one guidance document For a more competitive Europe. This is a challenge posed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi. presented Last August. Porto Polytechnic Institute, PÚBLICO and consulting firm EY Portugal in the phase of making the 2025 National Budget (OE) viable. promote On the morning of October 23, a meeting was held in Porto to analyze and discuss Draghi’s conclusions and how they could be applied to the Portuguese case.
The event will be held between 10 am and 1 pm in the Vítor Santos auditorium of the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto.
Reflections on the future of Europe
Von der Leyen’s goals were, first, to predict how the energy transition currently required by industry could harm industry competitiveness. Draghi has focused on this issue, but believes that Europe as a whole must contribute to this competitiveness.
This growing need to strengthen European cohesion arises in the context of frequent threats to political and economic stability and a downturn in the region’s economies. Paulo Pereira, president of the Polytechnic of Porto, therefore considers the Draghi report “a structural document for our future life, for Europe and Portugal”, but not only that. Paulo Pereira, the head of higher education institutions, leaves no doubt about the obligation to “stimulate the situation”, encouraging “a positive and broad public debate in all areas that affect the life of our society”. In this context, this conference Draghi Report: National Reading of the OE25 Phase.
The Rector of the Polytechnic of Porto, who is responsible for the institution’s commitment to regional, national and European strategies, “recognizes the importance of this ‘old territory’ (Europe) for our collective future and the strategic autonomy of its construction. “For a better society.” Reflective activities such as those proposed at this conference are therefore essential to carrying out the mission of the Polytechnic.
What role can each of us play in this common task? Not only as citizens, but “from an institutional perspective, in terms of the role that each institution of higher education can and should have,” the professor says. Regarding reports in particular, Paulo Pereira likens them to “a giant ‘balloon’ of good actions to be discussed in operations.” This reflects the need for a clear definition of the source of ‘oxygen’, which the report must raise. “Our social and economic quality of life standards”.
Public reading of Draghi’s guidelines: What to expect?
The conversation, moderated by PÚBLICO journalist Manuel Carvalho, is expected to address some solutions for Portugal. The president of the Polytechnic of Porto said that depending on “the quality of the panel of speakers” he would “reflect on the options and how some of the 170 measures included in the report could be operationalized next year.” “. Considering its relevance in the national context, from macroeconomic issues to the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, the issue of incentives to integrate more innovations in the business sector will be another important point of discussion.
When asked how Draghi’s recommendations could be applied to the Portuguese case in the process of approving the new national budget, Paulo Pereira believes that “one clear area is the focus on addressing the lack of innovation.” To achieve this, cooperation between the government, higher education institutions, and businesses is essential.
And he develops several strategic lines with possibilities for implementation. “Doubling the budget and focusing on its application to future research and innovation framework programs”; “European cooperation to build large-scale research infrastructure”; and finally, decisions on this funding will be made “by experts, not bureaucrats”. I lose. And now might be the right time.
This public debate also considers the risks of national political and economic models not being able to keep up with recommendations for community competitiveness. Tax policy must be linked to the European strategy to respond to current challenges. Therefore, says the rector of the Polytechnic of Porto, “greater integration must be well taken into account, taking into account the public policies that will be built within the scope of national planning instruments.” He therefore sees each OE as an “opportunity,” but “each public or private agent must play its part.”
