Journée de l'Economie 2024: Luxembourg's competitiveness: are we still in the race?

Competitiveness is like a country's secret sauce for doing well in the great economic game. It's not just about profit and wealth but also about maintaining a good ranking while preparing for future challenges. It is the linchpin for sustainable growth, innovation and resilience in an increasingly interconnected global landscape. Imagine it as the superpower in a country’s DNA, which helps it be more innovative, work smarter, be resilient to crises and ready to adapt and evolve. As technology accelerates, trade boundaries shift, and sustainability becomes paramount, a nation's competitive edge has become synonymous with its capacity to navigate these changes adeptly.

Registration fees for the conference amount to 70€.
The proceeds from the registration will be entirely donated to Touchpoints asbl.

In essence, competitiveness is the compass that guides nations towards a future where adaptability, creativity, and efficiency are not just desirable attributes but essential prerequisites for enduring success on the world stage.

For countries aiming for a successful and vital future, maintaining – or better, boosting – their competitiveness is crucial.

This leads us to the question: "Is Luxembourg still competitive and in the race?" Can we still confidently assert that the Grand Duchy has remained the economic "competitor" it has been for some time? Are we seizing the opportunities of global change?

These questions and others will form the basis of our discussion together during the 2024 Journée de l’Economie, held on 26 March at the Chamber of Commerce.

As with every year, this unique event will bring together economists, members of the Luxembourg Government – including the Minister of the Economy Lex Delles – as well as many representatives of the private sector to discuss the current economic climate, the measures to be considered and potential (drastic) changes to be made, to remain competitive.

We will be delighted to welcome well-known speakers who are specialised in the field of competitiveness, productivity and attractiveness, and can share with us best practices on how the Grand Duchy can become the best in class.

Among other speakers, we will have the privilege of listening to:

• Lionel Fontagné, a Professor of Economics at the University Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and at the Paris School of Economics, has carried out several studies and written several reports on competitiveness, international trade and investment, trade policies and long-term issues, addressing current challenges in the global economy; Professor Fontagné participated in the Journée de l’Economie several years ago to address Luxembourg’s competitiveness. He is the author of the landmark report “Compétitivité du Luxembourg : Une paille dans l’acier” published in 2005. It will therefore be interesting to have his point of view almost 20 years later and to assess with him the current situation in the country.
• We will also welcome Michele Cincera, Professor of Economics at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management-ULB, specialising in the economics of science and technology, industrial organisation, and applied econometrics. Since 2012, he has directed the International Center for Innovation, Technology, and Education Studies (iCite). His research delves into evaluating innovative activities, national innovation systems, and policies supporting science and research. With expertise in policy analysis and supervision of Ph.D. students, he will bring significant contributions to understanding competition dynamics and the impact of innovation policies.

Throughout the conference, we will engage in a lively discussion as experts dissect Luxembourg’s current competitiveness. We will identify critical success factors from recent years and contemplate their role in shaping the Grand Duchy’s trajectory for the future.

We also will delve into the realm of innovation and emerging technologies in Luxembourg, exploring the nation’s positioning in tomorrow’s technological landscape and addressing the dual challenge of environmental and digital transformation.

More information : https://www.jecolux.lu/events/economyday/index.html