Economic Summit 2025

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Pre-event for the economic summit “Shaping the Shift – The Four Motors for Europe Leading Transformation in the Automotive Sector”

Moderation: Anja Lange, freelance moderator

Dr. Patrick Rapp MdL

State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg

Guido Guidesi

Minister of Economy of the Lombardy Region

Stéphanie Pernod

First Vice-President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council, responsible for the economy, re-industrialization, regional preference and digitalization

Prof. Dr. Andrea Wechsler MdEP

Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Franz Loogen

Managing Director of e-mobil Baden-Württemberg (Impuls)

 

The automotive industry is the barometer for the economy not only in Baden-Württemberg, but also in the partner regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Catalonia, and Lombardy. The Four Motors for Europe look back on a tradition-rich industry that must reposition itself for the future. In this panel, representatives of the regions, the Parliament, and the Commission will discuss the common challenges and ways out of the crisis toward a successful transformation.

Room: EUROPASAAL

2:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Summit Talk “Scaling Hydrogen Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges for Europe”

Moderation: Dr. Volker Banhardt, e-mobil BW

Andrea Engelen

Global Head of External Affairs & Government Relations, cellcentric GmbH & Co. KG

Marius Plingen

Sales Hydrogen Sector, Bosch Rexroth AG

Mark Freymueller

CEO Hyundai Commercial Vehicles & Hydrogen Business Europe, Hyundai Germany

Matthias Danino

Office Executive Assistant & Expert Hydrogen Compression

Marius Plingen

Head of Industry Sector Sales Hydrogen, Business Unit Industrial Hydraulics

 

An integrated, synchronized, and scalable ecosystem involving all actors in the hydrogen value chain is key to achieving the required industrial ramp-up of hydrogen technologies by 2030. Europe currently has a strong and highly developed technological base for hydrogen technologies—a solid foundation for industrialization and job creation. This session will present the current status, possible cooperation scenarios, the necessary policy and regulatory framework, and outlines coordinated actions to achieve this goal.

 

Room FREIBURG / HEIDELBERG

3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Break / Change of room

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Summit Stage • Official launch of the Economic Summit "New Realities: Simplification for a Competitive Single Market"

Moderation: Dr. Detlef Fechtner, Chief Reporter of the Börsen-Zeitung

Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut MdL

Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg

Hubert Gambs

Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW)

Dr. Andreas Schwab MdEP (EVP)

Member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)

Markus Heilig

President of the Baden-Württemberg Banking Association

Dr. Matthias Neth

President of the Savings Banks Association of Baden-Württemberg

Rainer Reichhold

President HANDWERK Baden-Württemberg

Dr. Jan Stefan Roell

President of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Dr. Ulrich Theileis

President of the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative Association

 

The European single market is the foundation for competitiveness and growth in the EU. Its further development is one of the European Union's key priorities. The panel will discuss current challenges and necessary reforms to reduce bureaucracy, facilitate investment, and make the single market fit for the future.

Room EUROPASAAL

5:30 PM - 5:45 PM

Break

5:45 PM - 6:15 PM

Summit Talk "Simplification in the Single Market in Practice: Practical Examples from the Enterprise Europe Network"

Moderator: Michael Rössler, Deputy Head of Handwerk International Baden-Württemberg

Mariella Masselink

Head of Unit Industrial Forum, Alliances, Clusters of the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission

 

Prof. h.c. Dr. Jonathan Loeffler

Executive Manager of the Steinbeis Europa Zentrum and Managing Director of Steinbeis 2i GmbH

Prof. Dr. Uwe Böhm

Managing Director, Head of International Business, Hochrhein-Bodensee Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Amir Alizadeh, M. Sc.

Head of International Business, Industry, Innovation. Enterprise Europe Network

 

 

 

Room FREIBURG / HEIDELBERG

7:00 PM - 8:15 PM

Summit Stage "New Realities: Europe's Role in the World"

Moderator: Jakob Hanke-Vela, Handelsblatt, Brussels Office Manager

Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut MdL

Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg

Bernd Lange MdEP (S&D)

Chairman of the Committee on International Trade (INTA)

Günther H. Oettinger

former EU Commissioner and former Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg

Michael Hager

Head of Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis

 

Geopolitical tensions, protectionism, and shifting centers of power are changing the rules of the global economy. This evening event will discuss how Europe can assert its interests and remain capable of acting independently on the global stage.

Room: EUROPASAAL

8:15 PM - 10:00 PM

Baden-Württemberg business reception

Thursday, October 2, 2025

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Lunch

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Summit Stage • Closing Event "New Realities: Europe's Technological Sovereignty"

Moderation and keynote speech: Prof. Dr. Katharina Hölzle, Director of the Institute for Industrial Engineering IAT at the University of Stuttgart and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO and Technology Representative of the Minister for Economic Affairs

Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut MdL

Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg

Thomas Bürkle

President of the Entrepreneurs Association of Baden-Württemberg (UBW)

Andreas Schwarz

Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann MdEP (Renew)

Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE), Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)

Dr. Jaane Seehusen

Head of Supply Chain Management and Vice President, ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology GmbH

Kathrin Anandasivam

Head of Corporate Technology & Innovation, TRUMPF SE + Co. KG

Corinna Schulze

Head of Government Affairs, SAP

 

Technological sovereignty is key to Europe's prosperity, security, and competitiveness. In this discussion, leading figures from politics, business, and research explore how Europe can strengthen its innovative capacity and overcome dependencies.

Room: EUROPASAAL