A Science|Business executive roundtable, supported by the European Commission (by invitation only)
Europe's creative and cultural industries are vibrant and vast, representing 4.2% of the EU's GDP, employing 8.4 million - and enriching the lives of citizens everywhere. The EU entertainment software industry is growing steadily and profitably. Video and film continue to be acclaimed European exports. And a profusion of new interactive and online technologies - from social media to virtual reality - are opening new opportunities for European entrepreneurship. To maximise its impact in the future, the European content industry needs to collaborate better with technology companies, innovate new finance and business models, and look to growing global markets while maintaining their European identities.
The latest legislation for Horizon Europe, the EU's next big research and innovation programme, proposes an ambitious effort to catalyse this kind of interaction and dynamism. At the same time, a range of other EU policies and programmes - Creative Europe, Invest EU, Digital Europe - are working to strengthen and support cultural and creative initiatives that can have an impact on the sector and promote international cooperation.
This Science|Business roundtable is intended to open a cross-sectoral, pan-European discussion on how these programmes might develop during the 2020s, and how these inter-related industries could best prosper in global and European markets. The dialogue will bring together leaders in video and film production, augmented and virtual reality, innovative finance, technology platforms, and in European and member state policy making. The half-day workshop, which will produce a published report of conclusions, will be opened by Christian Ehler, a rapporteur in the European Parliament on the Horizon Europe legislation, and a strong champion of the future opportunities this fusion of sectors, technologies and finance can bring. Among the questions to be debated:
- What are the three most important challenges facing Europe’s digital content industries over the coming decade? What can be done about them?
- Does Europe have to own the platforms and infrastructure to succeed?
- How can we better connect content and technology industries in Europe?
- For the CCI work in Horizon Europe, what specifically could it do to make a difference?
- How can the EU best organise the different programmes focusing on CCI?
08:15-09:00 Registration and welcome coffee
09:00-09:05 Welcome by by Marta Marin, Delegate of the Basque Country to the EU, and Richard L. Hudson, Vice-Chair of the Board & Editor-in-Chief, Science|Business
09:05-09:45 Creative and Cultural Industries in Horizon Europe and beyond
- Christian Ehler, Member, European Parliament
- Guillaume Klossa, Special Advisor to Vice-President Ansip, European Commission
09:45-10:45 Key trends: An overview
Panel and group discussion
- Bernhard Grill, Director, Audio and Media Technologies, Fraunhofer
- Jean-Paul Philippot, Director General, RTBF
- Rikke Ennis, Chief Executive Officer, Reinvent Studios and Joao Santos, Chief Strategy Officer, NutAlone
- Andreas Ehret, Vice-President, Technology, Multiscreen Services Audio, Dolby
10:45-11:15 Coffee break
11:15-12:45 Open discussion: Suggestions for managing change, encouraging cross-sector collaboration
- What are the three most important challenges facing Europe’s digital content industries over the coming decade? What can be done about them?
- Does Europe have to own the platforms and infrastructure to succeed?
- How can we better connect content and technology industries in Europe?
- For the CCI work in Horizon Europe, what specifically could it do to make a difference?
- How can the EU best organise the different programmes focusing on CCI?
12:45-13:00 Conclusions for policy
- Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General, DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology, European Commission
13:00-14:00 Networking lunch
For more information, please contact Stefania Gavra ([email protected])