Mihai Manea, CEO of Nine O’Clock: It was an honor to participate in the Fifth Annual Romanian Business & Investment Roundtable, themed Increasing Competitiveness for a Future-Ready Romania, organized by Economist Impact SE Europe Events at the Sheraton Bucharest Hotel. The event brought together business leaders, government representatives, and industry experts for insightful discussions on key topics essential to Romania’s competitiveness: the role of technology and telecommunications in modernizing the economy, reducing regional disparities, accelerating digitalization, sustainability, financial stability, and the importance of infrastructure investments. We highly appreciate the initiative of Economist Impact SE Europe Events and Oxygen in convening decision-makers and leaders from multiple sectors, fostering both reflection and action. Romania, with its strategic position, can play a vital role in enhancing Europe’s security, stability, and energy independence.”
As Nectaria Passarivakis aptly stated: “In recent decades, Romania has made great strides in economic growth, improving living standards, and attracting foreign investment. Romania 🇷🇴 can thus provide a model for its Balkan neighbors looking to advance their integration into the union.”
Reflecting on the broader landscape, Joakim Reiter, Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer at Vodafone Group, posed a critical question: “How bad is bad?” It is evident that the European Union 🇪🇺 lags behind emerging economies in key digital transformation and infrastructure metrics. The challenge ahead is clear: we must bridge the gap. While being a “catch-up” economy within an innovative region is not inherently problematic, it becomes a significant challenge when situated in a lagging environment.
The fundamental question then arises: “What actions must we take?” The answer lies in decisiveness and speed—there is no time for prolonged impact assessments or extensive debates. The path forward must be built on three essential pillars:
Investment – Enhancing the EU’s investment climate to boost attractiveness and competitiveness.
Regulatory Reform – Streamlining outdated regulations to foster a more agile and harmonized digital market. The EU currently operates as a fragmented system of 27 distinct markets, limiting scalability in a technology-driven global economy.
Security – Prioritizing both investment and scalability in security frameworks, ensuring that digital expansion is underpinned by resilience and trust.
Addressing these challenges with urgency is crucial for positioning the European Union as a competitive force in the evolving digital landscape.
19.03.2025 / Editor, Andreea Dragan
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