted initiatives within their areas of expertise. Each Pillar is chaired by at

least two members of the Leaders Group and as part of the steering committee, these co-chairs will be responsible for driving the work forward within their thematic Pillar and provide updates to the Leaders Group twice a year.

Clean and Competitive Energy and Industry

– Accelerating the deployment of clean, secure and affordable energy solutions.

– Increasing energy efficiency and other demand-side measures.

– Investing in the required energy market infrastructure.

1 Leveraging Financial Markets

2 Enabling Strategic Alliances

3 Shaping the Intelligent Age4

In collaboration with the Centre for Energy and Materials and the First Movers Coalition

In collaboration with the Centre for Financial and Monetary Services

In collaboration with the Forum's Trade and Investment team

In collaboration with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Forum's innovator communities

Deepening capital markets and investment ecosystem to unlock private investment and enhance economic productivity.

– –

Diversifying funding sources and developing EU-wide savings and pension products

–

Harmonising banking regulation and establishing standardised requirements to make doing business in Europe more efficient

–

–

–

Strengthening external alliances to enhance public-private cooperation in economic and strategic affairs

Enhancing trade partnerships to expand Europe's trade resilience

Scaling the Global Gateway initiative to reinforce Europe's role as a reliable partner

– Improving the framework conditions for start-ups and innovative businesses to scale across the European economy.

– Increasing investment and R&D in critical technologies to strengthen Europe’s innovative and competitive edge.

– Accelerating the development and adoption of key emerging technologies such as AI.

Governance and structure

Private sector Public sector

Be based in Europe or have a substantial portion of their operations based in Europe.

Have an active partnership with the World Economic Forum. In cases where the partnership does not include Annual Meeting participation, companies are welcome to engage in the community’s year-round work programme. Please note that membership in the group does not guarantee an invitation to the Annual Meeting 2026.

Attend an onboarding consultation with the World Economic Forum to understand and align priorities and expectations for engagement.

Contribute to written work, including the annual survey, review written materials and provide feedback on key reports ahead of publication.

Act as ambassadors for European competitiveness, growth and investment externally.

Attend an onboarding consultation with the World Economic Forum to understand and align priorities and expectations for engagement.

Contribute to written work, including the annual survey, review written materials and provide feedback on key reports ahead of publication.

Please note that membership in the group does not guarantee an invitation to the Annual Meeting 2026.

Membership requirements

For more information, please contact [email protected]

Meetings Leaders for European Growth and Competitiveness convenes twice a year, once at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos and once in a European capital.

At the Annual Meeting, a report will be presented on European growth and competitiveness to support an in- depth discussion on recent data and trends. The Leaders Group will use this meeting to approve the workplan for the coming year. The second meeting provides an opportunity

for leaders to meet in a European capital to deep dive into the work of the four pillars and to provide guidance on the direction and impact of the work.

Separately, members of the four pillars will convene at least once a year, either in-person or virtually to allow for cross-pillar programming as well as cross-sector networking For details, see the full community calendar below.

Leaders Group

CEO/ministerial level

Pillars VP/deputy minister level

Other events

1 Clean and Competitive Energy and Industry

2 Leveraging Financial Markets

3 Enabling Strategic Alliances

4 Europe in the Intelligent Age

20 25

May

TBC April/May: 28th Regime workshop in Brussels

13-15 May: ISM - London

Jun

TBC June: Leaders Group preparatory meeting ahead of launch - virtual

5-6 June: EU Industry Days - CENMAT event on leveraging industrial clusters for Europe’s Clean Industrial Deal

TBC June: Meeting on the Savings and Investment Union - virtual

3-6 June: GTR + AIGA Meeting - SF

23-26 June: AMNC - Tianjin

26-27 June: European Council - Brussels

June TBC: Launch of C4IR France

Jul

1 July: Leaders Group launch meeting - Brussels

TBC July: 2nd iteration of 28 regime workshop

Aug

Sept

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: Pillar preparatory preparatory meeting ahead of autumn workshop - virtual

TBC Sept: SDIM - NYC

Oct 29/30 Oct or 5/6 Nov: In-person, cross-pillar workshop

17-19 Oct: 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

23-24 Oct: European Council - Brussels

TBC Oct: First Movers Coalition in-country workshop - Brussels

Nov 10-21 Nov: COP30 - Belém

Dec

TBC Dec: Leaders Group preparatory meeting ahead of Annual Meeting 2026 - virtual

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

TBC Dec: AM26 briefing call

18-19 Dec: European Council - Brussels

Calendar 2025-2026 This calendar is subject to change. A final calendar will be shared ahead of the launch meeting on 30 June.

20 26

Jan 19-23 Jan: Annual Meeting 2026 - Davos

Feb

Mar TBC March: Virtual meeting

Apr

May TBC May: Leaders Group meeting - Brussels

Leaders Group Pillars Other events

1 Clean and Competitive Energy and Industry

2 Leveraging Financial Markets

3 Enabling Strategic Alliances

4 Europe in the Intelligent Age